HON:
What brought you to participate in the “Hospitality Disruptors” panel today, and how does this theme align with Ennismore’s current vision?
Nicolas Stachowiak, VP Development – Europe, Ennismore :
At Ennismore, we’ve never really fit the mould, and that’s intentional. Disruption is part of our DNA, but not in the buzzword sense. We have some of the strongest lifestyle brands in the market for both hotels and F&B.
For us, we’re rethinking the fundamentals of what hospitality can be and what it means to create a lifestyle experience: programming spaces so they are designed with purpose, building brands with meaning, creating culinary destinations that locals actually want to eat in, and hotels that feel like they belong in their neighbourhoods.
Today, we’re a collective of founder-built brands, with 180+ hotels open and 140+ in the pipeline. We’ve shown there’s real demand for this approach. So it felt natural to join a conversation on where the industry is headed next.
HON:
Ennismore is known for blending lifestyle, creativity, and community into its brands. In your point of view, what makes a “disruptive” hotel development truly successful today?
Nicolas Stachowiak, VP Development – Europe, Ennismore :
It’s not about gimmicks — it’s about getting the essentials absolutely right. Great lighting, music, spatial flow, scent, service, food, energy — these are not after thoughts. They’re the experience. Too often, some focus on the big picture but forget that it is the small details that guests remember.
For us, disruption is about delivering something people haven’t seen before — not by being louder, but by being more considered. And critically, by creating places that locals love. If you get that right, everything else follows.
HON:
When you evaluate a new market for development, what unconventional factors or metrics do you now consider that might not have been a priority five years ago?
Nicolas Stachowiak, VP Development – Europe, Ennismore :
Absolutely. Five years ago, you might have only looked first at hotel key demand or RevPAR. Now, we start with one question: can we become a cultural and culinary destination in this city?
At Ennismore, F&B isn’t a hotel add-on — it’s half our revenue and a core part of the guest experience. We therefore look at how we can offer something new while being culturally relevant and authentic.
HON :
What role does technology play in Ennismore’s hotel development strategy? Are you seeing any innovations that are fundamentally changing how you design or build new properties?
Nicolas Stachowiak, VP Development – Europe, Ennismore :
Technology is a big enabler for us, and we’re investing heavily in using it to make smarter decisions and deliver a better guest experience — not just on-property, but across the full journey.
We’ve built a dedicated in-house Digital & Tech studio that focuses on everything from optimising website performance and conversion to developing more intuitive booking journeys and leveraging AI to personalise content and guest interactions. We’re not just thinking about how tech supports operations, but how it enhances brand storytelling and drives commercial performance.
AI is helping us analyse demand patterns and make more intelligent decisions around pricing, programming, and even site selection. But it’s also helping us better understand our guests — how they behave, what they care about, and how we can design more meaningful interactions for them.
That said, we still believe that technology should support, not replace, the human element. Hospitality is ultimately about emotion and experience. The tech should be invisible — it should make things smoother, smarter, and more relevant without ever getting in the way of connection.
HON :
Looking forward, what trends or disruptions do you believe will redefine hospitality development over the next five years and how is Ennismore preparing for them?
Nicolas Stachowiak, VP Development – Europe, Ennismore :
We’re already seeing legacy hotel groups scramble to build lifestyle divisions. But at Ennismore, we didn’t bolt lifestyle onto an old model — we built our company around it.
Our brands are all led by dedicated teams, many with their original founders still involved. That ensures brand integrity and that it remains true to their original vision. Whether it’s The Hoxton, Mama Shelter or 25hours, each has its own purpose and creative narrative. And our internal studios — AIME, for interior and graphics ; F&B Platform, curating the culinary experiences, and our Partnerships team — give us full control of the guest journey, from interiors to F&B to collaborations.
Looking ahead, the demand for experiential, culturally rich stays is expected to continue growing. People aren’t just booking rooms anymore — they’re looking for connection, creativity, and places that reflect the world they want to be part of. We build for them.
