Family-owned with a stylish and uniquely all-inclusive approach since 2002 , Ovolo Hotels now runs six hotels and serviced apartment properties on Hong Kong Island and West Kowloon and four hotels in Australia . Hong Kong-based Ovolo and Jhunjhnuwala have short-term goals to expand in Australia |
and aspirations to enter Europe . “ We ’ re working hard to identify and acquire at least two or three more properties to operate as Ovolo hotels within Australia ,” says the intuitive concept creator who likes to deliver from a customer ’ s point of view . “ Longterm , my goal is to open Ovolo hotels in Europe . I believe our concept for |
an all-inclusive boutique hotel experience is something the European market would greatly appreciate .”
Within select Ovolo hotels , the group recently launched Mojo Nomad , a high energy live-in co-working space that targets entrepreneurs with offerings such as daily , weekly or monthly rate
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access , strong Wi-Fi , monthly industry networking events , a designated co-workspace , daily breakfast service , self-service laundry , a 24-hour gym , daily fresh linen and more . “ I want Mojo Nomad to be a leading factor that differentiates Ovolo from other hotel brands ,” says Jhunjhnuwala , who has an Indian |
heritage but was raised in Hong Kong .
When youthful and agile Ovolo began , Jhunjhnuwala says no one thought its mission for an all-inclusive hotel could succeed . “ But we ’ ve proven the business model works again and again ,” says the avid hiker , yoga enthusiast and wine collector .
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Christoph hoffmann co-founder , ceo
25HOurs HOtel CO ., Hamburg
Call Christoph Hoffmann and his partners hotel romantics who want to enrich the lowtech , lively , analog real world within the artistic walls of their 25hour hotels , which have a base in German leases and aspirations to grow globally where people
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mix and find commonalities in lifestyles .
But growth will only come with care paid to locations and designs that won ’ t destroy the brand ’ s essence . If the right teams can be assembled , Hoffmann suggests 25hours can grow to 50 to 70 hotels over the next 30 years , adding that this commitment cannot be rushed .
Founded In 2005 , today there are eight hotels open as the group finalizes development for the next 12 to 24 months in German-speaking cities
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such as Munich , Cologne , Dusseldorf and Zurich . Then , Hoffmann will eye international expansion in cosmopolitan cities such as Venice , Barcelona , Copenhagen , Miami , Paris and New York City .
To date , development has come through leases , which still allow for artistic freedom . Maintaining that freedom via management contracts is a concern , Hoffmann also believes that bringing in the right minds who are trustworthy and patient will overcome the lease conundrum
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once growth expands outside Germany . “ It isn ’ t the lease or financing ; it is the people you put trust in ,” says Hoffmann , a life-long hotelier at both independents and brands such as Kempinski .
“ We don ’ t want to be just cool and designed ,” he concludes . “ We want a meaning and spirit created by content , story-telling and the people behind the brand . But the larger you get the more difficult it gets , so we need to cultivate the spirits who can recreate what we have founded .”
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June 2016 hotelsmag . com 25 |