Stijn Oyen - Design Hotels | Selective by Design, Independence at Scale & The Marriott Partnership

350 hotels. 58 countries. And they reject 95% of hotel applications. Ouch.

Fritz caught up with Stijn Oyen, Managing Director of Design Hotels, at upnxt26 - organised by Elevatr Hospitality - to talk about how you build a global brand without selling your soul…

Fun fact: Stijn's career started in a two-star Michelin kitchen. He still runs hospitality like a chef: teamwork, zero compromises, and every detail has to be perfect or it doesn't leave the pass.

Now, here's what Stijn shared:

- Curation is the Superpower

Design Hotels gets 400+ applications a year. Only 5% make it in. They're not just collecting properties, but rather building a community of visionaries. (And 60% of their owners are first-timers. Bold moves only.)

- The Marriott Trade-Off

Design Hotels brought Marriott 90 new destinations. In return? Access to Marriott Bonvoy's global reach and serious commercial firepower, while staying fiercely independent.

- Travelers Want to Be Changed

Nobody books a trip to feel exactly the same afterward. People want to learn something, connect with locals, and come home as a slightly better version of themselves. The bar has officially been raised.

So… Ready to hear how Design Hotels stays fiercely independent while playing in the big leagues? Hit play.

This month of SMACK is sponsored by RoomPriceGenie.