Savills has acquired a majority stake in Hotelivate, South Asia’s hospitality advisory firm, marking a strategic push to strengthen its presence in the fast-evolving Asia Pacific hospitality market.
The combined entity, ‘Hotelivate-Savills’, will continue to operate under Hotelivate’s leadership while leveraging Savills’ global network and institutional capabilities. The move comes at a time when strong operating performance, expanding branded supply, and rising cross-border capital flows are positioning hospitality assets, particularly hotels and branded residences, as a core investment class.
Anurag Mathur, CEO, Savills India, said the acquisition reflects both the firm’s growing scale in India and a broader opportunity within the hospitality sector.
Timing Driven by Market Maturity
Savills’ India business, launched in 2018, has scaled to nearly 1,000 professionals across key cities. Mathur said the firm has now reached a stage where deeper sectoral expansion is both viable and necessary.
“We have built a strong platform in India, and with the country’s demographic and economic strengths, it is logical to deepen our engagement with the economy,” he said, adding that such a move would have been difficult to execute a few years ago. Hospitality, he noted, emerged as a natural extension of Savills’ real estate-led services.
Building a Structured Hospitality Platform
While Savills has historically worked on hospitality-linked assignments, Mathur acknowledged that the approach lacked a unified structure.
“Hospitality is inherently real estate-intensive. This partnership allows us to bring strategy, capital advisory, and execution together in a more organised manner,” he said. The integration will combine Hotelivate’s sector-specific expertise with Savills’ capabilities across capital markets, valuations, transactions, and project management, creating a full-service advisory platform for institutional investors and developers.
Channeling Global Capital Into Indian Hospitality
The partnership is also expected to strengthen capital flows into India’s hospitality sector, which is increasingly attracting global investor interest. “Global capital is actively looking at India, and hospitality is no exception. With our international network, we expect to play a key role in facilitating these investments,” Mathur said.
He also highlighted the growing traction in branded residences, describing them as a structural trend rather than a passing phase. “Branded residences are gaining global traction. Combining hospitality-led branding with real estate creates a more sustainable product compared to purely lifestyle-driven concepts,” he said.
Emerging Asian Markets in Focus
Beyond India, the alliance is expected to expand its footprint across high-growth tourism markets in South and Southeast Asia. Mathur identified Vietnam, Indonesia—particularly Bali—and the Philippines as key markets with strong long-term potential, driven by rising tourism and investment activity. More mature markets such as Japan and Australia are expected to see steady, incremental growth.
Hotelivate’s existing presence across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangkok, Dubai, Jakarta, and Singapore will continue, now supported by Savills’ wider regional platform.
Geopolitical Risks Remain a Watchpoint
The acquisition comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, which continue to cast uncertainty over global markets. “Conflicts have disrupted multiple sectors, including real estate. While the human cost is far greater, the industry impact is also significant. Prolonged instability could have medium- to long-term implications,” Mathur said.
Consolidation Signals Next Phase of Growth
The formation of ‘Hotelivate-Savills’ signals a broader consolidation in hospitality advisory, as institutional investors seek integrated, end-to-end solutions across markets.
By combining sector depth with global scale, the partnership aims to position itself at the centre of Asia Pacific’s next growth cycle in hospitality, driven by capital flows, evolving consumer preferences, and the increasing institutionalisation of real estate assets.
