Research article

Amenities: creating a point of difference

For buyers of branded residences, the amenity offering from a branded development can often be as important as the location and brand itself


In general, the higher-end the development, the more amenities on offer. Concierge, security, fitness centres, spas, and pools are considered standard amenities that are necessary for branded offerings. Beauty services, in-residence catering, golf and Michelin-starred dining are much more exclusive and are associated with the top end of the chain-scale offering. However, for non-hotelier brands, the amenities available can vary widely depending on how each respective brand positions itself.

Based on a sample of global branded residential schemes, those classed as luxury offered 100% of the potential amenities in the sample for their residents, demonstrating that with the top price points comes top-level amenity offerings (see 'Sample branded residences amenities offering' below). Further down the chain scales, the variety of amenity offering declines, though non-hotel and lifestyle brands do provide 92% of the amenities considered. Upper-midscale offers a comparatively lower selection at just 60% of the sample amenities examined for this analysis. Within the lifestyle category for branded residences, there is significant variation in the amenities offered to residences.

For schemes like Bulgari, which brands itself as a luxury provider, the amenities provided for residents are extensive and varied, including amenities beyond the standard such as cigar lounges, cinemas, and in-residence catering.

Other lifestyle and non-hotelier brands will offer fewer luxury-associated amenities in favour of truly building a lifestyle for their residents. These lifestyle amenities can include sports amenities such as golf, basketball, or racquet sports, or club facilities for residents and their children.

Health and well-being

For most operators and buyers, wellness amenities will be key going forward, especially in light of Covid-19. Increased demand for larger properties, private outdoor spaces, and high-speed broadband to enable homeworking are all trends that will outlast the pandemic. For brands looking to bring new properties to market, they need to consider not only what the current needs are for residents but also what residents will be looking for in terms of amenity offering when the scheme opens.

The current provision of wellness amenities across branded residential schemes is robust and growing. Across the amenities offered by the selected branded schemes studied, 21% of all the amenities on offer can be classified as wellness amenities.

From the standard offering of a fitness centre and a pool to more extensive wellness provisions such as spas, steam rooms, and treatment rooms, branded residential schemes are recognising the increasing demand for wellness.

What do buyers want?

To understand what buyers want from their branded residences, Savills Research conducted a survey of the global Savills network to understand how branded residence buyer preferences differ around the world.

In terms of amenities on offer, respondents stated that high-speed broadband, security, car parking, and concierge services were classified as essential offerings from branded residence schemes for buyers in their markets. Spas, gyms, and private outdoor space were deemed to be less essential but still important for branded residence buyers.

Read the articles within Spotlight: Branded Residences below.

Further information

Global Residential Development Consultancy



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