Based on the popularity of The Ned, Nomad, The Line, and Freehand, Andrew Zobler seems to have perfected the technique of turning hotels into hubs for the community.
The CEO and founder of the Sydell Group, a company established in New York, has managed to combine the domains of design, art, and cuisine to create captivating travel and dining experiences for both residents and tourists.
Zobler, who is renowned for his meticulous attention to detail, has been the driving force behind several neighborhood revivals, most notably in the region north of Madison Square Park in New York. He has created buzzing playlists and designed spaces with domestic features.
However, despite his impressive track record, the businessman does not appear to be slowing down. Hilton began its international expansion strategy for Nomad in 2024 when it purchased a majority controlling interest in the Sydell Group. Hilton will be in charge of development, while Sydell will continue to supervise Nomad’s management, branding, and design.
Based on the idea that a hotel should feel like a great home, Zobler claims that this “joint venture” has allowed him to bring the Nomad ethos to several places worldwide. Zobler is certain that the company will be able to maintain its identity while incorporating itself into the various locations in novel ways, even in the face of ambitious aspirations for worldwide expansion (Hilton’s long-term aim is 100 Nomad hotels).
In the fall of 2026, Nomad plans to open an outpost in Singapore to expand into the Asia-Pacific area. In order to discuss his engagement with the company and how a boutique hotel may grow without losing its essence, Zobler met with Monocle in the sunny island nation. The dialogue that follows has been condensed for length and clarity.
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta. We were interested in him, and he was constantly interested in us. Since he knew we were skilled at it, he wanted to enter the premium lifestyle market.
Most significantly, though, he realized that joining a joint venture and retaining the founder and creatives involved was equally as crucial as purchasing a brand. The fact that the principals are no longer necessarily involved sets us apart from our competitors in a significant way.
Instead of making the extra effort to create something unique and location-specific, they usually just copy a model. Even though we now enjoy the advantages of Hilton’s global distribution, balance sheet, and relationships with [property] owners worldwide, I continue to manage the business in the same manner as I have for the last 15 years.
Our perception of the brand is more sophisticated than it first seems. We hold some principles in high regard, and they can take many different forms. For instance, we prefer the hotel to seem like a home rather than a business. Like Paris meets New York meets Singapore, we want it to be a mashup of cultures.
In addition, the culinary experience is at the core of the brand, and we foster a community-friendly atmosphere. Not only will you see tourists, but you will also see residents, which is one of the reasons we are successful.
Many luxury operators aspire to be more lifestyle-oriented but are perplexed as to why they are unable to do so. The reasons are simple: they have very costly restaurants, and all of their rooms are spacious [with] five-fixture bathrooms. The average person in their 30s can not afford to stay there.
Because we value this [chemistry] between the young and the old, Nomad has a certain amount of rooms that are spacious and opulent, but we also have rooms that are affordable.
Many of our employees have been with us since the start, and we operate our business in a very familial manner. Our approach is to take the best elements from Hilton while maintaining our own service, culture, and style.
We will send staff from London to help us transfer the culture when we establish Nomad Singapore. I will be here to introduce them to our past and [explain] our goals, after which we want them to be authentic. Scripting individuals is not something we support.
The large number of returning visitors is one of Nomad’s distinguishing features; building ties with them is key. To learn a little bit about each person who enters the restaurant, we Google them.
We always find a way to get a table for our regulars. Humility is another essential component while building a restaurant for the neighborhood. We must treat everyone with a great lot of respect, make them feel at ease, and refrain from acting like the coolest kids on the block if we want to be sustainable in the long run.
It is one of Asia’s gateway cities, and we wish to visit every one of them. We can easily start and get help here because Hilton’s Asia office is also located here. It all worked out since we also liked the architecture, the Orchard Road location, and the [Singapore-based property and hotel company] UOL Group.
Many of these lifestyle hotels were not built with Singapore in mind. Our goal is to create a hotel that appeals to Singaporeans. Double-height ceilings and what we like to refer to as “aspirational elements” are features of the public areas. A distinct New York-meets-Singapore dualism will be present in the restaurants.
The building’s architecture, which includes elements like the outdoor lobby and hallways that truly connect to nature, is what makes it uniquely Singaporean. Making a brand that has been established in magnificent, historic structures function in a new construction was the most difficult task. And we have accomplished that with the art program, which will combine modern architecture with the traditional Nomad aesthetic.
I would invite them to visit and make their own judgment. We are moving in a global direction thanks to the Hilton association, which has also given us access to incredibly fascinating people in locations we otherwise would not have. The partnership is completely accretive: Hilton has been incredibly astute in allowing us to accomplish what we want without weakening the brand.
