Hyatt reportedly near deal to link up with Standard Hotels brand

18.07.2024 - 20:09 / thepointsguy.com / Amber Asher / Billie Eilish

The lifestyle hotel sector continues to woo some of the world's largest hotel companies, it seems.

Hyatt is once again on the cusp of making a play for an established lifestyle hotel brand. The Chicago-based hotel company is in advanced talks to acquire Standard International, Bloomberg reports. Standard International operates a global network of hotels across brands like The Standard, Bunkhouse and Peri. The structure of any potential Hyatt deal — and whether it includes all of the Standard International brands — is not yet public.

"As a matter of policy, we don't comment on questions of this nature," a Hyatt spokesperson told TPG. "We remain committed to asset-light growth through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions but have nothing new to share at this time."

When contacted by TPG on Thursday morning, a representative with Standard International declined to comment. But any potential Standard International tie-up would be the latest in a long list of Hyatt's luxury and lifestyle plays.

The company's 2018 acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality brought in brands like Thompson Hotels, Alila, Tommie, Joie de Vivre (now JdV) and Destination. Hyatt has since gone on to make a splash in the all-inclusive resort space with its 2021 Apple Leisure Group takeover, which ushered in luxury offerings like Secrets and Impression by Secrets. The company has also acquired the lifestyle hotel-centered Dream Hotel Group as well as the Mr & Mrs Smith luxury and lifestyle booking platform in recent years.

However, we shouldn't view Standard as just a case of fueling Hyatt's lifestyle hotel gluttony. The brand, first developed by hotelier Andre Balazs and now overseen by CEO Amber Asher, has achieved what very few lifestyle hotel brands have: staying power. Further, some could argue Standard would easily become Hyatt's most headline-stealing brand: FKA Twigs, Madonna, Janelle Monáe and Billie Eilish have all turned up — some to even perform — at The Standard, High Line's Met Gala after-party.

Standard's first hotel — the now-closed The Standard, Hollywood — was a media mainstay, appearing in everything from "Sex and the City" and "Ocean's Twelve" to "Entourage."

But the brand didn't stop there. The Standard, High Line in New York City remains a hotel hot spot and nightlife staple — good luck ever trying to get into the hotel's rooftop bar Le Bain — well beyond its 2009 grand opening. Standard has since gone global and now has Thai real estate firm Sansiri as a major investor. TPG is a big fan of the brand's outposts in Bangkok as well as the Thai resort destination of Hua Hin, and you'll also find Standard properties in places like London, Miami and Ibiza, Spain. Upcoming openings include hotels in Singapore,