An emerging trend

Cédric Gobilliard: Accor took its first steps into ‘lifestyle’ in 2017 and today what benefits does it derive from it? What synergies have been created? How did Accor benefit from this lifestyle expertise?

We will first redefine what lifestyle is. We have seen a certain trend emanating from clients and travellers who want to live differently, with a more local and cultural approach. At the same time, we saw the arrival of new brands such as Mama Shelter, 25hours and Mondrian, but also personalities such as Ian Schrager, who had worked on new concepts.

Little by little, we realised that there was a new trend that opened our eyes to the fact that the hotel was becoming a place to live. The very principle of lifestyle is that its essence is in the F&B offer, which represents more than 60% of turnover. With the current recovery, whether in Paris, Germany or in the provinces, our overall turnover is more than 65% generated by the restaurant business. This makes it interesting when it comes to optimising the m².

Among the pillars of lifestyle, we find first of all design, whether it is Mama Shelter with Philippe Starck, or Soho with its great designers. There is always a design logic behind it, but it's not just about pure design, it also has light designers and sound designers. It's a global experience. When you want to create a trendy product, design is essential.

So at The Hoxton, 25hours or SLS, the detail and investment is concentrated on the common areas. The rooms are obviously essential, but there is a lot of work on the common areas. With 65% of turnover coming from F&B, the common areas are essential.

An optimised F&B offer

F&B is also an essential element that represents...