PARIS—Accor continues to present significant growth figures in North & Central America, a key region for the group’s global development strategy.
Accor’s North & Central America portfolio has increased by 34% in just two years, with another 23 hotels, representing 4,400 rooms currently in the pipeline, including luxury projects Fairmont Century Plaza, Sofitel Mexico City Reforma and Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences.
“This is an exciting time for development in the North & Central America region and our pipeline offers a glimpse into Accor’s larger growth strategy worldwide. We’re seeing a strong focus on the expansion of luxury and lifestyle brands while continuing to grow our established midscale and economy brands in some of the region’s top destinations and gateway cities,” said Greg Doman, SVP of development, Accor North & Central America. “In a very short time, Accor has successfully assembled a strong and comprehensive brand portfolio, responding to demand across all brand segments from economy to luxury, resulting in a tremendous response from the marketplace.”
Further solidifying its position as a worldwide hospitality leader, Accor experienced a year of remarkable growth in 2018 with record openings and signings, and strong acceleration in the lifestyle sector, mainly due to the acquisition of 14 new brands that greatly strengthened the group’s portfolio. In North & Central America, Accor’s strategic alliance with sbe Entertainment Group and acquisition of 21c Museum Hotels further reinforced its lifestyle footprint in the region.
Acquisitions Drive Growth in North & Central America
21c Museum Hotels – MGallery Hotel Collection
In 2018, Accor acquired an 85% stake in hospitality innovator, 21c Museum Hotels. In March 2019, 21c Museum Hotels officially joined the MGallery Hotel Collection, marking the North American debut for MGallery, a collection which represents more than 100 boutique hotels located in 27 countries.
In addition to 21c’s eight distinctive properties, the brand currently has projects under development in Chicago, slated for opening in late 2019, and Des Moines, IA. 21c Museum Hotels also recently announced that it has been selected as the brand and management company for a combination boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and independently branded, chef-driven restaurant, anticipated to open in the restored YMCA building in downtown St. Louis in late 2020.
Sbe
Also in 2018, Accor announced the group had acquired a 50% stake in leading luxury lifestyle operator sbe, forging a strategic partnership which would allow sbe to leverage Accor’s leading global hospitality platform while expanding the Accor portfolio with sbe’s iconic luxury lifestyle hotel, restaurant and entertainment brands, including SLS, Delano, Mondrian, Hyde, Katsuya and Umami Burger.
The sbe brands are poised for major regional and global expansion, with 17 properties currently under development.
Most recently, Accor and sbe announced the launch of The House of Originals, a luxury collection of properties featuring a bold spirit that challenges and inspires. This new hotel brand collection includes the Shore Club in Miami Beach and a new $72 million development, Temple Detroit. Slated to open in June 2020 in Detroit’s renowned Cass Corridor, Temple Detroit will have 100 hotel rooms and 70 residential units in addition to a sbe restaurant and mixology and nightclub venues, with design by architecture firm McIntosh Poris Associates alongside Kravitz Design, Lenny Kravitz’s interior design company based in New York.
Novotel Miami Brickell (Atton)
Following Accor’s 2018 acquisition of Atton Hotels, the group announced in May 2019 that Atton Brickell Miami was rebranded as Novotel Miami Brickell. Novotel Miami Brickell is the second Novotel in the U.S. and the brand’s 11th property in North & Central America. The addition of Novotel Miami Brickell marks the continued expansion of the Novotel brand, as well as an enhanced footprint for Accor North & Central America in the key gateway city of Miami.
In Development
The next three years are an exciting period of growth for Accor North & Central America, with 23 pipeline projects targeted for opening by 2023, significantly expanding the range of offerings available to Accor guests, while further strengthening the group’s regional presence. Additionally, the pending development marks the entry of four fundamental Accor brands into new markets within North & Central America.
“We are enthused to expand brands that have long had a presence in this region, such as Fairmont, with the recent opening of Fairmont Austin and new projects Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and Fairmont Costa Canuva in Mexico,” said Doman. “We will also introduce Raffles and SO/, brands that are new to North & Central America and will offer travelers two distinct types of luxury travel never before offered in this market.”
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Following the highly anticipated opening of Fairmont Austin in 2018, as the largest Fairmont in the United States and third largest in the world, Fairmont is restoring another icon with the exciting redevelopment of Los Angeles’ historic Century Plaza Hotel, Fairmont Century Plaza is set to open in early 2020. The landmark hotel is currently undergoing a $2.5 billion redevelopment that will include approximately 394 guestrooms and 63 private residences, alongside two new 46-story luxury residential towers.
The Fairmont brand continues its growth in North America with the addition of Fairmont Costa Canuva, a new development featuring 250 hotel rooms and private residences along the pristine Riviera Nayarit in Mexico, slated to open in 2022.
Sofitel
The first Sofitel in Mexico will open in Mexico City in September 2019, more than a decade since the last opening of a luxury hotel in the capital city. Ideally located in the heart of the city on Paseo de la Reforma next to the Angel of Independence, Sofitel Mexico City Reforma will have 275 rooms, including 50 suites, a rooftop lounge and dining with spectacular views of Mexico City.
SO/
Accor will also expand its presence and options for travelers in the Americas with the introduction of the audacious, stylish SO/ brand to the region. One of the fastest growing brands in Accor’s luxury lifestyle portfolio, SO/ will debut in North America with distinct properties including SO/ Los Cabos Hotel & Residences. Making its debut in the Baja California Peninsula in 2022, SO/ Los Cabos will offer 180 chic hotel guest rooms and 36 luxury residences with beach and ocean vistas.
Raffles
The first and only Raffles property on the North American continent will debut in 2021 with the opening of Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences. The mixed-use development will include 147 guestrooms and 146 private residences in a striking new 33-story building located in Boston’s historic Back Bay neighborhood.
Joining a prestigious collection of 12 properties around the world, Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences will set the standard for refined hospitality and residential living in Boston.
Novotel
Novotel will expand its presence in Mexico City with the opening of Novotel Mexico City Fórum in 2020 and Novotel Mexico City Insurgentes in 2021, the second and third Novotel properties in Mexico City, and third and fourth for the brand across the country. The new Novotel properties are a part of a larger expansion story for Accor in Mexico, joining a growing group of more than 25 Accor hotels countrywide.
Ibis
The ibis brand continues to see tremendous growth in Mexico with the opening of ibis Styles Mérida, ibis Mazatlán and ibis Tlalnepantla in 2018, and the spring and summer 2019 openings of ibis Torreón, ibis Budget Aquascalientes and ibis Tijuana. Additional projects in development include ibis budget Delicias and ibis Budget Mexico City Eje Central scheduled to open in 2020.