Hilton has acquired the NoMad hotel brand, adding to its lifestyle brand stable following the recent acquisition of Graduate Hotels.
The move takes the form of the acquisition of a majority, controlling stake in Sydell Group, the organisation that developed the NoMad concept, and has broad experience developing a range of other hospitality concepts, across lodging, restaurants and bars. Under the agreement, Sydell will continue to be responsible for curating, design and management of the NoMad brand.
Hilton sees substantial potential for developing the brand from its current startup phase, into a lifestyle hotel flag with up to 100 sites globally.
As of April 2024, there are two NoMad hotels open. One, in London, is the brand’s flagship; a second, which is part of the Park MGM complex in Las Vegas, will not be part of the Hilton deal, and will be rebranded. Hilton has revealed that a further 10 NoMad hotel sites are already in negotiation.
Launched in London
The London hotel has been open and trading since 2021, and has 91 rooms. It was created from a listed building that was originally constructed as law courts and a police station, in the UK capital’s Covent Garden district.
“Adding NoMad to our growing brand portfolio will create new offerings for guests seeking unique luxury experiences in some of the world’s most desirable locations,” said Chris Silcock, Hilton’s president of global brands and commercial services. “We are accelerating our ability to drive growth in the luxury lifestyle segment.”
Andrew Zobler, founder and CEO of Sydell, said the NoMad concept is “grounded in the idea of the hotel as a great home – dedicated to providing guests with accessible luxury, exceptional design and award-winning food and beverage.”
Hilton in buying mode
Hilton has signalled it is now moving into a more acquisitive phase following the pandemic, as it seeks to broaden its portfolio and improve its coverage across the many segments of the hotel marketplace. In particular, it has declared it will buttress its offering in the booming boutique and lifestyle hotel space.
The acquisition sits alongside the recent addition of Graduate Hotels, another lifestyle brand, starting within Hilton’s portfolio with 35 properties open or in development, largely in the USA. The group has also recently signed agreements with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, effectively adding a boutique hotel offering to its guests and millions of Hilton Honors loyalty programme members.
Hilton has also recently announced a trial offering guests the option to book a more adventurous style of night away, teaming up with Autocamp. The US business manages a series of US sites offering accommodation including glamping, stays in Airstream caravans and cabins in nature.
