The hotel company Smart Rooms Company, founded by Oriol Serra in Barcelona, is entering a stage of strong expansion after consolidating itself under the management model (asset light). The company has started the year with four new hotels, an international office and signings to reinforce its structure for the new phase. In Spain it incorporates a new destination, with a small boutique establishment with 18 rooms in San Sebastián, on Ondarreta beach, which it manages under its Uma Suites brand. “With this we already have a presence in four Spanish cities. In addition to San Sebastián, we are in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville, and we are looking for options in Malaga,” highlights Serra.
But it is on the other side of the Atlantic where the group is growing most strongly. After almost two years of entering the North American market with the Uma House by Yurbban brand in Miami (136 rooms), it is incorporating three new hotels, just a few blocks from its first establishment in the city. “The shareholder pool that owns our hotel in Miami has offered us the management of three other assets, which we will operate under their brands,” explains Serra. This is the Aqua Hotel, with 46 rooms, the Crest Hotel
The tourism market in Miami has suffered to recover from the pandemic, continues the CEO, which has represented an opportunity to enter this destination. “We are doing better than the competition, which is why the shareholders of the three new hotels have trusted us to manage them,” he emphasizes.
Their intention is to continue gaining presence in the American market, which is why they have just opened a corporate office in Miami and are expanding their offices in Colombia. In total, the group has 21 establishments, which translates into 1,440 rooms in eight cities in Spain, the United States and Latin America.
With a staff of 300 employees, the company has reinforced its management structure with recent signings that help it meet growth objectives. Among these, the incorporation of Álvaro Donadeu as financial director (former Meliá International), Ferran Hernández, director of People
The objective now is to go from 26.5 million euros in turnover in 2023 (16% more) to 38 million this year.
