The NYU conference as it’s colloquially called is a perennial gathering of the brightest minds and largest capital allocators in hotel real estate. Without capital, there’s no ops teams, kitchen equipment orders, quantity surveying, wellness providers, technology vendors. Globally, hotel investment volumes in 2025 were up 22% from 2023 (as a comp), with the Americas leading growth at 27%. Trend 3: Branded Residences Have Become a Financing StrategyFor years, branded residences were viewed primarily as a luxury or prestige play. The mic drop macro for branded resi remains obvious: branded residences command an average 33% pricing premium over comparable non-branded properties.