Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 17

C O U R T E S T VO C O H OT E L S

VOCO HOTELS

Launched in Australia in 2018, IHG's voco Hotels brand
has morphed into its fastest-ever global expansion.
" We've been focused on growing our upscale, upper
upscale, and luxury positioning, " says Julienne Smith,
senior vice president of development, in charge of
expanding IHG's premium, lifestyle, and luxury brands
in North America. She points to IHG's purchase of
Kimpton, Regent, and Six Senses brands, plus the debut
of wellness-focused Even, as part of that strategy.
With 50 hotels signed or open, voco is IHG's
entry into the soft-brand market, ﬁlling the space
between Even and Hotel Indigo as an independent
upscale offering. Its U.S. debut, voco The Franklin New
York updates a 1930s hotel on Manhattan's Upper East
Side by local ﬁrm Glen & Company with pops of the
signature yellow hue and standard offerings such as

a coffee bar that turns into a regular bar at night, and
sustainable bedding. A second U.S. property, voco The
Tiger hotel in Columbia, Missouri, will complete its
renovation at the end of the year. Outside the Americas,
key openings are slated in locations including Paris,
Johannesburg, Vietnam, and Hangzhou, China.
Location is the most important factor, whether
that be for a conversion or new-build property (Smith
says that with new-construction ﬁnancing non-existent
in the current climate, voco is a conversion brand in
many senses). " You can't make up for a bad location, "
she says. " Then the bones of the structure have to be
in place to ﬁt the experience. That means guestroom
sizes in line with an upscale property, and a communal
lobby that encourages guests to linger. " IHG is looking
for hotels currently ﬂagged as midscale but perhaps

underbranded, or upscale market-leading independent
hotels whose owners can beneﬁt from being tied to a
larger organization and reservation system.
Part of the process is often charging up a hotel's
design. For potential vocos, Smith partners with
IHG's architecture and design group to make sure the
layout and property is appropriate for the brand, and
then requires that owners partner with an upscaleexperienced design ﬁrm. " They understand what we're
looking for in terms of quality and ﬁnish. "
Luckily, Smith says, voco's strategy hasn't
changed much despite 2020 setbacks and a necessarily
less-than-splashy North American launch. " We're still
targeting urban, suburban, airport markets. We could
convert a hotel as small as 50 rooms or as large as 500.
It really runs the gamut. " BD

THE VOCO NANJING GARDEN E XPO

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17

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Boutique Design - Spring 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - Spring 2021

Table of Contents
From the Editor
Front of House
Location, Location: For three boutique and lifestyle brand leaders growth is all about seizing the right opportunities
Shifting Focus: Three growing industry segments to watch out for
Talking Shop: Industry experts share the lessons they're taking forward
Palace Intrigue: A centuries-old Italian structure stands out
City Harvest: A newcomer on Melbourne's restaurant scene is a tribute to the local Gippsland region
Feast for the Eyes: A maximalist paradise its creative and lively neighborhood
Products: Ideas Across Spaces
Ad Index
Checking In: Saar Zafrir
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Cover1
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Cover2
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 1
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Table of Contents
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 3
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - From the Editor
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 5
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Front of House
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 7
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 8
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 9
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Location, Location: For three boutique and lifestyle brand leaders growth is all about seizing the right opportunities
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 11
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 12
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 13
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 14
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 15
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 16
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 17
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Shifting Focus: Three growing industry segments to watch out for
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 19
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 20
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 21
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 22
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 23
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 24
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 25
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Talking Shop: Industry experts share the lessons they're taking forward
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 27
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 28
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 29
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 30
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 31
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 32
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 33
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 34
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 35
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Palace Intrigue: A centuries-old Italian structure stands out
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 37
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 38
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 39
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - City Harvest: A newcomer on Melbourne's restaurant scene is a tribute to the local Gippsland region
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 41
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 42
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 43
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Feast for the Eyes: A maximalist paradise its creative and lively neighborhood
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 45
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 46
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 47
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Products: Ideas Across Spaces
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 49
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 50
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 51
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 52
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 53
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Ad Index
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - 55
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Checking In: Saar Zafrir
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Cover3
Boutique Design - Spring 2021 - Cover4
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