Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and “lifestyle visionary” Sam Nazarian’s privately-held hospitality group, SBE, have united to launch a new smart lifestyle brand under the working title, Project HQ Hotels and Residences.
Owned by SBE, with investment by entertainment figure, entrepreneur and SBE equity partner Marc Anthony and his company Magnus, Project HQ will be affiliated with Wyndham’s Registry Collection Hotels, which caters to hotel owners in the luxury and smart lifestyle segments.
The strategic alliance will leverage Nazarian’s decades of experience in the lifestyle hospitality space and Wyndham’s resources and global reach.
Project HQ marks SBE’s first hotel brand after the 2020 sale of its hospitality brand and management platform which included over 100 hotels – SLS, Delano, Mondrian, Hyde, among others – more than 150 restaurants and lounges, and over US$4 billion of luxury residential sales.
“When we created lifestyle luxury back in 2005 with SLS, we forged a new category,” said SBE Founder and CEO Sam Nazarian.
“Now, almost 20 years later we look to reinvent lifestyle again with Project HQ, the first smart lifestyle hotel brand.
“We will channel our entrepreneurial spirit and deep industry expertise into crafting intuitive, groundbreaking solutions for both hotel owners and guests.
Nazarian said SBE is “uniquely equipped” to solve the “unmet needs of the next generation”, addressing demand for culinary excellence, vibrant social spaces.
“Today we are combining Sam Nazarian’s unmatched culinary and lifestyle experience with the unrivalled scale and resources of the world’s largest hotel franchisor to fuel Project HQ Hotels and Residences,” said Wyndham President and CEO, Geoff Ballotti.
“Our owners drive our success. Hotel owners searching for a differentiated, yet approachable, lifestyle brand will immediately benefit from the scale and resources of the world’s largest hotel franchisor, gaining access to best-in-class sales, distribution and technology, along with the industry’s number one hotel loyalty program in Wyndham Rewards.”
Intended to be a more approachable experience for the consumer that has been priced out of the lifestyle hotel market, Project HQ forms part of a new category of smart lifestyle, that SBE says will revolutionise hospitality by building communities and creating meaningful memories for its savvy Millennial and Gen Z guests.
Project HQ Hotels will be located in the heart of the cities they launch in, and will aim to be the city’s “headquarters” for exceptional dining, nightlife and wellness.
Project HQ plans to open 50 hotels by 2030, delivering approximately 7,500 rooms. It will also deliver a branded residential offering for underserved markets such as integrated student housing and workforce housing.