WORLDWIDE—Looking to build on the success of his Trump International Hotel & Tower overlooking Central Park in New York, Donald Trump and his three grown children (Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric) are taking the condo-hotel concept worldwide as the Trump Hotel Collection.

With projects announced in 12 locations, one already open in Chicago and another opening soon in Las Vegas, Trump figures to establish a brand presence relatively quickly.

Differentiating the luxury properties from the rest of the sector will be their architecture, residential feel and personalized service, says Jim Petrus, chief operating officer of Trump International Hotels Management LLC.

“We start with making sure that we have an architectural design package that is distinctive,” Petrus says. “We want to [do] everything we can to be un-chain-like. There is a lot of effort being made into making sure these are individualized experiences that fit into the local community.”

Petrus notes the Chicago property was designed by a Chicago-based architect and says each building will feel like it fits into its locale. He also notes that each property will feel more intimate than most hotels—more residential.

“When you walk in, there isn’t a cavernous lobby—it’s almost like you’re walking into someone’s personal pied-à-terre. The high-end traveler today wants to feel that the building has been designed around them.”

To extend that feeling of personalization into guest service, the brand is rolling out the Trump Attaché concept across all properties. Comprising the services of a concierge and butler, the Trump Attaché is “a guest historian to some degree,” Petrus says. Attachés proactively determine guest interests and meticulously record guest preferences, ensuring that such information is available systemwide so that no stay feels like the first one and no request needs repeating.

Looking to attract the top 1% to 5% of the traveling public, with average household incomes north of US$500,000 per year, the Trump Hotel Collection team recognizes the importance of outstanding food and beverage operations, Petrus says.

“We think of the F&B component as extremely important to the overall positioning of the individual hotel, and certainly the brand as well,” he notes. “We’re evaluating each of the properties—in some cases, we’re going to bring in our own talent, and in others we are going to reach out to a name, celebrity-type chef who we think will resonate with the high-end consumer.”

Between the Trump name and the names of potential celebrity culinarians, marketing isn’t a top-of-mind worry, Petrus says. “We have a family that respects the power of the press and understands the impact that may have on your success in any corner of the globe. We have gone to a great effort to make sure that Trump Hotel Collection is positioned as part of the Trump Organization. We’ll tap into the great resources that Donald brings, and use in a strategic fashion Donald Trump and the children to help us promote the Trump Hotel Collection.”

Petrus adds the hotel brand is “definitely a family business. Donald Trump himself is involved with the minute details, everything from selecting light fixtures and fabrics and all of the little nuances that really go into making up a hotel experience. And the kids are all passionate about growing this segment of the business and making sure we are properly positioned as a brand.”

As for other executive and property leadership, so far, the team consists of Petrus, with 30 years of experience between Hyatt and Starwood; Vice President of Sales and Marketing Dianna Balabon, who spent the past nine years in a similar capacity with The Peninsula Hotels; and three seasoned hoteliers leading the New York, Chicago and Las Vegas properties.

In addition to the 12 properties under development (which include sites in SoHo, New York; New Orleans; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Waikiki, Hawaii; Baja California; Cap Cana, Dominican Republic; Panama City, Panama; Toronto; Aberdeen, Scotland; and Dubai, Petrus says the development team and Trump family are currently looking at properties in Egypt, Kazakhstan, Moscow, London and “some of the core cities in China.”

Direct comments to: derek.gale@reedbusiness.com

Guestrooms at the newly opened Chicago property are spacious and offer floor-to-ceiling windows, fully equipped kitchens and custom furnishings. They are also designed to be free of the normal clutter found in many hotels.