ATLANTA — Despite some of the noise around slower hotel transaction activity across U.S. markets, where there's a will, there's a way.
There are few barriers to a really solid hotel deal just about anywhere, said Newport Hospitality Group President Wayne West in a video interview at the 2026 Hunter Conference.
"I don't care what anyone says — truly, if you want to find money, and you've got a good deal, you can make a deal today," he said, adding that if the deal involves a hotel with a great story, there's opportunity.
"Buyers still want to buy, and sellers still want to sell, and the lenders don't make money unless they're transacting. So I think there's an eagerness in the industry to find a good deal and do it," West said.
There's still a gap between the buyers and sellers, and everyone has eyes on interest rates coming down, but buyers can still find the right lender out there, West said.
Newport Hospitality Group's portfolio, which includes over 30 hotels strategically located in tertiary markets across 12 states, is doing "shockingly" well this month so far, West said. He added he's encouraged for performance for the rest of this year even despite some of the headwinds including a decline in Canadian travel and a high cost of labor.
One boon to the U.S. hotel industry will be the upcoming World Cup, but West said he's waiting to see how that will affect his business.
The World Cup is "certainly not going to save our year. It's going to positively impact our year, and we'll just see how much that is by the end of the event," he said.
West said he's focused on the parts of the business he can control, and one of those aspects is talent — finding the best leaders and team members and making sure they are mentored appropriately.
"If anything keeps me up at night, it's making sure that we've got the right leaders on the property. And we're very proud we have a lot of great leaders on our properties today," he said.
For more from Newport Hospitality Group's Wayne West, watch the video or listen to the podcast embedded above.