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Asher : We partner with developers who have a shared vision to create something unique and love our brand as much as we do . They place a lot of trust in our team to create something very special , a true cultural destination , often in their home cities . We want them to be proud and become regulars themselves . When we find a partner who shares our commitment to innovative design , culinary , nightlife , art and culture — the ski ’ s the limit . Our team is very creative and solution-oriented in our approach to projects — where there ’ s a will , there ’ s a way . We don ’ t have a manual with a defined set of design standards and we try not to be too prescriptive in our approach . We work with our developers to find a common ground to create something special in the location that suits the needs of the community , the traveler , the
A guestroom at The StandardX , Melbourne . StandardX is described as “ the rebellious younger sibling of The Standard .”
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The Standard Spa , Miami Beach , is marketed as less of a hotel and more of an adults-only spa with guestrooms .
owner and remains uniquely Standard .
Our growth strategy involves both North American expansion and abroad , with upcoming properties in Singapore , Brussels , Mexico City , Lisbon , Bangkok , Pattaya , Chattanooga ,
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Dublin , Tulum , Vancouver , Medellin , Philadelphia and Nashville .
HOTELS : What does the deal landscape look like in this era of higher interest rates ? Are you looking
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to expand via ground-up development or conversions or both ? Asher : Despite the current challenges with interest rates and rising costs in general , especially labor expense , we continue to sign new deals for new hotels . We are working on ground-up and conversions dependent on the market and the opportunity . The hotel development market is cyclical and we continue to be nimble and commercial in our approach to deals . Many of the deals we are seeing for Standard include an element of branded residences , which help developers in a market like this bridge the gap with their financing constraints and return requirements . Our branded residences segment is thriving . The combination of thoughtful design , prime locations and extensive amenities attract local buyers , whether for their |
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32 hotelsmag . com July / August 2024 |