Global Growth Spree for Design Hotels

Design Hotels' Rapid Rise to Global Dominance

Design Hotels, a community-driven portfolio comprising nearly 300 independent hotels, recently announced 29 signed agreements and a 10 percent growth in its global portfolio over the past 12 months. From the lesser-known Black Sea coast of Batumi, Georgia, to the residential neighbourhood of Tribeca, New York, each new and upcoming Design Hotels property reflects the brand's values as well as the unique vision of the property owners.

"As we expand our global portfolio, each property reflects the visionary spirit of its “original” owner, ensuring that Design Hotels continues to push boundaries and deepen community,” said Stijn Oyen, Managing Director, Design Hotels.

“That sentiment translates to that intangible Design Hotels' experience - where every stay feels uniquely personal and is infused with the passion of its creator.”

Design Hotels is gaining traction in the United States and Mexico, with the addition of seven new destinations across both countries. Ten new hotels have been added in the United States, and the brand has now surpassed 25 hotels in Mexico. With significant new hotel signings, Design Hotels is strengthening its collaboration with Firmdale Hotels and Grupo Habita while also introducing new partnerships with the renowned independent hotel groups Drift Hotels and ASH.

• The Warren Street Hotel, Firmdale’s 69-key property in Tribeca, New York City, opened in February 2024 and marks Tim and Kit Kemp’s 11th opening in the Firmdale stable, with its distinctive hotels and townhouses in London and New York already members of the Design Hotels portfolio.
• ASH, the vision of hoteliers Ari Heckman and Jonathan Minkoff, creates cinematic experiences at each of its meticulously designed hotels. Properties joining the Design Hotels portfolio include Ulysses, Baltimore and The Dean, Providence.
• Thanks to owner Philip Bates’ vision to create hotels with a sense of place, Drift Hotels boasts boutique hotels in San Jose del Cabo, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, and Nashville – all now part of Design Hotels. Drift Nashville, which opened in July of this year, features 104 rooms and suites and three food and beverage outlets led by Nashville hospitality talent Alexis Soler.
• The signings of the coveted Hotel 850 SVB in West Hollywood, imagined by renowned hotelier and restaurateur Jeff Klein, and the upcoming Granger Hotel Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, anticipated to open this year, will bring Design Hotels’ portfolio to 14 in California, including the new additions of Drift Santa Barbara and Palm Springs.
• With these new signings, Design Hotels will boast 26 hotels in its open portfolio and signed pipeline across Mexico. Design Hotels signed the forthcoming Tinte Hotel, an intimate hotel expected to open in 2026. It will offer ocean views from its rooftop, sitting in a UNESCO World Heritage site in the south of the Yucatán peninsula. Hotel Sevilla—a restored colonial villa from the 16th century in the city centre of Mérida, and Hotel Humano—a boutique hotel built into the bedrock at the southern end of the iconic stretch of beach in Puerto Escondido – are expected to join Design Hotels, both part of Grupo Habita and poised to open in 2025.

Design Hotels will add three one-of-a-kind hotels in Switzerland, bringing the brand’s portfolio to 15 hotels in the country. It also welcomes its fifth hotel in Georgia and introduces hidden gems in Istanbul, Singapore, and Bali.

• The Home Hotel Zurich, which opened this August, channels the whimsical Dada avant-garde art movement of the early 20th century. It reimagines a former paper mill to feature 132 rooms and suites, a lobby and lounge, a neo-bistro, and collaborations with the local creative community.
• Poised to open by the end of this year, Hôtel Borsari will feature 51 rooms and suites set amid the charming town of Martigny and surrounded by gorges that rank among the top 10 in Europe, thermal springs, stunning mountain trails, and terraced vineyards. A subterranean Roman bathhouse, the property is a testament to the town’s rich heritage and nods to the town's ancient legacy.
• Rooms Batumi Hotel marks Design Hotels’ fifth hotel in Georgia and it's first resort destination on the Black Sea. With a bold design and 1970s flair, the hotel features nearly 120 rooms and suites, a rooftop pool, a cocktail bar, and a restaurant that blends Georgian and international culinary influences.

With Stijn Oyen at the helm, Design Hotels enters a new era of growth and propels the next generation of independent hotels forward. As Design Hotels continues to gain momentum, its hotels are increasingly utilizing the brand’s services, which include public relations, sales, digital marketing, web design, content creation, and access to Marriott’s global distribution channels and its leading travel program, Marriott Bonvoy.

This announcement follows on the heels of Stijn Oyen being named Managing Director earlier this year to helm the award-winning portfolio—now in its fourth decade of operation. “The future of Design Hotels is brimming with opportunity, and I’m delighted to lead such a talented, passionate team, spearheading the brand’s growth in new territories and realizing the brand’s vision for the future,” Oyen concluded.