Ennismore, the lifestyle division of the French Accor group, has added a further brand to its stable. A strategic partnership with Our Habitas will see Ennismore help drive growth for the established luxury resort concept.
Our Habitas was launched in 2016, and currently trades out of ten resorts across four continents. The brand’s theme is “luxury for the soul”, with each destination built around music, wellness, art, adventure, food, learning, giving back and a strong connection with the natural environment. Those destinations include AlUla in Saudi Arabia, Atacama in Chile, Tulum in Mexico, and the Kalahari desert in Namibia. The Our Habitas pipeline includes European destinations in Ibiza and Portugal, Costa Rica, plus Brazil, and further additions in countries where the brand is already present such as Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
Founders staying on board
Brand founder Oliver Ripley is staying with the Our Habitas business, overseeing the creative vision of the brand. But by linking with Ennismore, there will be the immediate benefit of access to Accor’s global distribution, while the Ennismore team will ensure faster international growth and help improve operational efficiency.
Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin explained the rationale for supporting the brand: ““Our Habitas has created a unique niche in luxury hospitality, offering stunning destinations to passionate travellers seeking a lifetime adventure, full of memorable moments and unexpected discoveries. Its crafted positioning will perfectly fit with our Ennismore collective and effortlessly match our lifestyle and tailor-made approach to hospitality.”
“Ennismore’s entrepreneurial approach, global footprint, combined with their extensive operational expertise make them the ideal partner for Our Habitas to continue its trajectory as a global leader in experiential hospitality,” said Ridley.
Our Habitas launched the brand with its first hotel in Tulum, an oceanfront site with elements of jungle and wilderness. In 2021, the brand opened in Namibia and AlUla, and in Bacalar, Mexico. Ripley said: “Our hospitality is about smiles and stories and we hire people locally who embody our values.”
New ways of building
The company found existing hotel development processes stifling, and so early on developed its own factory in Mexico to develop modular construction, able to manufacture flat packed hotel rooms. The result, they say, is a faster, more consistent product which also happens to deliver accommodation at a lower cost. By building in remote locations, they have also developed genuinely sustainable practices around water and green energy. And, as a result, Our Habitas can now take on remote sites that other hotel developers would struggle to build out.
A slew of financial backers have acknowledged the unique attributes and potential of the Our Habitas brand, providing their support to help it grow. These include Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Starwood Capital, and hotel sector veterans Barry Sternlicht, Maurice Salem and Travis Kalanick.
