Stating “this is just the beginning” and “big brands don’t get it,” Standard International CEO Amar Lalvani announced 15 new projects (roughly 2,500 keys) on Tuesday, including its first European property, The Standard, London opening in Kings Cross this Spring.
Less than 18 months after a US$58 million-dollar capital infusion from Bangkok-based real estate development firm Sansiri PCL in November 2017, the parent company of Standard Hotels and Bunkhouse Group said additional projects will include new Standard Hotels in The Maldives, Lisbon, Paris, Milan, Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta, Mexico City, Chicago, Hua Hin and Pattaya, as well as three new Bunkhouse hotels in the U.S., in Austin, New Orleans and Atlanta. These include the first branded residential projects for both Standard and Bunkhouse.
Lalvani told HOTELS the deals are predominately straight hotel management agreements. In certain instances, for extremely high barrier entry strategic market/locations, Standard International has committed capital. The projects will open over the next five years with London being followed by the Maldives also in 2019.
In response to the big pipeline news, Lalvani boldly stated owners and developers have taken note of how genuine and rich The Standard’s culture and creativity are compared to the soulless ‘lifestyle brands’ popping up seemingly at every turn.
Lalvani answered questions for HOTELS on Tuesday morning, elaborating on his statement: “The big brands don’t get it. It’s not about focus groups or research on millennials. A brand is not a new name with a corporate brand manager. It’s about passionate team members and guests that demonstrate loyalty beyond reason. It’s about doing things that others couldn’t do or wouldn’t do.
“Whether it’s social activism through Ring Your Rep, a sleepwear to streetwear clothing line, a trailer-teepee-yurt hotel, music festivals under the stars, a swimming pool in a nightclub, the first cannabis dispensary in a hotel, chefs standing up and cooking for causes they believe in, or the first new wave gay bar in a hotel. It’s not about a booth at a convention. It’s about believing passionately in bringing experiences to life in our hotels that have never been brought to life before. With people from outside our business who bring fresh thoughts and ideas to the table that inspire them, that therefore inspire us, that therefore inspire our guests. To have moments they will never forget. That’s what I mean by our brands having soul.”