Ian Schrager has joined forces with global hospitality management firm Highgate to accelerate the international expansion of the Public hotel brand, marking what both sides describe as the “next chapter” in its evolution.
Under the agreement, Highgate will operate and manage future Public hotels in close collaboration with Schrager, who will retain responsibility for vision, brand stewardship and creative direction. The structure is designed to allow Schrager to focus on concept, product, positioning and experience as the brand scales into new markets.
Public currently operates a single property, Public Hotel New York, which opened in 2017 and established the brand’s signature mix of high design, cultural energy and accessible luxury. Its second outpost, Public West Hollywood, is set to open this spring, signalling the start of a broader rollout.
The West Hollywood property will feature 137 guestrooms alongside three destination food, beverage and entertainment venues. Guests will also have access to a pool, a social-hub-style lobby and a landscaped 16,000-square-foot open-air rooftop terrace offering 360-degree views across Los Angeles. The project reflects Public’s positioning as a hotel designed around social life and atmosphere as much as accommodation.
Schrager has previously outlined ambitions to expand the brand into Miami, Brooklyn and London, and the partnership with Highgate provides the operational scale and capital strength to pursue those plans at pace.
“I could have chosen anyone in the industry to partner with, but I chose Highgate,” Schrager said. “They are the smartest, most talented, and most disciplined operators and investors in the business. This partnership allows me to focus entirely on what I do best – concept, product, positioning and experience, while allowing Highgate to do what they do best. To me, it’s a dream team, where 1+1 = 10.”
Highgate brings a portfolio of more than 80,000 keys across North America, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe, with deep expertise in operating lifestyle, luxury and branded hospitality assets.
“Ian is the greatest hotelier of the modern era,” said Mahmood Khimji of Highgate. “He literally invented the lifestyle category. We are extremely excited to be working with him to operate Public Hotels.”
Schrager is widely credited with pioneering the boutique hotel movement, having shaped influential brands including Morgans Hotel Group and EDITION Hotels. His philosophy continues to reject conventional segmentation in favour of emotional resonance and cultural relevance.
“I reject the notion of yesterday’s innovator becoming today’s establishment,” Schrager said. “I’m only interested in creating something original, unique and special that defies categorization—something that people have not seen before. I don’t believe in traditional demographics. My projects have always appealed to a person’s sensibility, emotions and how they feel.”
With Highgate handling global operations and Schrager doubling down on creative leadership, Public Hotels is positioning itself for a new phase of growth, aiming to translate its New York-born identity into a global platform for contemporary, experience-led hospitality.
