HM Q&A
Adge Hotel and Residences offers boutique accommodation in Sydney’s Surry Hills
Life at La Vie LA VIE HOTELS AND RESORTS’ RECENTLY-APPOINTED CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER MARCUS HANNA SPOKE TO RUTH HOGAN ABOUT THE WHITE LABEL LANDSCAPE, ASSET ENHANCEMENT AND GLOBAL EXPANSION.
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How will you cultivate your relationships within the hotel industry in this new role?
We see the brands as partners. We want to make sure that we put the right brand on the right hotel for that location, that will get the 26
HM The Business of Accommodation
Japan is a market that we would like to get into. That’s big on our agenda. We want to grow our portfolio in Thailand (currently one property in Patong Beach). Singapore is pretty tightly held. We’d love to get into Singapore, and to continue to expand in the Maldives. We are also expanding our support offices to include Shanghai this year which will give us important in-market visibility.
Will you be primarily focused on existing or new-build properties?
arcus, you recently joined the La Vie team after nearly two decades with Accor. What drew you to this role and company?
There has been a shift towards white label and third-party hotel management in Asia Pacific, and while it’s still in its infancy, it’s certainly gaining traction. It’s a very big model in the US and Europe, and it’s coming here. Having seen the focus on owner returns, looking after the asset, looking after the people, and the focus on guest satisfaction, I thought it was a great opportunity to join and see if we can grow the business. I’ve known Jerry Xu (CEO of La Vie Hotels and Resorts) for about 15 years. He’s a great guy, he’s a good operator, and he’s got a good team on board.
What locations are of particular interest in La Vie’s expansion plans?
We are looking at both conversions and new builds. Nu by Yoo is a prime example of an owner that wanted a brand that was not in Australia. It is a 97-key new-build hotel and there will be branded residences as well – and that brand will assist with selling the residences. Yoo is a Philippe Starck design brand, and it will be a very interesting addition to this market.
Marcus Hanna, Chief Operating Officer, La Vie Hotels and Resorts owners a return. We work hand in hand with the brand to ensure the property is successful for them and for us. I’ve had a lengthy working history with Accor and with IHG, and we’ll use those relationships to continue to grow as well as engaging other global brands to further enhance owner recommendations.
The Islington Hotel in Hobart is an important property in the Australian portfolio. How has hotel and guest experience evolved since La Vie came on as both owner and operator in 2022? The benefit of La Vie is having our own platform – a team of commercial, revenue, technical services, procurement and marketing experts – ready to plug in to any new hotel. The Islington has had an investment of close to $1 million since it was taken over. Now, we’re in a good space to showcase this hotel as a leader in its category.