How these hotel brands you've never heard of are going to change your mind about luxury travel

If you've shied away from Accor's luxury properties in the past because you felt the Sofitels and Fairmonts of the world were too old-school for you, it's time to revisit the chain's portfolio.

While Accor is known for its "classic" brands, such as Raffles, Swissôtel, Mövenpick and Grand Mercure, it's been busy forging interesting partnerships with trendy brands such as Faena and Delano. And those couplings are helping Accor redefine what luxury means in the first place.

New and renovated hotels and resorts are coming online that continue to focus on personalized service, but do it in a more relaxed and approachable manner. You might say it's the age of hip and accessible luxury.

Accor's purchase of SBE heralds an emphasis on hip hotels

Take Accor's progress with its Delano brand. It was birthed in trendy Miami before expanding to Las Vegas. So, what's the next "it" city for Delano? Paris.

Accor is renovating an 18th-century mansion in the 8th Arrondissement that will open in 2022 as the Maison Delano. Well-positioned near the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the hotel will have 56 rooms and suites plus a chef Dani Garcia-helmed restaurant that's part of the property's courtyard.

The chain plans to open additional Maison Delano outposts in cities around the globe, and it's not limiting its footprint to urban areas. However, when Delanos open in the countryside, such as mountain lodges or beach resorts, "Maison" will drop from their names.

What's important to note here is that Delano is under the SBE umbrella, which describes itself as a "lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hotels" — and Accor took full ownership of SBE hotels in November.

Sam Nazarian, the founder of SBE, had a clear vision for the future of contemporary luxury. Hotels under his purview shared several things in common: a focus on engaging design, incredible cuisine and access to buzzy nightlife. He brought those attributes to the Delano, SLS, Mondrian and Hyde hotel brands.

Accor will now take up that mantle and continue moving in the direction of more accessible luxury experiences focused on fine dining and out-of-the-ordinary entertainment.

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Expanding the Delano brand isn't the only thing on Accor's mind. Through its SBE group, it also just opened the SLS Cancun. The 45-room boutique property that opened on Wednesday, Feb. 10, offers a stunning stretch of beachfront, a beach club, marina and an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf.

Last last year, Accor also struck a deal with the hospitality developer Ennismore, which is responsible for The Hoxton and Gleneagles luxury properties, among other brands.

Related: You can now book these awesome Accor hotels with miles

Buzzy nightlife is the key to a younger demographic

Accor is betting that the future of luxury hotels lies in developing full-blown entertainment complexes centered around a boutique property. That's why it's partnered with Faena.

Chat with your most plugged-in friend, and he or she has probably stayed at Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Casa Faena (also in Miami, reopening Oct. 1, 2021) or Faena Hotel Buenos Aires.

Last month, Accor and Faena announced a partnership focused on creating "Faena Districts" that go beyond hotels and provide everything you need when discovering a new destination: an incredible place to stay, top-notching dining, spa facilities, cultural events and more.

Related: Accor and Hoxton unite to create a new family of boutique hotels

Founder Alan Faena hit upon a recipe for success with beautifully designed hotels in breathtaking settings that are made even more special with amenities like vast spa centers, restaurants helmed by James Beard Award-winning chefs, art exhibitions and experiences, cabaret-style theaters and live music in the lounges. A stay at a Faena property is about more than just a place to rest your head at night: It's the conduit to the area's culture and community.

Dubai is earmarked for the first Accor-involved Faena District and it will evolve organically depending on what elements are deemed paramount to the neighborhood's success.