Independent hotel brands: the alternative to major groups.
A new breath of life in urban hospitality
Reading Time: 6 Minutes
Key Takeaways
Quick Facts About the Article
Some hotels in France are independent.
Some hotel investors favour independent projects.
Urban travellers prefer staying in an independent hotel.
In Brief
In This Article
Long dominated by major international groups, the hotel landscape is now seeing the rise of a new generation of independent brands capable of attracting guests seeking meaning, connection and emotion. In 2024, independent hotels accounted for approximately 62.3% of the French hotel market (market share), compared with chain groups.
In Paris, as in other major European cities, these players are reimagining hospitality with greater agility, identity and freedom.
1. Agility: a lever for sustainable performance
Strategic freedom that fosters innovation and responsiveness in an ever-evolving market.
Unlike standardised chains, independent hotels can adjust their strategy in real time:
quick adaptation to new travel trends (staycation, workation, micro-stays),
direct decisions without hierarchical approval,
tailor-made local partnerships.
This operational flexibility allows them to innovate freely, whether in customer experience, gastronomy or communication.
The result: unique concepts, rooted in their neighbourhoods and able to build genuine connections with their communities.
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Identity and local roots: the DNA of independent hotels
Authentic places that highlight the local area and strengthen the emotional connection with travellers.
In Paris, independent hotels such as Maison Mère and Joli Môme perfectly illustrate this trend:
Human-scale addresses, designed as neighbourhood homes;
A distinctive design that tells a story rather than following a standardised code;
Local partnerships (craftspeople, artists, producers) that highlight and support the local economy;
A human-centred communication approach, focused on people rather than the brand.
This local anchoring creates genuine emotional value for travellers, as well as a lasting competitive advantage for investors: a clear positioning that is difficult to replicate.
A model more profitable than it seems
Profitability built on differentiation, cost control, and human value.
Contrary to popular belief, an independent hotel does not necessarily mean economic fragility.
Free from the heavy franchise fees and imposed standards of major hotel chains, these establishments retain a larger share of their revenue and benefit from valuable operational agility. Their independence allows them to stand out through experience, emotion, and a strong sense of place — advantages that often justify a higher average daily rate (ADR).
According to an international study conducted by STR, independent hotels even record a higher RevPAR than standardised chains, despite sometimes having a lower occupancy rate.
This model, based on uniqueness and cost control, demonstrates that human-scale hospitality can be just as financially successful as it is inspiring.
The example of Moon Hospitality
Reinventing urban hospitality through projects that carry meaning and value.
By supporting the creation and repositioning of independent hotels such as Maison Mère and Joli Môme, Moon Hospitality demonstrates that it is possible to combine profitability and authenticity.
Our teams design projects where real estate investment and the hotel experience mutually enrich one another, serving a contemporary and human approach to hospitality.
L’indépendance comme promesse d’avenir.
Independent hotel brands do not seek to compete with industry giants: they embody another way forward.
More creative, more responsive, and closer to their guests and neighbourhoods, they meet the expectations of travellers seeking meaning and investors looking for distinctive projects.
At Moon Hospitality, we believe in the power of singular identities.
It is in the freedom to create that lasting value is built.
