If money was no object, what’s the most desirable in-house extra you would want? A lift that takes you and your car up 60 floors to your Porsche-designed penthouse so that you can view your car from your bedroom perhaps.
Maybe a private dining room overseen by a Michelin-starred chef, a spa for your pet or a home with full design — inside and out — overseen by Italian supremos Dolce & Gabbana.
All of these are among the glamorous offerings currently on offer around the world in branded residences.
For those who love their labels, why reserve them just for your clothes or handbag?
Think big. Imagine what a label on your home itself would feel like, what it would tell the world about the way you live. Welcome to the hyper-luxury world of elite branded residences.
“The concept of branded residences, where you purchase a home within a fully managed building or resort and benefit from the brand’s services and amenities, is not new,” says Robert Green, Founder of Sphere Estates.
“However recently we’ve seen a surge in demand for them, encouraging brands of all types into the market.
“That includes well-known hospitality names, Mandarin Oriental now launching in Grand Cayman or, car manufacturers and fashion designers like Ellie Saab, launching in Marbella, Dubai and the Maldives. Even Disney is joining this ‘brandwagon’.”
The brandwagon is certainly rolling. Savills puts the number of branded residences currently operating at over 700, an increase of 180 per cent over the past decade, with 240 new projects in development in 2024 alone.
They expect the number just in Europe to grow by 180 per cent by 2031. That’s despite the often hefty price tags.
On average, these homes carry a premium of 33 per cent compared to non-branded homes.
In Dubai the premium is 69 per cent per square foot yet despite that, transaction volumes still rose 44 per cent year-on-year in 2024.
The variety means you can fit the brand to your own vibe. Are you a service-focused Four Seasons type or more into the wellness-minded Six Senses?
And you don’t need to stick with hotels. They dominate the industry, names like Aman, Ritz Carlton, Viceroy, Waldorf Astoria and One&Only, but others are getting involved.
Automotive companies, jewellers, clothes designers, restauranteurs, even boating companies have all launched homes.
Non-hotel branded residences are predicted to increase by 40 per cent in the next seven years, eventually comprising 20 per cent of the market.
Differentiating themselves in this increasingly crowded market, means brands are vying to offer ever more outrageous facilities.
“Buyers want unique experiences they can’t get at home, tree top dining, Watsu spa treatments or golf coaching from a pro,” says Green.
“Baccarat Maldives for example will have a super-sized Kids Club and seven speciality restaurants with four of the world’s top 50 chefs involved.”
In London, residents of Six Senses Residences at The Whiteley will have two floors of wellness facilities including Finnish saunas, plunge pools, magnesium pool and flotation pod.
Across Hyde Park at The Peninsula there’s an in-house chocolatier on call and a chef catering for owners’ pandered pets.
Options in the US include a professional-grade F1 simulator (W Residences Pompano Beach) or “skin-snatching services” by celebrity beautician Ivan Pol who according to the New York Times, has a 12 month waiting list for his $1,800 facials (Mandarin Oriental Residences New York).
In Miami, Dezer Development has patented the Dezervator, a drive-in car elevator that whisks you and your vehicle directly to your sky garage beside your residence in both the completed Porsche Design Tower and the under-development 62-storey Bentley Residences.
888 Brickell Dolce & Gabbana Residences & Hotel gives residents “a portal into a world of luxury and glamour”, along with an indoor padel court, use of a Rolls Royce house car and an on-site tailor, presumably to ensure your Italian designer wardrobe fits impeccably at all times.
Should buyers beware of non-hospitality brands? It’s important to check the on-going value they will add says Kate Donneky, MD of property management company Rhodium, a firm with an established track record working with ultra-luxury residential schemes in London, Dubai and Athens.
After all, hotel brands understand how to serve guests but what does Aston Martin know about house maintenance? Has Fendi ever had to provide elite gyms and wellness pods to its customers?
“When the initial glitz around the launch fades, there’s considerable risk that the reality might not always meet the high expectations set,” she cautions
“Brands that excel in automotive engineering or fashion soon realise that operating a luxury residential property involves a different set of skills and a specialised understanding of residential management.
“The challenge lies in delivering a flawless level of service and ongoing operational excellence that matches the prestige of the brand name on the building’s façade.”
Buyers seem persuaded that the benefits outweigh the dangers.
The One Atelier, a consultancy firm working with brands including Armani, Breitling and Lamborghini, highlights that prices at Fendi Casa in Marbella doubled within two years of launch, reaching €20,000 a square metre, a record for the region.
In the Algarve, João Richard Costa CCO at Ombria Algarve says that branded residences typically see a 20-25 per cent premium yet there’s strong demand.
“Only three of the 65 branded and fully furnished Viceroy Residences, managed by five-star Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, are still available priced from €800,000,” he says. Plenty of buyers are queuing up to be with the brand.
