The luxury group will continue growing its international portfolio after it opens its first US hotel in Florida this November.
Palm House Hotel will mark the eighth addition to the group, with the launch also heralding the start of a new chapter for the company. The move will also introduce a larger American audience to its UK and Europe collection, which includes the famed Cliveden House and Chewton Glen in England, as well as the most recent addition, Hotel Excelsior in Venice.
Why Palm House Hotel?
With its Atlantic Ocean breeze and pastel pink exterior, Palm House Hotel has an undeniably different DNA to its Iconic cousins in Europe. The beachside property will offer 79 guest rooms including 21 suites, an outdoor pool, a rooftop bar and a fine dining restaurant, all designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape. It will also work closely with local suppliers to deliver an authentic guest experience, upholding the Iconic mission to create a hospitality that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
“This particular property was a hotel development that had gotten stuck for a variety of reasons,” Stembridge explains. “So, from an investment perspective, it was a great opportunity for our owners. But when they got there and saw how special it was in person, they said, ‘Andrew, this needs to sit under the Iconic collection.’”
Why Florida?
Stembridge says Florida was a logical choice for Iconic’s move into the US, due to the sunshine state already being a popular destination with its existing clientele.
With more than 1.1 million people from the UK visiting in 2022 alone, the UK now makes up the second largest group of international arrivals for Florida annually.
“We have a big UK database, and there’s strong demand for Florida in the winter months,” Stembridge explains. “We also do a lot of cruise business, especially out of Chewton Glen, because of its proximity to Southampton.”
Why the US?
Iconic’s decision to expand into the US is largely influenced by its current database. The brand is already relatively well known by US luxury travellers, who Stembridge says already account for 60% of bookings at its two Chelsea properties, 11 Cadogan Gardens and The Chelsea Townhouse.
Iconic is now determined to grow this clientele in Chewton Glen and Cliveden House, which, as two of the brand’s more rural UK properties, can sometimes be overlooked by US travellers in favour of European resorts. By establishing a strong presence in the US, Stembridge believes it will introduce more Americans to Iconic’s entire portfolio.
“It’s always good to have a foothold in the US, and we’re using Palm House Hotel to grow the brand overall,” he said, adding, “we’re always trying to boost US business in our countryside hotels, because with more Americans prioritising places like Italy, the UK countryside has taken a bit of a hit.”
Opportunities for agents
Iconic is also keen to continue its strong relationship with the trade, confirming plans to invite agents from both the US and UK to its newest property.
Stembridge says that it will be hosting fam and press trips at Palm House Hotel, with details about potential visits to be revealed closer to the opening.
He adds that while Iconic is excited to showcase their newest member to the public, it is also wary of “over-saturating the market” with promotional material, which can lead to a property “fast becoming old news”.
Expansion plans
While Palm House Hotel is currently Iconic’s main focus, the brand hopes to expand to other places across the Atlantic.
“Caribbean hotspots, such as Barbados, would be an example of where we’d love to be,” he said, adding that the region is again already popular with its current clientele. “It’s following our database in that respect.”
Iconic’s search for a new international property is ongoing, but Stembridge insists that it won’t settle just to reach a particular number.
“There’s barely a day where we’re not looking, but we don’t want it to be a massive collection,” he said. “I think 12 to 15 properties would be reasonable. It’s about finding the property that fits, with all the layers of authenticity and stories that appeal to our existing database. As long as it adds value, then it’s something we look at.”
He also says, because Iconic is a smaller brand, it can afford to take its time in tracking down the right property: “Isn’t it way more important that you find gems? It allows us to keep our eyes open, because we’re not wedded to tight brand standards.”
In many ways, Iconic defines itself as much by what it isn’t, as by what it is. Stembridge isn’t interested in trying to appeal to new audiences, reiterating that its expansion plans are extremely influenced by its existing database.
“Without question, we would only open a property in somewhere where there was a strong demand from the UK and the US market,” he said. He also adds that Iconic’s properties, regardless of how luxurious they are, will likely never adopt something like an adults-only policy.
“I think there’s a market for it, but it’s not right for us. 37% of our business at Chewton Glen is now families, and in the summer, it’s bursting with families. The reality is, families want to be together now. Our properties are for adults, but we also make children feel very welcome too.”
Palm House Hotel is scheduled to open on 15 November.
