What if your house or apartment had all the extras and services of a luxury hotel? That’s what people like Marilyn Monroe and Coco Chanel thought, as they lived for extended periods in hotels (the former for two years, the latter for two decades). Now, that idea, combined with real estate, is one of the booming trends in the luxury sector. These are branded residences, whose demand, according to Saville Data Residential Development Consultancy, increased by 160% between 2015 and 2026.
What are branded residences?
Branded residences are a hybrid within the luxury ecosystem. As a study published in the Journal of Economics and Finance points out, this type of property combines physical assets, integrated services, and a brand identity to address a growing demand among the wealthiest segment of the population: luxury is no longer just something to be bought or consumed, but an experience to be lived. That five-star hotel isn’t just a place to stay temporarily; it’s your home, your property.
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Does this mean that a branded residence simply consists of a room or suite in a super-luxury hotel that you buy? Not necessarily. While there are cases where that’s exactly what it is, in others the entire building is dedicated to this type of property; that is, your neighbours are also permanent residents. And there’s a fundamental detail that differentiates this model from any other luxury apartment building that also includes hotel-like services: the association with a brand. That’s why they’re branded residences and not just luxury apartments.
This isn’t exactly a new concept. In fact, this type of residence is considered to have originated, as a concept, at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York, which opened in 1927. Located on Fifth Avenue, it combined a classic hotel with availability for longer stays. Its residents enjoyed the same services as hotel guests, with the added benefit of considering their suite their home. In other words, the origin of this type of housing lies in hotels, which continue to dominate the sector: in 2024, 79% of branded residences were associated with a hotel brand. This market dominance is logical, since these are companies that already have the experience and infrastructure for these services; all they have to do to take advantage of this business niche is offer the same to permanent residents.
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Even so, in recent years many luxury brands in sectors such as fashion or automotive have also set up their own branded residences: Armani has its Casa in Miami, a 60-story residential building; also in Miami, the Porsche Design Tower features a car elevator system that allows residents to have their vehicle directly at their doorstep; Bulgari Residences in Dubai are located on a private island. Even Nobu, the hospitality group founded by Robert De Niro (which, in addition to the restaurants with which it began, has included hotels for decades), has joined the trend and has projects under development in Toronto, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Da Nang, Khobar, Cairo, the northern coast of Egypt, Punta Cana, Tulum, Orlando, and São Paulo.
In the case of residences associated with hotels, those who choose to live there have the warranty and confidence that comes from knowing that all services (including maintenance) are in the hands of companies that have been recognised for decades for doing exactly that. As for the non-hotel luxury brands that have joined the trend, they leverage all the qualities and prestige associated with their name. Although they may not have specific hotel experience, they do have a deep understanding of their target market and know—or so they convey—how to select the perfect suppliers for a branded residence that rivals those of hotels.
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What is the design of branded residences
One might think that branded residences necessarily have a large logo on the door or in various locations throughout the space, but this is no longer the case. One of the design trends identified by the publication Branded Living suggests that immersing oneself in a brand seeks a much more subtle and imaginative integration of branding, a transfer of emotional, visual, and identity languages that permeates everything, but with taste and delicacy.
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The branded residences are not immune to the macro-trends that have defined these years. One of these is the wellness trend, whose impact is evident in the importance given to the inclusion of facilities such as gyms, spas, and even meditation gardens in these types of properties. Translated into design, this means a preference for natural materials like wood and stone, and the incorporation of biophilic elements. Ochre and earth tones are also among the most popular.
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Is it possible to personalise your residence to your liking? One of the criticisms levelled at the concept of branded residences is that those who choose to live in them must adhere to the interior design created by the brand, thus losing the opportunity to personalise their home through more individual decoration. The companies behind these developments are aware of this drawback, so they have begun offering different design packages so that each client can feel they are choosing something more in line with their personality. This is the case with ELLE Residences in Miami or the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Estero Bay. At the latter, for example, you can choose the finishes.
Finally, there is an attempt to move away from the idea that chain hotels (or, in this case, branded hotels) are inherently different. The residences are identical to each other wherever they are located, and a more elaborate integration into the environment is chosen, adding local elements: materials from the area, handcrafted pieces and pieces from local artists, etc.
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Despite these figures pointing to sustained growth in recent years, we are still talking about a small and little-known market niche, accessible only to the micro-segment of the population that can afford it. For example, the aforementioned study, conducted by the Barcelona School of Tourism (part of the University of Barcelona) and published in the journal Economía y Finanzas, found that even among industry experts, the misconception that branded residences were simply luxury properties associated with a brand. However, the text concludes that, while the brand is important, the added and tangible value lies in the services and holistic experience offered to residents.
