Mohari Hospitality and Weller Development Partners are launching a $2.5 billion partnership to invest in luxury hospitality and mixed-use projects across North America and the Caribbean.
As part of the partnership, Mohari is investing in Weller Development’s Six Senses-branded planned resorts in Napa and the Bahamas, marking the hotel brand’s debut in the North American market, according to a press release.
It marks a North American expansion for hospitality investment giant Mohari, which has a portfolio including Tao Group, Riviera Dining Group, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and luxury resorts across the world. Mohari managing partner Allen Smith, the former CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, said this is the third partnership the group has embarked on.
Mohari and Weller Development’s teams first became acquainted in January of last year, and spent about six months getting to know each other before starting to sketch out a formal partnership, he said.
“It’s really important to understand who [you’re working with] when you make a decision to go into business with folks for the long term,” Marc Weller said. “This is more art than it is science.”
Weller estimated that the partnership would spend the next three to five years getting projects in the pipeline. The planned Six Senses Napa and Bahamas resorts are both slated for completion in 2026.
The 89-key Six Senses Napa will span 750 acres and include 16 residences, a spa, restaurants, vineyards and mineral springs. The planned 50-acre Six Senses Grand Bahamas will have 64 villas, 28 residences, a beach club, even space, a spa, restaurants and an oceanfront pool.
Mohari and Weller Development are still assessing where their next projects will be, but Mohari’s Allen Smith and Weller said they’re considering markets with high barriers to entry, accessibility for travelers, natural beauty and unique experiences. They will likely focus on hotels with residential components as well.
“The economics of the development of these projects is going to lead us to consider residential components,” Smith said. Those kinds of projects are a “really well developed formula.”
In terms of brand partners, Weller confirmed they are looking at other hospitality brands for future projects. With Six Senses, he’s betting that travelers will know the brand from trips abroad.
“I think we’re going to create a lot of brand fans in North America,” he said.