Growth via management and franchise gives the
Singapore-based operator scale in Europe, reaching 64 properties and nearly
8,500 units.
PARIS – As HICAP is set to open in Singapore, news comes that The Ascott Ltd., Singapore, has signed seven new
properties across Vienna and Seville through franchise and management
agreements, adding nearly 1,100 units and bringing its European portfolio to 64
properties (nearly 8,500 units) in 26 cities in 10 countries, including both
operational and pipeline properties.
The announcements were made during the official opening of
lyf Gambetta Paris, Ascott’s first lyf property in France. The experience-led
social living brand now boasts eight properties across Europe, both operational
and in development.
The news adds to Ascott’s European portfolio that includes
three properties under The Unlimited Collection brand launched in recent months
and four lyf openings coming next year.
Globally, Ascott’s portfolio now totals over 1,000
properties with over 175,000 units.
The five new signings in Vienna deepen Ascott’s partnership
with property developer VIE Trust Real Estate Group, with whom it already
partners on three properties in Vienna. They will add 750 units across
various brands to Ascott’s portfolio in Vienna, including a
second lyf-branded property opening by the end of 2026. Located in the
city’s 15th district, the upcoming 150-unit lyf property is adjacent to the
train station. These additions will bring Ascott’s Vienna portfolio to nine
properties totaling nearly 1,400 units.
The two Seville signings extend Ascott’s partnership with
real estate developer Forty Management SA, with whom it is also managing a
project under The Crest Collection in Bucharest. The two properties – a
250-unit lyf and a 120-unit Somerset – will be part of the 12.5-hectare
mixed-use mega project Lagoon City Seville anchored by an 18,000-square-meter
man-made crystalline lagoon surrounded by beaches.

The Mount Royal Hotel Edinburgh by The Unlimited Collection offers 169 rooms.
Located 10 minutes from Seville’s city center in an affluent
area and adjacent to an 18-hole golf course, the resort development addresses
the city’s lack of coastal access despite its hot, dry climate. Besides the lyf
and Somerset properties managed by Ascott, the resort development will include
residential apartments and villas, a convention center and recreational
amenities, restaurants and bars. Scheduled to open at the end of 2028, the two
Seville properties mark Ascott’s first beachside resort project in Europe and
will expand the company’s Spanish portfolio from a single property in Barcelona
to three properties with more than 500 units.
Lee Ngor Houai, chief operating officer, Europe, Middle
East, Africa, South Asia and China, Ascott, said: “The momentum across our
European portfolio reflects a disciplined expansion strategy focused on
destinations where quality accommodation meets authentic demand. From lyf’s
experience-led social living spaces to The Unlimited Collection’s culturally
rooted hotels and our established Citadines, Somerset and The Crest Collection
brands, each has a clear identity yet remains adaptable across formats and
traveller segments. Our multi-typology brand strategy enables us to deploy
brands across diverse formats, from urban centers to resort destinations,
expanding our reach while maintaining brand integrity.”
Following the opening of lyf Gambetta Paris, Ascott will
open four lyf properties in 2026 – a second property in Vienna and three in the
U.K. lyf Chelsea London, slated to open in 2Q 2026, will transform the
existing 232-unit Stamford Bridge Hotel London within the grounds of Chelsea
Football Club. lyf will then expand to Manchester and Glasgow in the later part
of 2026.
Coming next for the Unlimited Collection is The Grand Hotel
Leicester by The Unlimited Collection scheduled to reopen before end-2025 with
104 individually designed rooms following a transformation that honors the
historic property’s Art Deco and theatrical legacy.
In parallel with new openings, Ascott is actively upgrading
its existing properties across key European markets.
“Europe is a cornerstone of Ascott’s global growth strategy,
offering a resilient, high-yield market underpinned by strong tourism
fundamentals and fragmented supply, where a significant portion of quality
assets remain unbranded,” said Ascott CEO Kevin Goh. “By deepening Ascott’s
asset-light model in Europe through franchise and management agreements, we are
scaling efficiently while building long-term brand equity across one of the
world’s most attractive hospitality markets.”