Global Update
Janos Grapow
Yoo blooms
Building on its success in design-driven residential development founded in 1999 by designer Philippe Starck and property entrepreneur John Hitchcox , Yoo Hotels in March launched its first property in Istanbul with expectations to reach a pipeline of 11 hotels by 2015 .
Led by CEO Marco Nijhof , an industry veteran who has worked for the likes of Hyatt , Jumeirah , Boscolo and Corinthia , Yoo Hotels has two brands Nijhof says are bringing the residential experience back to hotels : 3- to 4-star , cool diffusion brand Yoo2 and the luxury Yoo Collection . Pending 2016 openings include the Yoo2 Sinopati , Jakarta ; the Yoo Collection at The Lakes in the Cotswolds , U . K .; and the Yoo Collection Bali designed by Jade Jagger . This spring , the former Jia in Hong Kong created by Starck
The Yoo2 in Istanbul marks Yoo Hotels ’ first property in that city .
Yoo Hotels expects to reach a pipeline
of 11 hotels
by
2015 . will reopen as the J Plus by Yoo , sitting in a segment between the two aforementioned brands . In addition , the Aqua Boracay by Yoo is under development in the Philippines as is a project in Costa Rica , while another Yoo Collection hotel is coming to St . Vincent .
Nijhof says the start-up Yoo management company is not in a position to place much equity into deals at the moment but is under discussions for contracts at two sites in New York City as well as one in San Francisco and one in Boston . In Europe , it is looking at projects in Berlin , Paris and Barcelona . “ We have to be opportunistic as we can ’ t buy leases or put in equity or key money ,” Nijhof says . “ We are more modest than that .”
Nijhof adds his group will always design to budget , and development costs for Yoo2 hotels range somewhere between £ 85,000 ( US $ 140,000 ) and £ 110,000 ( US $ 182,000 ) per room , adding that costs for the upcoming Jakarta project are far less .
He projects room rates for Yoo2 in Europe will range between € 120 ( US $ 165 ) and € 145 ( US $ 200 ) and US $ 198 and US $ 225 in a market like New York City . The Yoo Collection rates , he says , will exceed US $ 500 .
“ We have a design DNA ,” Nijhof says . “ For example , we are working with the person who designed the Virgin Lounge to create our service product as well as a former executive chef with Gordon Ramsey . Our product is different from the rest — starting with design — and it goes through the entire operation . It is not a standard product .”
simplY ,
‘ The Cake ’
Confidently called “ The Cake ,” The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co . now has a signature dessert , which smartly has its own carrying case to take away or order online for US $ 40 to US $ 45 . Chosen from a contest among Ritz- Carlton chefs and won by Toronto Chef Yusuke Aoki , the sponge cake is a mix of dark Valrhona and ilk Majari and Jivara chocolates layered with two stripes of bitter caramel and two of orange ganache , made from candied fruit and Grand Marnier . A spokesperson says there are no sales goals tied to this endeavor .
10 HOTELS May 2014 www . hotelsmag . com