SAN DIEGO—From the floors of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in San Diego last week, Advaya Hospitality unveiled a global lifestyle hotel brand before an audience of industry insiders. The brand, MODO Hotel, which will have some green features, will make its debut in major markets around the world, starting with a minimum of five properties in India and another five in Brazil. Advaya also is in the early stages of establishing a fund to acquire strategic assets and build new hotels, targeting major U.S. markets like New York, Kansas City and Miami.
MODO presents a new take on hospitality that’s stylish and musically inspired. The brand will feature a striking urban, Bauhaus loft design. With its vast collection of vinyl records, CDs and MP3 content, MODO will showcase independent artists around the globe.
Full-service MODO hotels will house 100 or more rooms, a restaurant-lounge, courtyard, pool, meeting and event space, library, retail shop and gym. In the United States, rates at full-service properties are targeted to range from $90 to $150 per night with the exception of some larger gateway cities. Additionally, a line of budget lifestyle lodgings will launch in international markets this year, creating a new niche of budget lifestyle hotels.
ABR Brazil LLC is Developer
During the next three years, MODO will roll out in major metropolitan markets in Brazil. Five to ten 150-room hotels will be strategically located in the fastest growing cities of Sao Paulo, Campinas, Curitiba, Vitoria and Manaus. MODO in Brazil will be developed by the newly formed ABR Brazil LLC, a joint venture between MODO and BridgeRock Capital Management LLC.
Additionally, during the second half of this year, a MODO sister brand will premier in India, creating a new market niche of budget lifestyle hotels. Over the next three years, a minimum of five budget lifestyle hotels will launch in India under the MODO sister brand. The 60- to 80-room lodgings will have limited food and beverage offerings and small meeting rooms. They will be located in the cities of Chennai, Tuticorin, Kakinada, Vizag and Vellore.
Building costs for a full-service MODO hotel will be approximately $110,000 per key, including average land cost, with variations in major gateway cities. “That’s at least 20 percent less than those for other hotels in the same class,” says John Russell, CEO for MODO and Advaya.
Franchising is slated to begin later this year. Additional expansion is planned through a combination of acquisitions, new development and conversions of existing properties. Among the target countries are China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
Earth-friendly Features
Properties will feature earth-friendly materials such as polished concrete, brick, sta
ined cork and distressed wood. Materials with recycled content will be used and guestrooms will feature a key card based guestroom energy management system to help control HVAC costs. Energy-efficient lighting will be installed and the hotels will offer a towel and linen reuse program.
In November 2010, Russell announced at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show in New York (see article) that hotels developed by Advaya would also incorporate wind and solar technologies. “Everything we do will be with a focus on sustainability,” Russell told Green Lodging News in an interview at that time.
“‘Modo’ means ‘the way’ in Spanish, and we think of it as ‘THE way to stay,’” Russell explains. “The name captures our brand’s personality—music-centric, original, design-focused and on track with the way people travel today.”
Russell says MODO will appeal to tech-savvy business travelers who enjoy new and entertaining experiences. The brand will have a wide demographic and psychographic reach, including business and leisure travelers with an interest in music, design, art and fashion.
RPM Lounge a Focal Point
The brand’s Bauhaus loft design features a concrete-and-glass construction with exposed beams and polished concrete walls. Inside, RPM restaurant-lounge will be the main event. Located on the ground floor right near the entrance, RPM will draw people in with its soaring 14-foot ceilings, innovative lighting, and long comfortable couches.
Here, music will be center stage. Through a partnership with Downtown Music, LLC, MODO will offer guests access to thousands of tracks from independent marquee and emergent artists worldwide. Music will be available in vinyl, CD and MP3 formats. Using headphones and an advanced sound system, guests will peruse the custom-curated collection and download free music amid books on art and music that will appeal to people across generations.
“In music and design, MODO will have a huge international focus—the United States, Brazil, India, China and Europe, among other countries,” says Chris Jones, chief development officer for MODO and Advaya. “The language of music is universal. It cuts across borders, providing a way for people to do more fun things together. That makes music a perfect fit for our new global brand.”
In full-service MODO hotels, there will be a mix of dining options from sit-down meals featuring fresh, local ingredients with international flair to tasty fare available 24/7 for guests eating on the run. With good spirits and cuisine, MODO will have a fun and casual vibe that will spill out onto the courtyard, where guests will find a lap pool, large patios and plush contemporary furnishings.
Flexible Development Options
“While all properties will share design and music icons, MODO will be global in scope with the flexibility to scale up or down depending on the demands of the site and the local market,” Jones explains. “Our unique F&B concept will have a range of options, from a full-service restaurant with a vibrant bar scene to a cozy bar with a limited food and beverage menu.”
Guest lofts and suites will have an open, airy look with 10-foot ceilings and large windows or glass walls. The light-filled rooms will feature materials such as polished concrete, brick, stained cork and distressed wood.
MODO was developed by Advaya Hospitality, an advisory company providing services across the full hospitality spectrum, including brand development, franchising, land acquisition, design, construction, hotel management and tech support.
Go to Advaya.
