Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, lifestyle hotel maven Sam Nazarian, and Grammy Award winner Marc Anthony have joined forces to launch a new lifestyle hotel brand called Project HQ Hotels & Residences. The brand aims to provide an attainable lifestyle hotel experience, with rates expected to fall between $250 and $500 per night. This new concept will operate under the umbrella of Wyndham’s Registry Collection and offers a unique opportunity for Wyndham Rewards loyalty members to redeem their points for award nights. The brand is expected to grow rapidly, with plans to open 50 hotels by 2023, both in the US and internationally. The growth strategy will include converting existing buildings and underutilized office spaces, with estimated conversion costs ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 per room. The partnership between Wyndham and SBE may seem unexpected, given Wyndham’s focus on affordable hotels, but the collaboration aims to disrupt the lifestyle hotel market by offering a more affordable option. With the increasing demand for affordable lifestyle hotels, Project H3 could be a game-changer in the industry. By partnering with Sam Nazarian, who has extensive experience in the lifestyle space, Wyndham can tap into a younger demographic of travelers with disposable income. This partnership echoes a similar collaboration between Marriott and Ian Schrager for the Edition brand, which proved to be successful in targeting the luxury lifestyle market. Wyndham’s CEO, Geoff Ballotti, acknowledges that they would not be able to create this concept on their own and sees the value of partnering with Nazarian and SBE to provide a unique experience for their loyalty members. Overall, Project H3 has the potential to be a massive success for Wyndham, attracting a new audience and giving their loyalty members an aspirational option for their points redemption.
