Not many can claim the privilege of living every day as if on holiday. Imagine waking up to a space adorned with refined designs of a five-star resort, your bedroom draped in the same understated elegance you’d find in an Aman Resorts retreat or a Four Seasons suite. Only this is not a once-in-a-blue-moon escape. It is home.
This is the premise of branded residences, one of the most coveted trends transforming skylines and how the world’s most discerning live. A booming entrant in the property sector, a branded residence is exactly what it sounds like: a private home enhanced by the design sensibility, service standards, and amenities of a celebrated brand. Most often, these are luxury hotel brands, though, increasingly, fashion houses and design icons are entering the space too.
“Branded residences is an extremely popular concept. Developers are learning more and more about it and are getting involved,” says Riyan Itani, director and founder of Global Branded Residences (GBR), the world’s only dedicated consultancy for this property sector niche. A luminary in his field, Itani spent nearly two decades at Savills and, during his tenure leading the global residential consultancy sector, has advised on more than 150 branded projects across the world.
“The first branded residential development was in 1927 in New York,” Itani explains. “Since then, about 788 branded residences have been built around the world. By 2030, another 912 branded residences are going to be built. That’s a vertical growth.”
This incredible boom is driven by deep and tangible value for all stakeholders. For property developers, partnering with an esteemed brand commands a significant premium for their properties. “Developers spend about 10 to 15 per cent more to build branded residences, but they sell for 30 to 40 per cent more,” Itani explains. “The profit margins are compelling.”
Buyers, meanwhile, get more than just an exquisite address. They buy into a promise of elevated standards, white-glove management, and a sense of community with fellow residents who share the same taste for the exceptional. For investors, a branded residence is not just a trophy asset but a robust one, where a well-managed property, backed by a global name, ensures enduring value, better rental yields, and peace of mind that their investment will be maintained to its highest standards.
One striking example is London’s The OWO Residences, an opulent reimagining of the historic Old War Office on Whitehall. Today, this landmark has been transformed into 85 private homes, each benefitting from the legendary service of Raffles Hotels & Resorts. Here, Perla Venata surfaces and Crema Marfil stone floors cast their signature style throughout the residences, while homeowners sip champagne under frescoed ceilings, all with a concierge at their beck and call.
Asia Pacific is now catching up with the West’s appetite for these gleaming homes. The region currently commands roughly 20 per cent of the global market—with 24 per cent of branded residences completed and 22 per cent in the pipeline, according to GBR’s latest data. However, the numbers are poised to match North America within the next five years, taking the largest market share of global residences.
Bespoke living for everyone and every day
Closer to home, the fast-developing Kuala Lumpur metropolis in Mont Kiara is witnessing this global branded residence phenomenon with the upcoming Wolo Mont Kiara KL.
Wolo Mont Kiara KL is the amalgamation of impulses and creative forces from architectural and interior design consultants who are behind world-famous projects under the banner of Aman Resorts, Janu Tokyo, The Ritz-Carlton, and Mandarin Oriental. The upcoming development embodies the spirit of quiet luxury, warm timber textures, calming palettes, and spaces that feel at once elevated yet intimately comforting.
The Wolo Mont Kiara KL-branded residences share the same tower with the 63-room Wolo Mont Kiara KL hotel, a member of Design Hotels, a Marriott brand, as well as anchoring retail spaces, infusing the best of bespoke hospitality into daily life.
Working in collaboration with Wolo Mont Kiara KL, Itani notes that the upcoming branded residence aims to reach buyers beyond the luxury bracket, proving that branded living can speak to new markets without compromising on design or service. “They understand where they stand and how to deliver experiences that feel genuinely unique,” he says.
Branded residences, as with the up-and-coming Wolo Mont Kiara KL, seek to offer something increasingly rare in a stratified, bustling city. They offer a respite and a sense of coming home to a place where every detail is thoughtfully created, every comfort anticipated, and every day feels like the best part of your travels—except you never have to pack your bags.
Explore the new branded residences at Wolo Mont Kiara KL or call +6017 996 9159 for a private appointment.
