Experimental Group

What Experimental Group does

Experimental Group is a privately held boutique hospitality operator founded in Paris in 2007, originally established as a cocktail bar (Experimental Cocktail Club) and progressively expanded into restaurants, wine bars, beach clubs, nightclubs, spas, and hotels. The company owns and operates a portfolio of more than 13 properties across prime European and US destinations, including Paris, London, New York, Venice, Biarritz, Menorca, Ibiza, Cannes, the Cotswolds, Verbier, and Val d'Isère, with pipeline openings in Rome (October 2026), Porto (2026), Comporta (2027), and a planned entry into Brazil by 2028. Signature sub-brands include Experimental Cocktail Club, La Compagnie Wine Bar, Frenchie restaurants (chef Greg Marchand), and design-forward hotels with interiors by Dorothée Meilichzon.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model, with reservations taken through the group's website and individual property pages via an integrated booking widget (namastay), supplemented by on-property concierge sales and partnerships with OTAs and travel advisors. Revenue is generated through four primary streams: hotel room operations, food and beverage across restaurants/bars/clubs/spas, on-site boutique retail, and private events (corporate, weddings, celebrations). Pricing is unit-based, with examples including brunch at €39-€69 per person at Biarritz properties; nightly hotel rates are not publicly disclosed. The group employs 501-1,000 staff and is backed by Brookfield Asset Management, which led a roughly $427 million funding round in November 2021. Forecourted current-year revenue is €100 million. Ownership of real estate assets, distinct from third-party management, provides operational control and long-term asset appreciation potential, exemplified by the €70 million joint acquisition of Quinta Da Comporta with Extendam in January 2026.

Name

Experimental Group

Legal name

Experimental Group

Website

https://experimentalgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Experimental Group is a privately held boutique hospitality operator founded in Paris in 2007, owning and running hotels, restaurants, cocktail clubs, wine bars, beach clubs, spas, and boutiques across 13+ European and US destinations for affluent luxury travelers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Hospitality

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Accommodation (721), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Lifestyle & Social Hotels (THAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

Keywords

• Boutique hospitality
• Luxury hotels
• Cocktail bars
• Beach clubs
• Wellness spas

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Hotel Operations: The group owns and operates boutique hotels across prime European and US destinations, generating revenue through room bookings, with a strategy of owning properties and designing unique experiences.
2. Restaurant & Bar Operations: Extensive portfolio of restaurants, wine bars (La Compagnie), cocktail clubs (Experimental Cocktail Club), beach clubs, night clubs, and wellness/spa facilities generating food and beverage revenue.
3. Retail & Boutique: On-site boutiques at each property selling merchandise, gifts, and lifestyle products.
4. Private Events: Venues available for private events including corporate meetings, celebrations, and weddings with dedicated event planning services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Experimental Group operates a portfolio of boutique hotels, in-house restaurant brands (Frenchie), wine bars (La Compagnie), the Experimental Cocktail Club chain, beach clubs, nightclubs (Farm Club, STEREO), wellness spas, and retail boutiques across Europe and the United States. The group follows an asset-light strategy, primarily leasing real estate rather than owning it, and integrates food-and-beverage, nightlife, and wellness programming within each property or location.

Product overview

Experimental Group is a boutique hospitality company offering a diversified portfolio of hotels, restaurants, wine bars, cocktail clubs, beach clubs, nightclubs, wellness spas, and boutiques across Europe and New York. Founded in Paris in 2007, the company operates properties under distinct brands including Experimental Marais, Grands Boulevards Experimental, Grand Pigalle Experimental, Henrietta Experimental, Il Palazzo Experimental, Regina Experimental, Hôtel Le Garage Biarritz, Menorca Experimental, Montesol Experimental, Cowley Manor Experimental, Experimental Chalet Verbier, and Experimental Chalet Val d'Isère. The portfolio also includes Experimental Cocktail Club bars, La Compagnie Wine Bars, Frenchie restaurants, beach clubs (Bijou Plage Experimental, Experimental Beach Ibiza, Elemento Atlantico), nightclubs (STEREO, Farm Club), wellness spas, and retail boutiques. Upcoming openings include Experimental Roma (October 2026), Experimental Porto (2026), and Experimental Comporta (2027).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Experimental Cocktail Club: Brand of cocktail bars and lounges operated across multiple locations including Paris, London, New York, Venice, Cotswolds, Verbier, and Val d'Isère
• La Compagnie Wine Bar
• Frenchie
• Hôtel Le Garage Biarritz
• Regina Experimental

Products and services

• Boutique Hotels

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Soho House: Members-based lifestyle hospitality group operating hotels, clubs, restaurants, spas, and rooftops globally. Closely comparable to Experimental Group in the lifestyle boutique hotel and members-club hybrid model, F&B-driven identity, and design-led approach.
• Ace Hotel: Design-forward boutique hotel brand with on-site bars, restaurants, and live music programming. Comparable to Experimental Group in the design-first positioning, food and beverage integration, and curated cultural programming.
• 1 Hotels: Luxury lifestyle hotel brand with sustainability and wellness focus, operating owned properties in prime urban and resort destinations. Comparable in owned-property strategy, lifestyle positioning, and integrated wellness amenities.
• The Standard: Lifestyle boutique hotel brand known for integrated bars, restaurants, and nightlife venues. Directly comparable to Experimental Group in the boutique-lifestyle positioning and F&B as a core brand pillar.
• Nobu Hotels: Lifestyle hospitality brand built around chef-driven restaurants. Comparable to Experimental Group in the integrated F&B-led hospitality model and curated culinary experience as a brand differentiator.
• The Hoxton: Open-house style boutique hotel brand with lively lobby bars, restaurants, and coworking spaces. Comparable to Experimental Group in design-forward positioning, integrated F&B venues, and urban European footprint.
• Mama Shelter: Design-led boutique hotel chain with integrated restaurants, bars, and rooftop venues across European cities. Comparable to Experimental Group in design-driven positioning, urban European footprint, and F&B-centric hospitality concept.

Broad incumbents

• Aman: Ultra-luxury resort and hotel operator with owned properties in exclusive destinations. Comparable as a high-end owned-property hospitality operator, though at a significantly higher price point and more resort-focused than Experimental Group.
• Rosewood Hotels & Resorts: Luxury hotel collection with owned and managed properties globally, known for residential-style design. Comparable in luxury positioning and lifestyle amenities, though broader in scale and global footprint.
• Belmond (LVMH): Luxury hotel collection owned by LVMH operating iconic properties in Europe and beyond. Comparable in European luxury heritage positioning and owned-property strategy, though at significantly larger scale and backed by LVMH.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/reginaexperimentalbiarritz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/experimental-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Experimental Group