Travelers are seeking unique experiences

A growing number of travelers want more from their hotels than a soft bed and clean place to sleep.

They want hotels that reflect their interests — be it art, music, fashion or work — and allow them to mingle with other travelers who share these passions too.

That’s given lifestyle hotels a boost, with the global share of lifestyle rooms in new hotels roughly doubling since 2000, according to JLL’s Global Hotel Investment Outlook 2025.

In 2025, some 25% of new hotel rooms in Europe were in lifestyle hotels, followed by 16% each in the Americas and Asia, the report shows.

“Lifestyle and boutique hotels are defined by their unique, exclusive environment versus the standardized experience of traditional hotels,” according to a downloadable version of a separate JLL report examining lifestyle hotels in Asia-Pacific.

The difference between them, the report states, is that boutique hotels are independent or chains run by families, whereas lifestyle hotels are operated by established hotel companies.

Growth in the past five years has been strongest in Asia-Pacific, where room supply quadrupled from 2014 to 2024 — and is set to grow another 34% by 2027, the report showed.

China has the most lifestyle hotel supply in the region, followed by Southeast Asia, which has three times more rooms than Australia, New Zealand and South Asia, according to JLL.

However, Australia and New Zealand displayed the strongest growth in lifestyle rooms supply on the back of surging demand for unique and experience-driven travel, the company said.

Lifestyle brands are expected to continue expanding in Asia on the back of investor and guest demand, JLL added, particularly for brands that have been recently acquired by international hotel chains, such as NoMad (acquired by Hilton), CitizenM (acquired by Marriott), and The Standard (acquired by Hyatt).

From luxury flagships like The Singapore EDITION to offbeat brands such as Mama Shelter, lifestyle hotels are often smaller than core brand hotels and have distinctive interior decor. And, in a twist from traditional hotels, these hotels emphasize the social spaces over the rooms.

“I think guests today are choosing a hotel because they want to have more than a room. They want to have a party… a place where they recognize themselves,” said Sylvain Pasdeloup, executive vice president of Asia-Pacific at lifestyle operator Ennismore.

Lifestyle hotels also popular with younger people, who are spending more on travel than past generations.

“The travel sphere in Asia has become so broad that we’re able to pitch what are essentially niche products to a younger affluent customer that’s culturally proud but ultimately confident,” said Alan Watts, president of Hilton, Asia-Pacific.

A smaller footprint makes these hotels easier and cheaper to build, however they usually command a price premium of 10-11% above the overall market average, according to JLL — all of which makes them attractive to investors and owners too.

Food and beverage also play a crucial role in the success of lifestyle hotels, which allows them to draw 30% higher F&B revenue per occupied room than the market average, according to JLL’s data.

Lifestyle hotels have traditionally dominated the luxury and upscale segments, but significant growth is now emerging in the upper midscale and below categories, said Marina Bracciani, JLL’s vice president and head of hotels research in Asia-Pacific.

“The lifestyle concept, initially premium, is increasingly entering three-star and entry-level four-star properties,” she added.

Ten new lifestyle hotel brands are set to open in Asia-Pacific by 2027, including the French favorite Mama Shelter, which made its Asian debut in Singapore in September.

— CNBC’s Diana Himawan and Monica Pitrelli contributed to this story.