Accor is launching a new hotel brand, Emblems Collection, and the first announced property is the Guiyang Art Centre Hotel in China's Guizhou province, opening in December 2022.
Plans call for the luxury boutique brand to grow to 60 properties by 2030 and for the collection to include "unique hotels that are 'emblematic' of their designers, demographics or destinations," Accor said.
Emblems Collection hotels and resorts will be divided into three categories:
• Heritage, for hotels that are landmarks, contributing to the character of the location and emblematic of classic cultural traditions.
• Retreat, for resorts that include spa and wellness experiences
• Signature, for design-forward hotels that represent the style and signature of the designers or original residents who contributed to the hotel's unique legacy.
Emblems Collection will be the only Accor-owned luxury brand to offer franchise agreements to hotels. Property owners will be encouraged to retain the unique identities of their hotels and resorts.
"The hotels we will feature in Emblems Collection are those sought out by travelers who appreciate high-end, boutique-style experiences, as well as by hoteliers who cherish the independent brands they've built while desiring the benefits that come with a global partner," Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin said in a statement.
The inaugural flagship hotel for Emblems Collections, Guiyang Art Centre Hotel, was originally built as a palatial private residence with expansive grounds. When the property opens at the end of 2022 as a hotel, it will have 64 suites, a pool, a spa and a fitness area in addition to multiple dining options.