1 Hotels will triple the size of its portfolio over the next three years, as it grows its presence beyond its US stronghold.

The hospitality firm which is built around sustainability with nature at the core of its luxurious offering, has grown its portfolio to 10 US properties since its was founded by Barry Sternlicht in 2015. It also has three properties in Europe and one in Asia Pacific.

Speaking to media at luxury trade show Luxperience in Sydney this week, 1 Hotels & Homes Melbourne Marketing Director Libby Escolme said the focus has well and truly shifted to international expansion.

“It’s been very North America-centric so far, but we’ve got a couple of properties opening in Europe – Mayfair and Copenhagen. We’ve got a fantastic property in Sanya, China which is just mind-blowing because it has this incredible cantilevered pool with a glass bottom.”

The company will open its first Australian property in Melbourne in March 2025 – its second in Asia Pacific where it has another three properties in the works. Middle East expansion is next on the cards for the firm with four properties in the pipeline and a Maldives property also planned. Its pipeline also includes six US properties and four in Europe.

1 Hotel & Homes Melbourne is located right on the Yarra River, part of the Seafarers mixed-use development, with 220 metres of river frontage. “We tend to do newbuilds as a brand,” Escolme explained. By doing this, the company can select the sites so they can ensure that, even in a city like Melbourne, the property will be surrounded by nature.

“We are also building a 3,400 square metre park planted with endemic plants so that when guests are staying with us, even though they’re staying in Melbourne CBD, there Is nature all around them,” she said.

The 277-room hotel will also introduce a program of “happenings” which are activities which incorporate nature in some form, such as creating a foraged cocktail, learning how to make a meal with sustainable in-season vegetables or a mind and movement class. These are mostly free, although some come with a charge.

“Nature does change the way we feel and even in small doses, it does change our perspective,” Escolme said.

More than just establishing itself as a sustainable hotel chain, Escolme sees 1 Hotels’ mission as far broader.

“We’re all about showcasing how sustainability is interesting and relevant to our guests, and profitable for the hotel owner,” she said.

It’s also about offering customers a different take on luxury. “Modern luxury is about experience,” she said. By surrounding guests with plants and providing them with the ultimate in comfort without harming the environment, 1 Hotels offers a “slightly different take on luxury”.

“Everything is there to make you feel better and to sustain the planet,” she said.