Cheval Blanc sets out 'very slow' expansion strategy

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[Hotels & Resorts](https://latteluxurynews.com/category/hotels-resorts/)

[Hotels & Resorts](https://latteluxurynews.com/category/hotels-resorts/)

[Anne Majumdar](https://latteluxurynews.com/author/anne-majumdar/)

**LVMH**‘s ultra-luxury hospitality brand **Cheval Blanc** is doubling down on a strategy that runs counter to much of the ultra-luxury hotel sector: slow, deliberate expansion.

Speaking to **_LATTE_** at Traveller Made’s **Essence of Phuket** show last week in Thailand, **Regional Director of Sales Europe Lea Garret** explained that the hotel company is prioritising quality over quantity.

“It’s very slow expansion, one every four or five years at most. And it will stay that way. Absolutely,” she said.

“Most brands are like, ‘Oh, you want 25 new properties?’ This is by no means the way we’re looking at it.”

Instead, Cheval Blanc positions itself as a tightly curated collection within the broader LVMH portfolio, which also includes **Belmond** and a stake in **Orient Express**. The Arnault family owns a 50.01% stake, giving them majority ownership.

“For Cheval Blanc, it’s really a collection,” Garret explained. “The way they collect — and by they I mean the family — they collect very special things and jewels. And I feel like this is exactly what’s happening.”

That discipline is currently on display in Sardinia, where the group is finalising the rebranding of **Hotel Pitrizza** on the Costa Smeralda. After a three-year transformation, the hotel will officially relaunch as **Cheval Blanc Pitrizza, Costa Smeralda** in May 2027 although it is currently in operation under its existing brand.


“We’ve redone most of the rooms. 2026 we’re reopening the long branded hotel because we never put our name on it until it’s ready to go,” she said. About 80% of the inventory has already been renovated, with remaining upgrades including a redesigned spa concept and a new fine-dining restaurant.

Despite not yet carrying the full Cheval Blanc branding, the property is already commanding strong rates. “It’s more expensive right now than before,” she noted. “And it’s not branded yet.”