Branded Residences: What Buyers Should Know

A branded residence is a home for sale that carries the name, design language and services of a hotel or luxury brand. The brand usually does not build the property itself. It licenses its name to a developer, typically in return for a share of sales. You buy the home from the developer, while the brand oversees that design and service meet its own standard.

How Many Branded Residences Are There?

According to Savills' report published in February 2026, there were 910 branded residence schemes worldwide at the end of 2025, up 19% in a year. Dubai leads the world with 64 completed schemes and 87 in the pipeline. The same report counts 48 completed and 55 pipeline schemes in South Florida.

Knight Frank's September 2026 report gives the same ranking: Dubai first, with Miami and London near the top. Small differences between reports come from how each firm defines a branded residence.

Hotel-Integrated or Standalone?

Branded residences come in two main models. In the first, homes share a building or site with a hotel, and owners use its restaurants, spa and staff. In the second, the building is residential only and brand services are delivered by a team dedicated to owners.

Knight Frank's 2025 survey found that 82% of operating hotel-branded schemes sit alongside a hotel. Among schemes under construction the share falls to 70%, so the standalone model is growing. The hotel model offers more services but a busier building. The standalone model offers a quieter, more private life.

Non-hotel brands are also growing fast: cars (Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Aston Martin), fashion (Armani) and jewellery or watches (Jacob & Co). In these projects the brand mainly brings design and identity, while day-to-day service comes from a separate operator.

What Services Do Owners Get?

Services vary by project, but the most common are 24/7 reception and concierge, valet parking, housekeeping, in-residence dining or a private chef, a shared spa, pool and gym, guest arrivals and care of the home while you are away. Some are included in the service charge and others are billed as used. Check the contract to see which service sits in which line.

Why Do They Cost More?

Savills calculates that branded residences sold for an average 33% more than comparable unbranded homes in the same location in 2024. The premium reflects the brand's design standard, service and recognition. It varies widely by city and brand. Published figures for Dubai differ so much by source that quoting a single rate would mislead.

Annual service charges are also higher. Because brand services are funded from them, the service charge in a branded building is usually well above that of an ordinary building in the same area.

A Buyer's Checklist

Law firm Trowers & Hamlins notes that if a hotel management agreement ends, the brand can also withdraw from the residences, and owners' association decisions can bind the operator. So look beyond the brand name to the length of the agreement and its renewal terms.

Examples in Dubai, Miami and London

In Dubai, most branded residences are in Downtown and Business Bay. Binghatti's projects with car and jewellery brands are the best-known examples: Bugatti Residences in Business Bay, Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences and Mercedes-Benz Places. On the hotel side, Hilton's brand is used for the first time outside the US in a standalone residential project at Waldorf Astoria Residences in Business Bay. 25hours Heimat in Downtown is another hotel brand's residential project, and Armani Residences in Burj Khalifa has been one of the city's first branded homes since 2010.

South Florida is one of the world's largest branded residence markets. Trump Royale in Sunny Isles is a good example of the licensing model: Dezer develops the project and the Trump name is used under a licence. The same developer's Bentley Residences is one of the best-known car-branded towers.

In London, Bulgari Residences, opened in 2012, was one of the city's first hotel-branded homes.

Who Are Branded Residences For?

They suit buyers who spend part of the year in the home, want someone to look after it while they are away and want hotel-level service as part of daily life. If a quieter building, lower service charges and more living space matter more, unbranded luxury buildings in the same areas offer comparable quality.