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There’s been a number of platform acquisitions in recent years. Ruby Hotels (IHG), The Standard (Hyatt), citizenM (Marriott), and Graduate Hotels (Hilton), among others, have all been snapped up by the chains. I’ve commented before in our weekly newsletter that such consolidation presents an opportunity for new brand players to enter the market, though I didn’t expect to see this from a coliving brand.
Habyt, one of the largest flex-living operators in Europe, has introduced Atipico Hotels. The group’s founder, Luca Bovone, said that Atipico’s inception evolved from the launch of Habyt Flex earlier this year, which saw the group pivot to offer shorter-to-medium term stays. As the company aligned its operations with a more transient guest demographic, the launch of Atipico was a “natural next chapter” according to Bovone.
With its debut property now open in Madrid, target markets for Atipico include Portugal and Italy. Habyt brings several years of development and operational experience, and its move into the hotel sector comes at a time when the flex-living model is being tested. The collapse of Sonder shows how scale doesn’t guarantee stability, and Habyt must be disciplined in its diversification strategy to avoid the same pitfalls.
Trends show there is a demand for community and connection – pillars of the coliving sector – and something which Habyt can deeply leverage and integrate into future growth. If Atipico can capture that balance, Habyt could demonstrate that managing a blended portfolio across short, medium and long-term stays can be sustainable.
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