Selina in Playa Venao, Panama

Following its $100 million round of funding, global hospitality brand Selina is aiming high

A super trendy hospitality offering from Latin America is coming to the UK.

Selina, one of Latin America’s hottest hospitality groups, which boasts “ecosystems” offering accommodation, co-working, wellness and local experiences, is planning to open four new properties in the UK in the coming months.

We find out more.

From Panama to the UK

Selina was started in 2014 by two friends who ran real estate projects in the small Panamanian fishing town of Pedasí. The first Selina property opened in Venao, a nearby surf village, with the intention of fostering community through hospitality.

Their vision became a reality and Selina quickly grew from one venue in Panama to locations across the continent. By now it has become not just a place to stay, but also a lifestyle, travel and hospitality platform.

Following the brand’s success in Latin America, Selina has big plans to come to the UK in the coming months, with four new locations locked in in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

Selina Antigua, Guatemala

Selina Playa Venao, Panama

Selina’s development and global expansion plan

This UK expansion is intended as the first step towards global growth.

CEO and co-founder Rafael Museri says, “We’ve been looking for the right opportunity to bring the Selina way of life to the U.K. and enter the bustling market with an established footprint — especially in the emerging entrepreneurial hubs of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.”

This was made possible by a $100m funding scheme in conjunction with Access Industries, Grupo Weise and Colony Latam Partners, all of whom have invested in the brand’s expansion.

The investors have big plans for Selina – they aim to have a key count of 130,000 in over 400 locations worldwide by the end of 2023. Selina already has a presence in 13 countries with 46 properties. The UK leg of their expansion plan is set to be completed by the end of 2019 with the rebranding of four locations.

This rebrand will be in line with current Selina standards, which encourage partnership with local and emerging artists and designers to create a lively, fresh and fun environment where people can connect and interact.

As part of this round of investment, the group also plans to be operational in Germany, Greece, Portugal, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, with another 31 properties in these areas in 2019, cementing their position in the European and Latin American markets.

Here is a TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION infographic detailing United Kingdom’s hotel pipeline.

Let’s take a look at a few other projects currently underway by Selina: