ELLE Hospitality will open its first hotels in Paris and Mexico, with a guest experience curated for fashion-forward travellers. Rose Dykins reports
ELLE magazine has become the first global media group to make its foray in the the hotel industry, with the launch of ELLE Hospitality.
The new venture comprises two boutique hotel concepts Masion ELLE and ELLE Hotel, with the first Maison ELLE set to open in Paris this autumn (where ELLE is headquartered) and the inaugural ELLE Hotel due to debut in Jalisco, Mexico in summer 2023.
A major step for ELLE as the media company continues to branch out into the lifestyle and experiences realm, ELLE Hospitality will place authenticity and female empowerment at its core, celebrating “women, design and craftsmanship”.
Owned by France’s Lagardère Group, and founded in 1945, ELLE is considered the world’s largest fashion media brand. It has already made moves into various lifestyle industry sectors, including with ELLE Boutique which is opening of ELLE branded cafés, beauty salons and spas in countries including China, India, Taiwan and Thailand.
As ELLE continues to look beyond its core publishing business and expand into experiential services, ELLE Hospitality aims to address the brand’s customers’ desires and interests with lifestyle-focused destinations, stylish accommodation, desirable products, connectivity to local communities and female empowerment at its core.
Each hotel will be adapted to the environment and culture of its location, and will also immerse guests in “everything ELLE demonstrates” via the pages of its magazines.
Constance Benqué, chairman of ELLE International and CEO of Lagardère News, says: “We are thrilled to launch ELLE into the world of hospitality. Our brand’s success to date has been thanks to our innovation, our special relationship with women and we are proud to continue to challenge the status quo, as we enter a new era of travel.
“Our two concepts, starting with the openings of Maison ELLE in Paris and ELLE Hotel in Mexico will present exciting gateways that will allow guests to see the destinations through a new lens and through ELLE’s vision.”
ELLE Hospitality has collaborated with with three real estate and hospitality group partners to develop its properties. ACTUR, STUDIO V and Whitney Robinson International are all known for developing disruptive and innovative concepts in design, architecture and experiences.
The first Maison ELLE is set to open near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris’s 17th district. It has been developed in partnership with Studio V, who will operate the property under the guidance of hotelier Pascal Donat. The hotel will have 25 guest rooms and suites, as well as a spa.
Maison ELLE seeks to provide an accessible, convenient and affordable home from home in the heart of cities – whether for a weekend break or an extended stay to work remotely. It intends to offer urban hideaways with chic décor and design influenced by emerging trends, and personalised service. Future Maison ELLE properties are planned across Europe and China
Pascal Donat, CEO of Valotel and Studio V, says: “Beyond the hotels themselves, our guests look for meaning and a sense of belonging. That’s why today, bringing to life a brand’s emotional connection with the consumer, through hospitality experiences and design, is central to our approach with Maison ELLE.”
Meanwhile, the first-ever ELLE Hotel, created in partnership with ACTUR, will open its doors on a pristine stretch of Mexico’s Pacific Coast, offering an eco-conscious luxury experience, with environmental protection and sustainability a “top priority”.
The ELLE Hotel will collaborate with local talent in Jalisco to create the property’s design, inspired by its natural surroundings and culture. The aims is to create a retreat that “binds mind, body and soul in a one-of-a-kind paradise” and to “establish connections: emotional connections between guests, within the hotel’s community and with ELLE and its products”.
ELLE’s innovative spirit will be reflected through ELLE Hotel, where high-end hospitality, artistic designs and craftsmanship and cultural immersion will be combined as part of a regenerative retreat. Aspiring local female designers and artisans will be also be hired to design its guestrooms, suites and communal spaces.
A similar interesting venture, is the purchase of Travel + Leisure magazine by holiday rental and timeshare company Wyndham Destinations last year. The leading travel magazine has been rebranded as Travel + Leisure Co, and, while the magazine will continue to be published by Meredith Corporation, it now also has resort, lifestyle and travel club brands.
For Wyndham Destinations, the acquisition of a leading travel media publication will help its business reach new audiences under a trusted name. Michael D Brown, president and CEO of Wyndham Destinations, says: “We have laid the foundation to expand our footprint beyond our core vacation ownership business, and today we add one of the most trusted and influential brands in travel through the acquisition of Travel + Leisure.”