Travel News: YOTEL has announced that a fund affiliated with Starwood Capital Group (“Starwood”), a leading global private investment firm, has committed to making a strategic investment of $250 million in YOTEL. This includes acquiring a 30 percent stake in the company and investing in real estate acquisitions for new build, hotel conversion and adaptive reuse properties as YOTEL expands its international scale.
About YOTEL
Inspired by the luxury of first class travel and uncompromisingly designed around guests, YOTEL takes the essential elements of luxury hotels into smaller, smart spaces and deliver a sense of community with areas for co-working, social gatherings and exercise. Premium Cabins include YOTEL’s signature adjustable SmartBed™ with rejuvenating monsoon rain showers and a Technowall with adjustable mood lighting and smart Televisions, multi power points and easy connectivity.
About Starwood Capital Group
Starwood Capital Group is a private alternative investment firm with a core focus on global real estate, energy infrastructure and oil & gas. Starwood Capital Group has raised over $42 billion of equity capital since its inception in 1991, and currently manages more than $54 billion in assets. The Firm has invested in virtually every category of real estate on a global basis, opportunistically shifting asset classes, geographies and positions in the capital stack as it perceives risk/reward dynamics to be evolving.
The Partnership
Starwood’s investment in and ongoing partnership with YOTEL will further enable YOTEL’s rapid worldwide expansion — with a specific focus on Europe, North America and Asia. It also will help YOTEL strengthen its brand identity, expand geographically and enhance YOTEL’s innovative guest experience. Starwood has already secured city centre sites in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Amsterdam, which are expected to open as YOTEL properties by 2019.
The partnership with Starwood Capital Group comes as YOTEL celebrates its 10th anniversary, a year of significant growth that includes the openings of YOTEL Boston and YOTEL San Francisco in North America and YOTEL Singapore, which will be YOTEL’s first hotel in Asia.
What They Are Saying
Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group said, “This strategic partnership and investment highlights Starwood’s longstanding passion and commitment to invest in innovative hospitality platforms. YOTEL is an exciting brand focused on technology, smart design and a distinct guest experience at an affordable price, which is the right strategy amid the current wave of digital disruption. YOTEL has global appeal and can be easily scaled up with key strategic acquisitions and developments in desired city centre and airport locations.”
Talal Al Bahar, Chairman of YOTEL and the lead investor said, “We are delighted to announce a new institutional investor into YOTEL alongside our existing shareholders. Starwood Capital Group’s investment validates the company’s strategy, provides strength and stability at a critical expansion stage and opens up new horizons for YOTEL to become the leading affordable luxury hotel brand.”
Hubert Viriot, CEO of YOTEL commented, “YOTEL is growing rapidly with 15 hotels currently at various stages of development. We look forward to leveraging Starwood’s investment, design, operational and technological expertise to expand our platform, attract talent and enter additional markets whilst continuing to work closely with our existing partners and fostering new relationships as we take our brand to the next level.”
Learn More: http://yotel.com/en
