Hotel and bar group Experimental has revealed plans to launch the brand in Portugal, with a hotel scheduled for a late 2026 launch in the city of Porto.
The group has agreed to acquire the Hotel Infante Sagres from investor Gaw Capital. The landmark property, which dates from 1951, will experience a substantial makeover before launching in late 2026 as Experimental Porto. There will be 85 guest rooms, while the group’s signature bar and restaurant offerings will feature strongly in the property.
A growing pipeline of hotels and restaurants
The group is also working up plans to launch Experimental Roma. A conversion property, it will have 78 rooms, and feature a restaurant beneath a glazed roof, cocktail bar, and rooftop swimming pool from which guests will enjoy views across the Rome skyline. Also in planning is another addition to the group’s Paris region lineup, Experimental Hotel Saint Germain des Pres. It will involve transforming a private mansion into a hotel with 43 rooms, plus Experimental’s regular food and beverage offering.
Experimental is unusual in having attracted investment support from a string of famous names, all interested in a successful future for this hybrid business. Among the group’s more famous backers is shoe designer Christian Louboutin. He took a stake in the business in 2024, ahead of Experimental opening its first US property. Louboutin joined other key sector influencers including Brookfield Asset Management, with an interest in seeing Experimental go higher.
Brookfield agreed to work with Experimental on the brand’s growth in 2021, making up to EUR350 million available to acquire properties. The pair’s first joint project was the acquisition of the Hotel Montesol, in Ibiza. Formerly a Hilton property, and with the distinction of being the island’s first dedicated hotel development, it first opened in 1933.
The acquisition in Portugal was made with the support of French private equity investor Extendam. Having built one of the largest portfolios of midscale and economy hotels across Europe, the business is broadening its investment base in the hotel space. In recent months, the group launched the FPCI Experimental Hotels Collection, aiming to make a major commitment to the brand and its lifestyle properties.
A hybrid mix of hospitality formats
Experimental was born in 2007, originally focused on restaurant and bar offerings. A true hospitality brand, the business has grown out of its early days running cocktail and wine bars. It then expanded into accommodation, building a select portfolio of great places to stay. Today, the group has 39 properties across Europe, with a few further afield, including 14 hotels, bars and restaurants, as well as experimenting with beach clubs, night clubs, and spa properties.
The brand has been similarly adventurous in trying out a variety of accommodation formats. As well as city centre hotels in key European destinations, it has also taken the brand into country estates, and ski chalets in Verbier and Val d’Isere.
