Travelers are seeking unique experiences
A growing number of travelers want more from their hotels than a soft bed and a clean sleeping place.
They want hotels that reflect their interests, whether art, music, fashion or business, and allow them to mingle with other travelers who share those passions.
This has given a boost to lifestyle hotels; The global share of lifestyle rooms in new hotels has almost doubled since 2000. JLL’s Global Hotel Investment Outlook 2025.
Approximately 25% of new hotel rooms in Europe by 2025 According to the report, lifestyle hotels are followed by America and Asia with 16%.
“Lifestyle and boutique hotels are defined by their unique, exclusive environments versus the standardized experience of traditional hotels,” according to a downloadable version. separate JLL report We review lifestyle hotels in Asia-Pacific.
The difference between them, according to the report, is that boutique hotels are independent or family-run chains, while lifestyle hotels are operated by well-established hotel companies.
The report showed that in Asia-Pacific, where growth has been strongest in the past five years, room supply quadrupled from 2014 to 2024 and will grow a further 34% by 2027.
According to JLL, China has the largest supply of lifestyle hotels in the region, followed by Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, which has three times as many rooms as South Asia.
However, the company said Australia and New Zealand showed the strongest growth in lifestyle room supply, driven by increasing demand for unique and experience-focused travel.
JLL added that lifestyle brands are expected to continue to expand in Asia, supported by investor and guest demand, particularly for brands recently acquired by international hotel chains such as NoMad (acquired by Hilton), CitizenM (acquired by Marriott) and The Standard (acquired by Hyatt).
Different offers
From luxury flagships like The Singapore EDITION to offbeat brands like Mama Shelter, lifestyle hotels are often smaller than mainstream brand hotels and feature distinctive interior décor. And unlike traditional hotels, these hotels emphasize social areas above the rooms.
“I think guests today are choosing hotels because they want to have more than just a room. They want to throw a party… somewhere they can get to know themselves,” said Sylvain Pasdeloup, vice president of Asia-Pacific at lifestyle operator Ennismore.
Lifestyle hotels are also popular among young people. We spend more money on travel than past generations.
“The travel landscape in Asia has expanded so much that we can actually offer niche products to a younger, more affluent customer who is culturally proud but ultimately self-confident,” said Alan Watts, Hilton’s Asia-Pacific president.
The smaller footprint makes these hotels easier and cheaper to build, but they often Have a price premium of 10-11% According to JLL, it is above the overall market average; All this makes them attractive to investors and owners as well.
Food and beverage also plays a key role in the success of lifestyle hotels, allowing them to generate 30% more food and beverage revenue per occupied room than the market average, according to data from JLL.
Marina Bracciani, JLL’s executive vice president and head of hotel research for Asia-Pacific, said lifestyle hotels have traditionally dominated the luxury and luxury segments, but significant growth is now emerging in the upper midscale and subscale categories.
“The lifestyle concept, initially premium, is increasingly moving into three-star and entry-level four-star properties,” he added.
Ten new lifestyle hotel brands will open in Asia-Pacific by 2027, including French favorite Mama Shelter, which makes its Asian debut in Singapore in September.
— CNBC’s Diana Himawan and Monica Pitrelli contributed to this story.
