Dive Brief:
- Global lifestyle brand Margaritaville is expanding its Compass by Margaritaville collection of boutique hotels, adding several properties to its pipeline, the company announced Wednesday.
- Following the most recent Compass by Margaritaville opening in Naples, Florida, the brand unveiled plans for additional hotels across several southern states that are expected to either break ground or open this year or in early 2025.
- Margaritaville is expanding both its boutique and resort offerings to new markets, among a slew of hotel companies focused on growth in the burgeoning lifestyle segment.
Dive Insight:
Compass by Margaritaville will break ground on two properties later this year: a 105-room hotel in the historic downtown of Beaufort, North Carolina, and a 150-key beachfront property in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The brand also plans to open two hotels. In the fall, a 162-room hotel will open in the Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. And early next year, a 100-room hotel is set to open in Flagler Beach, Florida, the company shared.
The hotels will feature signature Compass by Margaritaville amenities like the 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, pools, fitness centers and a “laid back vibe and a sense of paradise,” according to Margaritaville.
The hotels will expand the Compass by Margaritaville collection to several new destinations, “redefining the casual luxury market for travelers across the U.S.,” Rick Cunningham, senior vice president of development for Margaritaville, said in a statement.
“We continue to see demand for Margaritaville lodging options in destinations around the world, however some locations in the U.S. don’t have the real estate required for a branded resort,” Cunningham told Hotel Dive. “Compass by Margaritaville brings the Margaritaville state of mind and the brand trust to a more intimate setting — in smaller markets, vibrant downtown hubs, and college towns.”
Margaritaville expands its Compass collection at a time when more travelers are seeking boutique accommodations.
The company is also expanding its larger resort offerings in top leisure destinations like South Lake Tahoe, California, and Fort Myers, Florida.
Margaritaville is among other major hotel players including Hyatt and Hilton expanding in the lifestyle segment, though the brand’s President of Development Jim Wiseman previously told Hotel Dive that Margaritaville is a leader among its competitors.
“[W]e don’t have to create a lifestyle; we have a lifestyle. What does the Andaz lifestyle mean? What does the Tempo lifestyle mean? It’s very difficult to make up a lifestyle. We’ve got an authentic brand that has been around for a long time,” Wiseman said earlier this month.
