Former Maybourne Hotel Group COO Roland Fasel was named president of Capella Hotel Group in April, overseeing both the Capella brand and its sister brand, Patina, which launched in 2020. Capella has 10 hotels under its namesake brand and two under Patina, with plans to double the overall portfolio by 2030. Hotels editor Christina Jelski sat down with Fasel to talk about the group's pipeline and the distinctions between its two luxury brands.
Roland Fasel
Q: What are some of Capella's nearer-term expansion plans?
A: Over the next 18 months, we have four openings planned: Nanjing and Tianjin in China, a hotel in Saudi Arabia and one in Florence. In China, those are cities we think are strongly relevant right now. There's a real push for tourism there, and the Chinese customer today is young and curious, wanting to explore those cities from a different angle. Saudi Arabia is part of a bigger push into the Middle East, where the investment volume going into hospitality is enormous. The products being built for us there are extraordinary. We work with some of the best architects in the world, and many of these sites carry Unesco status, which make them even more appealing. And Florence is an obvious entry point for the American market. Out of that, we're now looking at growing further in Italy, maybe a resort property and something in a bigger city.
Q: Capella once had a presence in the U.S. Is a return on the table?
A: We would like, in due time, to circle back. The American market is phenomenal. American travelers support us in most of the destinations where we operate, and it's actually our strongest segment in terms of demand, even though our brand recognition here still has a long way to go.
Q: What other markets are you eyeing?
A: Japan is definitely one. We still have two or three announcements to come there. It's a market we really like, with a lot of American, European and regional support, plus local demand, so you get four or five strong customer segments in one place. We can do the big cities, and eventually we could see a Patina or even a Capella ski resort there, too. Beyond that, we'd love to be in the gateway cities, like Paris, London and New York.
Q: How do you distinguish the Capella and Patina brands from each other?
A: Both share the same underlying DNA around anticipatory, personalized service. Above that, the drivers differ. Capella properties tend to be smaller and deeply engaged with their local community, often built around restoration projects. We try not to be too rigid about size; Sydney is a fairly big Capella at 180 rooms, while others run much smaller, but the sweet spot is usually somewhere between 90 and 120 rooms, and we can flex up to around 150 to 180. Once you get much past 200 rooms, you start needing to lean into the group and meetings segment, and it becomes harder to make the economics work for a property built around this kind of intimacy. Patina is themed around wellness, longevity and sustainability, with more flexibility to lean into things like music or performance, and its entry-level rooms tend to be more substantial than Capella's.
Q: What role do travel advisors play in your growth strategy?
A: The advisor community is fundamental to driving our business. We've had many of these relationships for years, and as we grow, that relationship needs to be nurtured even more. They bring strategic knowledge that helps us stay in tune with what guests actually need.