How branded residences redefine lifestyle through the lens of brand power

The Playing Field

Thailand has established this marketplace with a whopping 23.3 per cent share followed by the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India. Phuket, especially, has seen phenomenal growth. In fact, two key hotel brands recognised its potential long before branded residences became a buzzword: Aman, which chose Phuket for its first Asian resort property Amanpuri in 1988; and Banyan Tree, which built its base out of the Thai destination. 

The current growth in the Thai destination is not lost on top regional developers, some of whom are establishing their own brands, such as Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong Group, says Barnett. The conglomerate recently launched their second project in Phuket, the lifestyle-focused, award-winning Sudara Residences, following the success of the pioneering exclusive Andara villa development.

As Jason Thelen, senior director, sales and marketing at Sudara Residences says, Phuket has developed into a place where people come from around the region to find a real home. Besides its inherent allure, the 13 international schools and multiple high-quality hospitals on the island along with the fact that 300 international flights fly out daily to major capitals around the world have all been major draws for the people buying into Sudara Residences. “Almost every one of them is looking at Phuket as a safe haven to store their wealth, their families, and create their lifestyle,” adds Thelen. 

Forty per cent of buyers into this market in the region are HNW Singaporeans, as per a report by CBRE—and they are looking beyond just resort properties. Within the country itself there's a high degree of home ownership, which is promoted by the government in the form of cooling measures—high stamp duties for second- and third-property buys with the most recent one being in 2024—introduced predominantly to encourage and make it easy for first time home buyers to buy homes and not lose their share”, Ananth Ramchandran, the real estate company’s Head of Advisory and Strategic Transactions for Hotels and Hospitality, Asia.

“These have made it much harder for people to get into the speculative investment game and automatically directed the interest of the average Singaporean’s investment interest towards branded residences in the region—an important backup, especially in regional destinations that are a mere two-hour flight away from Singapore,” he adds. 

Beyond Hospitality

The concept of branded residences can be traced back to 1927 when New York’s Sherry-Netherland introduced the branded experience to property by combining full-service apartments with access to hotel-style amenities. With its Gothic-inspired architecture and elaborate lobby ceiling imported from a 17th-century Venetian palace, the Sherry-Netherland did not have the tag we are now familiar with, but shaped the DNA of today’s branded residences, evolving from co-location projects—a hotel and residences under the same roof or on the same property—to standalones under the hotel brand and mixed-use developments. 

Since the early 2000s, luxury fashion and other consumer brands have made a foray further  amping up the glamour factor. It brings a sense of belonging, points out Gianfranco Bianchi, Asia-Pacific general manager at The One Atelier, the premier international consultancy behind the conception, design, and execution of 888 Brickell Miami by Dolce & Gabbana, Dubai’s Casa Canal outfitted by Fendi Casa, and recently, one in Bangkok in April this year. 

Not just fashion brands, supercar brands such as Porsche, Aston Martin and Bugatti, to name a few have entered the arena as well with Porsche Design Tower and Aston Martin Residences in Miami and Bugatti Residences in Dubai respectively. 

Bianchi believes that such associations based on brand reputations come with two-pronged benefits. “On one hand, the investor and developer can be globally visible, and on the other hand, for the user, it’s only available in limited numbers with few projects around the world. So, they are buying into a fully immersive branded lifestyle and, at the same time, becoming members of an exclusive club,” he says. For buyers, they complete the cycle by adding in a collector’s appeal.

Barnett also indicates another trend among older affluent buyers, who are drawn to the high-end concierge conveniences and luxury offerings that now come clubbed with multi-generational living in the branded residences sector. The latter, which evolved from necessity to aspiration post-pandemic sees brands designing residences that can accommodate large families. Thoughtful design in projects such as Anantara Layan in Phuket with five- to seven-bedroom villas offer a comprehensive blend of ultra-luxury living and multi-generational functionality. 

The branded residence model has changed since its beginnings, and as luxury hotels, fashion brands and some of the most iconic names in the world shape the way we live, it will continue to evolve. 

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