Hotel development leader Andrew Taylor is sharpening his focus on lifestyle hotels with the launch of a new company name and direction.
On Tuesday evening, at an intimate event in Sydney, Taylor launched Cre8tive Hotels and Lifestyle, marking a shift away from the former name Cre8tive Property.
Acting as an advisor to owners, Taylor and his team have developed a strategy to support owners, developers and funding partners in delivering world-class lifestyle hotels, which he believes is an underserved segment in the Australian market.
“We are passionate about hotels and fostering community within, and over the years we have seen a distinct trend by developers wanting much greater levels of customisation for their projects to better reflect their vision and the neighbourhoods in which their projects are imbedded,” said Taylor.
“Rather than simply relying on an established hotel brand to ‘solve’ their development, developers are wanting more influence and say on the type of hotel they will deliver and ultimately put their name to; and that is where we come in.”
In recent years, Taylor has worked closely with brands like Standard, Hoxton, Dream, Ryse and East Hotels to establish a presence down under. In 2018, he was responsible for bringing the W brand back to Australia, first via the Brisbane hotel and then with W Melbourne, where he worked directly with the owner Daisho for close to three years.
He also has a background in law and development for Mirvac Hotels and Resorts and Starwood for over 17 years.
“A more discerning developer has emerged, with very strong interest in making sure that the hotel’s food and beverage attracts its own crowd and following,” he said.
“They are savvy and well-travelled globally and often have their own personal relationships in the culinary world and ideas on how to create ambience and community involvement in their hotel.
“Our ability to attract new, exciting brands and operators to the Australian market and match them with the owners, is something we are really proud of. Many of these lifestyle brands are incredibly impressed with Australia and are eager to establish a presence here. Our role is to ensure that they understand the particular dynamics of Australia, both culturally and commercially and set all parties up for success.
“After starting the business in 2017, I am really excited to be launching this next chapter of Cre8tive with my amazing team, and we’re looking forward to driving hard our role in delivering lifestyle on a global scale.”
As part of the rebrand, Taylor will launch the “Lifestyle Interview Series”, a series of discussions with architects, designers, hotel owners, and other influencers who are shaping the future of lifestyle hotels. The first interview, which will be published via Cre8tive’s Youtube Channel, will be with Tracey Wiles, Principal of Woods Bagot and will go live in May.
In September 2024, Cre8tive Hotels and Lifestyle will take a small group to New York City to tour the newest and best lifestyle hotels.