This is exactly the kind of news the boutique hotel world should be paying attention to and celebrating.
Ian Schrager isn’t giving up his brand or creative vision. He’s doing what smart, founder-led boutique brands do: retaining full ownership of identity, culture, and guest experience while partnering with Highgate as an operator.
This is an important distinction. Highgate is not a consumer-facing brand, and that’s the point. Ian’s boutique DNA remains firmly in his own hands. Much like Richard Kessler and the Kessler Collection, this model proves that boutique brands can scale, professionalize operations, and access capital without surrendering their soul.
Ian has long believed that boutique hotels should remain independent in spirit, public-facing in ambition, and unapologetically design-driven. This move reinforces that belief and shows the industry that boutique brands are still firmly in control of their own destiny. It’s their choice at the end of the day.
Personally, I’m grateful for Ian’s years of support for BLLA – Boutique & Luxury Lodging Association and BLLA Events. He has been a true champion of independent hospitality, and this moment feels like another win for that entire ecosystem. I remember Ian’s Keynote at our very first Boutique Hotel Investment Conference in 2013. Fond memories in the images below.
This is about boutique founders leading with intention. Congratulations, Ian Schrager and PUBLIC, an Ian Schrager Hotel. 🥂
Full article: https://lnkd.in/gZjYnfgF
#BoutiqueHotels #IndependentHospitality #FounderLed #DesignDriven #HospitalityLeadership #BLLA #BoutiqueNotBranded