The first Hoxton hotel opened in London’s Shoreditch neighborhood in 2006. Five years later, it was acquired by Ennismore, the hospitality company founded by Sharan Pasricha. Soon, additional Hoxton outposts began sprouting in cities like Amsterdam, Paris, and New York. A series of open-house hotels rooted in their locations and fueled by animated F&B experiences, Hoxton was booming when Ennsimore entered into a joint venture with Accor in 2021.
Co-led by Pasricha and Accor’s Gaurav Bhushan (Pasricha and Bhushan coincidentally attended the same high school in India), this newly formed independent lifestyle entity encompasses 14 brands, including 21c Museum Hotels, 25hours, Delano, Gleneagles, Hyde, JO&JOE, Mama Shelter, Mondrian, Morgans Originals, SLS, SO/, the Hoxton, TRIBE, and Working From.
“I was always very intrigued by the asset light part of the business and how we could scale that,” recalls Pasricha. With more time at his disposal during the pandemic lockdown, Pasricha explored this realm by first partaking in informal conversations with Bhushan about navigating the industry during such an anxiety-ridden period.
Artist Laura Wickstead’s abstract mural is the centerpiece of the lobby in the Ennismore-designed Hoxton, Holborn in London
Eventually, he says, it became clear that “there was an opportunity for us to put our heads together and combine forces in this world of lifestyle.” That partnership has since manifested in Ennismore becoming one of the largest and fastest growing hotel companies, with just over 100 properties currently operating and some 200 in the pipeline across the lifestyle portfolio.
“All of a sudden, you have the opportunity to compete at a global scale in what I believe is one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry, using the creativity, the autonomy, and the authenticity of a small startup, but also the balance sheet and might of Europe’s largest hotel company,” Pasricha says of the alliance.
Along with the recently opened Hoxton in Barcelona’s Poblenou neighborhood—the first to showcase a kitchenette-appointed room category ideal for families and extended stays—this summer will see the debut of several anticipated hotels. These include Gleneagles Townhouse, the urban sister to the historic Gleneagles resort in the Scottish countryside, and the upscale Delano spinoff Maison Delano in Paris. Ennismore is also ramping up its coworking platform Working From, tailoring it to each hotel brand but basing it on the idea of an “ecosystem where there’s amazing events programming, great food, and you can sleep, work, and hustle,” Pasricha says.
Amid all this growth, Ennismore continues to commit to its values, maintaining the distinct personalities of each of its lifestyle brands (and the founders behind them) and prioritizing the guest experience through holistic design and restaurants and bars that can compete with local establishments (these venues generate 40 to 60 percent of revenue for Ennismore hotels, Pasricha notes).
In fact, every step Ennismore takes must be socially and environmentally prudent. “We’re spending a disproportionate amount of time,” he says, “to ensure we’re thinking about how we can make a difference in each of the neighborhoods and cities we call home.”
Four Corners, the Detroit-style pizza hangout at the Hoxton, Poblenou
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