Hilton, a global hospitality leader, has taken a significant step in its luxury expansion strategy by acquiring a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group, specifically to grow the NoMad Hotels brand worldwide. The MoU signed between the two entities marks Hilton’s entrance into the fast-growing luxury lifestyle hotel market, introducing an exquisite brand known for its exceptional food and beverage, interior design, and service standards.
Sydell Group, under the leadership of founder Andrew Zobler, has earned acclaim for its innovative hotel concepts, including NoMad, The Line, Freehand, and The Ned. The collaboration entails Sydell managing design, branding, and operations for NoMad, while Hilton leads the development initiatives. This integration will see NoMad seamlessly integrated into Hilton’s commercial platforms, including Hilton Honors, ensuring a cohesive experience for guests.
The partnership anticipates the development of up to 100 NoMad properties globally, with discussions already underway for approximately 10 locations. The synergy between Sydell’s expertise in design and branding and Hilton’s commercial prowess is expected to drive significant growth in the luxury lifestyle segment.
“We are thrilled to be announcing Hilton’s highly-anticipated entry into the luxury lifestyle space with the NoMad Hotels brand. This offers yet another exciting dimension to our growth story in India, as we look to build on our growing momentum with our existing luxury and lifestyle brands such as Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and Curio Collection by Hilton. With the thriving Indian economy and increasing expectations of discerning travelers, this new brand will provide even more opportunities for exceptional experiences in desirable destinations across India and Asia Pacific,” said Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
Chris Silcock, President of Global Brands and Commercial Services, Hilton, expressed excitement about the addition of NoMad to their brand portfolio. He emphasized the unique luxury experiences NoMad offers, perfectly aligning with Hilton’s commitment to meeting evolving guest needs and expanding their offerings.
NoMad Hotels are renowned for their blend of luxury and lifestyle experiences, offering guests a sense of being part of vibrant neighborhoods worldwide. Each NoMad property will showcase unique local art collections, creating a distinctive ambiance for guests.
The upcoming 246-key hotel is a collaboration with SunnyRaj Properties and is scheduled to open its doors in 2027. This announcement reflects Hilton’s dedication to expanding its luxury offerings in India, following the success of Conrad properties in Pune and Bengaluru, and the signing of India’s inaugural Waldorf Astoria in Jaipur last year.
The flagship property, NoMad London, will soon be available for booking through Hilton’s channels, with plans for further expansion in top global markets. However, NoMad Las Vegas is excluded from this agreement and will undergo rebranding in the near future.Andrew Zobler, CEO, Sydell, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Hilton, highlighting NoMad’s dedication to accessible luxury, exceptional design, and award-winning food and beverage experiences. He anticipates NoMad’s expansion into coveted neighborhoods worldwide, bringing Hilton travelers sophisticated luxury stays.
This strategic move by Hilton underscores its commitment to offering diverse stay options across luxury and lifestyle segments, complementing its existing brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, LXR, and Signia by Hilton. The addition of NoMad, along with Hilton’s exclusive partnerships and planned acquisitions, reflects the company’s strategic growth trajectory and customer-centric approach.
Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed at this time.
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The Ministry of Tourism is working to promote local experiences while also finding ways to empower women in the country, said Manisha Saxena, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. She emphasised on curating experiences for travellers in Tier-II cities, where infrastructure has improved.
Saxena, who was speaking in Delhi at the launch of Mastercard’s flagship lifestyle program ‘Priceless India‘, said the Tourism Ministry will try to capitalise on gains and the experiences built up during the G20 presidency of India and also train women’s self-help groups across the country to deliver authentic tourism experiences, preserving traditions and creating livelihoods.
She also highlighted initiatives to document cultural heritage and curate unique experiences involving local communities while complementing India’s rich diversity of culture, heritage sites, festivals and cuisine across regions.
“It is very pertinent to mention that India has many women’s self-help groups under the National Rural Livelihood Mission and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission. Every city, every state, every village has women, self-help groups, who are very confident, very empowered women just waiting to deliver whatever you train them for. And it would be really worthwhile to involve them into curating and delivering these experiences because that also preserves a very big part of the intangible heritage in those of our traditions in terms of our food, in terms of the rituals, the kinds of processes that go into cooking. I think that there is no other way to document and to preserve these traditions,” Saxena said while sharing her thoughts.
The official called for further collaboration to discover and share new experiences that showcase India’s modern development as well. “Improved road and air connectivity in India, making it easier to discover and experience new places.It is important to highlight India’s rich cultural heritage and diverse experiences, from ancient monuments to changing languages and cuisine,” he mentioned.
With the relaunch of priceless.com in India, Mastercard will provide exclusive access to culturally rich, gastronomical, and wellness experiences to its cardholders in cities such as Delhi, Agra, Jodhpur, Dehradun, Pune, and more. The company currently offers 40 priceless experiences in India and plans to expand in due course of time.
Storytellers missing on ground?
Talking about the issue of capacity building in the Indian tourism industry, Saxena said that storytellers are missing on the ground. “I think the most important missing link probably is in the style of storytellers on the ground. There are not enough people who would like to take you from the airport to the destination, take you to the attraction itself, and tell you the story. So, I think that is where the capacity building needs to happen. I think the private sector can play a huge role. Hotels can pick up attractions around themselves and help in that effort. experiences, which are called memories for a lifetime. I think we need the private sector to build those experiences; we are here to help with that build-up and do whatever we can,” she stated.
New Incredible India platform
She also shared personal experiences and stories about India, including its cultural diversity and lesser-known festivals. The DG further informed that the new Incredible India platform is also under development and the Ministry hopes to launch it soon.
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