The appetite from developers, brands and buyers for branded homes that are not physically attached to a hotel is growing.
St. Regis (Marriott) is the market-leader in this space. More than one third of its portfolio of branded residences are standalone.
Four Seasons, in second place, has put a particular focus on standalone residences in recent years, with projects in London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Marrakech, Dubai, Las Vegas, Lake Austin, and Istanbul. The company expects to have 90 standalone residences by 2030, according to a Savills report.
Accor has a growing standalone portfolio too. Robert Morrice, regional VP, head of mixed-use (Americas), Accor One Living, said: “We did about nine standalone projects last year, and we’re expecting to do more than that this year.”
Yet, without the amenities and ambience of an adjacent hotel to lean into, creating a successful standalone residence requires a unique set of considerations. What is the best approach?
Local expertise
Morrice said: “We typically want to have one of our Accor hotels nearby, and if it’s the same brand as the residence then that’s ideal. So, for example, in Buenos Aires, we have a Sofitel hotel and we are building a standalone residential building nearby.”
In this scenario, Accor has the benefit of already having an operations team on the ground who are conversant with the local laws and jurisdictions and can support the new standalone residence.
Secondly, for Accor, the goal is to sell the apartments as first, second or third homes. “In urban locations, we really try to stay away from rental programmes,” he said.
Thirdly, in the absence of an adjacent hotel, Morrice said that it’s important to work closely with the developer and think deeply about the amenities and services to include.
He advised: “Think about the commercial spaces. Are you going to bring in food and beverage? What will make it more appealing and exciting as an overall project?”
Scale matters
Peter Bazeli, principal and managing director, Weitzman Associates LLP, added that scale matters in terms of delivering the right number of sellable units to cover the cost of the amenities.
The St. Regis Residences in Houston, Texas, is due to open later this year. The project by developer Satya includes over 40,000 square feet of private resort-style amenities: a yoga and movement studio; meditation garden; dedicated yoga lawn; co-working spaces; library; private offices; cinemas; children’s activity centres, and a full spa with treatment rooms and saunas.
To cover the cost of these amenities, there are 93 units on sale at prices starting at over $3m per unit. Forty percent of the apartments have reportedly sold pre-launch, and penthouse units and ‘Sky Collection’ floors were added in response to demand.
Some standalone projects have failed to get the amenities right, noted Bazeli.
“How many private restaurants have we seen at the top of branded residential buildings that are not open to the public? The residents are carrying them, and ultimately they’re going to close. It doesn’t make sense right?” he commented.
Community spirit
However, if these spaces were configured differently, as clubs, for instance, or if a solid need from the Home Ownership Association (HOA) or the Board to pay for and use these facilities was established in advance, then the outcome might be different.
Morrice underlined the importance of close dialogue and relationships with the residents. “HOA management is huge, because every one of these projects has a board and they have a say, right? They're absolutely involved, and they care because they spent millions on these residences,” he said.
Wendy Hansens, international hospitality counsel, Eversheds Sutherland, agreed: “I think people and communication are really important in the standalone context and that’s what we as hospitality firms do really well.”
Having a director of residences who delivers programmes and events within the building that connect the residents and create community is important, she said.
The luxury influx
In mature markets, hospitality brands are competing with luxury consumer brands for the attention of standalone developers. As mentioned, Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons lead the standalone segment, but YOO, Porsche, Aston Martin, Missoni, and Dolce & Gabbana have all launched significant projects.
Seasoned hospitality professionals are unfazed by the increased competition. A luxury car manufacturer including a ‘free’ car in the purchase of a branded apartment does not compare with the guarantee of 137 years of hospitality and customer service provided by a brand like Raffles, reckoned Morrice.
“In the end I think it makes us better. As a developer, I would say, you really have to look closely at [the non-hospitality brands] and ask: what am I getting with that?” he said.
Bazeli agreed that in most cases, hospitality brands will win, but in hyper mature markets like Miami and Dubai, the layering of several brands - covering excellence in wellness, F&B and hospitality - within the same property can provide the answer.
“I think the pressure is even greater to do this when you have a non-hospitality brand in place,” he said.
Staying power
Erik Eveleigh, VP of development Americas, Starwood Hotels, wanted to give credit to the non-hospitality brands for their ability to deliver the considerable brand reach and brand power that developers are looking for.
But will Porsche, Aston Martin, Missoni, and Dolce & Gabbana still have their names on branded residences in 2040?
Licensing agreements in this market are nowhere near as long as HMAs, said Hansen: “They can terminate after one year or any time after 60 days.” In a previous role, she saw two Mandarin Oriental residences convert to Waldorf Astoria.
“We didn’t get any legal pushback,” she commented. “I think these are sophisticated buyers who understand that [rebranding] is a risk and it’s made clear in the purchasing agreement. I never had anybody cancel a deal for that.”
All quotes taken from the panel session ‘Finding the right fit. Matching brands with projects’ at the Questex Brand x Residential event in New York City, June 2025. The panel was moderated by Kitty Jones, premier real estate & branded residences, Catherine Jones Marketing & Communications.