Serviced apartment group Cheval Collection is poised to take its portfolio above the 1,000 units milestone, as it makes plans to add further properties during 2025.
The company opened Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai in March 2025, with the opening taking the international portfolio to more than 950 operational apartments. It has more than doubled in size in just four years, from a point where the Lexham Gardens by Cheval Maison project was opened in London.
Plans to sign management contracts
Cheval is looking to grow faster by signing management contracts in future, taking on the operation of existing or newly built apartments owned by other landlords. Properties can be signed under any one of the group’s three brands: Cheval Residences, Cheval Maison and My Locanda. While the Residences brand aims to be at the heart of the city, properties in the Maison brand deliver more for those seeking to be part of a local neighbourhood. The upcoming My Locanda brand is an urban lifestyle accommodation concept, connecting more closely with the local community.
The new opening in Dubai, at the destination’s Expo City, features 151 apartments. They are arranged as a mix of studios, or larger units with one, two or three bedrooms, to suit groups and families wanting a comfortable place to stay together. Residents can enjoy amenities including a rooftop pool, restaurant, bar and coffee shop. For corporate users, there are also meeting and event spaces in the property.
Further openings are planned in the Middle East.
Cheval has already committed to play its part in expanding the Saudi Arabian hospitality sector, with a planned opening of Cheval Ladun Living in Riyadh, in 2027. Developed by Ladun Investment Company, the project will feature 130 apartments of varying sizes, all located in a tower that will also feature a gym, pool and sauna for the use of residents.
“The serviced apartment sector is now firmly in the mainstream for investors considering a move into hospitality,” said Daniel Johansson, Cheval’s director of development and acquisitions. “Our brands offer luxury products with efficient operations; the best of both worlds for owners looking to enter or expand in the sector. Guests are also drawn to the flexibility of our apartments, which provide a high-end backdrop to their break, be that for business or leisure.”
Working with a global alliance
Despite its modest scale, compared with major international hotel brand groups, Cheval has taken several steps to ensure it punches above its weight. One of those steps was to join the Global Hotel Alliance, with the company being Europe’s first serviced apartment operator to join the platform. GHA acts as a marketing force for its members around the globe, and operates a loyalty programme, GHA Discovery, to support all its member accommodation providers.
Another Cheval Maison property under way is in the Scottish city of Glasgow. There, a 70 unit development will be the group’s fifth property in Scotland, with the West Regent Street location expected to open in 2026.
