A Brand Redefining Wellness for a New Era of Hospitality

As lifelong hotel geeks, we’re endlessly fascinated by the ways in which hospitality brands evolve and expand.

Since 1993, Kerzner has proudly embraced its identity as a hospitality industry disruptor, forging unique brand identities that spark the imagination.

New properties have a way of breathing new life into a destination, and with Kerzner International’s established legacy as the brand behind some of our favorite resorts, hotels, and private homes, each opening within its portfolio signals thoughtful growth. Since 1993, Kerzner has proudly embraced its identity as a hospitality industry disruptor, forging unique brand identities that spark the imagination. With twenty-three exceptional properties spanning Atlantis, One&Only, SIRO, and rare finds, Kerzner is entering an expansion phase—one that prioritizes meaningful, extraordinary experiences over an increased footprint for sheer numbers’ sake. 

As much as Kerzner leans into industry innovation, its properties are also regularly the recipients of leading industry distinctions. Two properties, One&Only Mandarina in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, and Atlantis, The Royal in Dubai, have been recognized by the World’s 50 Best Hotels list. Atlantis, The Royal was awarded three Michelin Keys in 2026, following fifteen Kerzner properties that were awarded the Michelin Key distinction in 2024 and 2025. SIRO and rare finds are the newest brand additions to the Kerzner, launched in 2022 and 2023, respectively. rare finds opened its first property in February 2023 when Bab Al Shams Desert Resort debuted in Dubai. SIRO followed shortly thereafter with SIRO One Za’abeel in Dubai in February 2024. 

To dig deeper into the growth and uniqueness of these brands, we sat down with Mattheos Georgiou, Head of Global Operations for One&Only, SIRO, and rare finds. Georgiou brings three decades of hospitality experience to the table, previously holding leadership positions at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and Park Hyatt Tokyo. He shared insights into why the expansion of these newer brands matters, what sets each apart, and what travelers and advisors can expect next from Kerzner International. 

Read on for highlights from our discussion with Mattheos Georgiou, exploring the future of Rare Find and SIRO, each brand’s direction, and the defining characteristics of these Kerzner properties. 

SmartFlyer (SF): Each Kerzner brand is distinct. Can you share what defines SIRO as a brand and how the concept came about?

It is not a hotel with nice wellness features; it is a hotel concept built around five pillars: sleep, fitness, recovery, nutrition, and mindfulness.

Mattheos Georgiou (MG): At Kerzner, we have always been in the business of creating amazing experiences and everlasting memories. This is something represented across all our brands. With SIRO, we saw an opportunity to respond to a shift in how people travel and live. Guests increasingly want to invest in themselves and look after themselves more. They want to move, perform, and better themselves.

When you travel for business, you need to be sharp for meetings, switched on for your interactions with people, and be the best version of yourself. However, this is also when you need to compromise most on your performance. This is a time when you haven’t slept well, have been traveling by aircraft in a different time zone, haven’t followed your diet, and haven’t slept in your own bed, yet the expectation is for you to perform and be the best version of yourself. This led to the creation of SIRO. It is not a hotel with nice wellness features; it is a hotel concept built around five pillars: sleep, fitness, recovery, nutrition, and mindfulness.

It is the first time a hospitality company has created a brand that brings all five pillars together under one roof. The difference between Kerzner and others offering similar concepts is that our DNA is hospitality. We did not come from the fitness and recovery world and then start building hotels; it was the other way around. We understand hospitality first, and combining that expertise with fitness, recovery, performance, and wellbeing was a natural evolution for us.

SIRO Boka Place suite

SF: Looking ahead, what is your vision for SIRO over the next three years, the next ten years?

MG: Our focus is on establishing SIRO in key global gateway cities where performance-driven travelers spend their time–Tokyo, Miami, and then London, Paris, and New York City. These are destinations where people, especially C-suite, are constantly balancing demanding schedules, travel, and personal well-being.

Long-term, we want SIRO to become the world’s leading lifestyle and hospitality brand for people who aspire to be the best versions of themselves. You do not need to be an elite athlete to stay at SIRO. The brand is for anyone looking to improve how they sleep, move, eat, recover, and live. Ultimately, we want SIRO to be the place you go to be the best version of yourself.

SF: Beyond CEOs, who else have you been surprised to see as SIRO guests?

…sense of community has become one of the brand’s greatest strengths.

MG:  What surprised us most was how strongly the brand aligned and resonated with senior business leaders and entrepreneurs. To begin with, we expected SIRO to appeal to a younger audience, but we have also seen major demand from high-performing professionals who value health, performance, and recovery.

We have also seen SIRO evolve into much more than a hotel. Through our fitness and recovery labs, memberships, events and partnerships, we have built a genuine local community. In destinations such as Dubai and Montenegro, members spend time at SIRO not only to train and recover, but to connect, work, and socialize through co-working spaces, events, run clubs, paddle, and so much more. That sense of community has become one of the brand’s greatest strengths.

SF: What is SIRO’s overarching strategy moving forward?

MG:  Our goal is to establish SIRO as the leading hospitality brand for performance and well-being. While fitness and recovery remain at the core of the proposition, the brand is ultimately about helping people live better. As we expand into destinations such as Miami, Tokyo and beyond, SIRO will continue to evolve alongside its community. The performance foundation will always remain, but the lifestyle aspects of the brand will naturally grow as new guests, new markets, and new partnerships shape its future, which is very exciting for all of us involved in the brand.

SF: Switching gears to rare finds, how does a property become a Kerzner Rare Find?

Many of these assets are deeply loved by their owners but have not yet reached their full global potential.

MG:  rare finds is a collection of amazing properties that possess something genuinely unique; whether that is their location, history, culture or the experiences they can offer. Many of these assets are deeply loved by their owners but have not yet reached their full global potential. Through rare finds, we provide the brand, distribution, marketing expertise, and operational support to help unlock that potential. Most importantly, every rare finds property must offer an experience to guests that cannot be easily replicated elsewhere. That could be a remarkable setting, a cultural connection, or an unforgettable experience. Our focus is on creating meaningful moments that stay with guests long after they leave.

SF: How do you envision rare finds growing, and if there are any exciting benchmarks you have for the brand?

Growth must be intentional, and scarcity is part of what makes the brand special.

MG: One&Only will always remain our flagship ultra-luxury brand, and maintaining its exclusivity is essential. Growth must be intentional, and scarcity is part of what makes the brand special. rare finds and SIRO give us a different growth vehicle. rare finds allows us to expand our footprint by bringing distinctive independent properties into the Kerzner ecosystem while preserving their individuality. For SIRO, there is no limit. Big cities can absorb three, four, or five SIROs, depending on the neighborhoods. These two brands will play an important role in the next chapter of Kerzner’s growth, enabling us to enter new destinations and connect with new audiences around the world.

SF: What was the process of identifying Shamwari as one of the properties that would be a rare finds?

MG: Every rare finds property starts with a unique story. Sometimes that story is rooted in the destination, sometimes in the culture, and sometimes in the property itself. Shamwari is a perfect example. Its location within a private game reserve offers an experience that is both immersive and transformational. Guests have the opportunity to disconnect from the pace of everyday life and reconnect with nature in a meaningful way. When we evaluate potential rare finds properties, we look for that sense of authenticity and uniqueness. It is difficult to define on paper, but when you experience it, you know it immediately.

SF: What is the brand strategy for rare finds?

MG: Our ambition is to build a collection of exceptional properties that appeal to modern experience collectors. We want guests who have stayed at one rare finds property to immediately ask, “Where is the next one?” Every destination should feel completely different, but all should share the same commitment to authenticity, discovery, and unforgettable experiences. The goal is to create a portfolio of places that earn a permanent place on travelers’ bucket lists.

With a spate of openings lined up across the world, every year will mark growth for Kerzner’s rare finds and SIRO. For SIRO, there are two properties currently welcoming guests—SIRO One Za’abeel in Dubai and SIRO Boka Place in Montenegro. In the next few years, the opportunities for a SIRO stay will expand even further around the globe. SIRO Palmilla, in Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, will open in 2027. It will be part of the Palmilla Reserve, less than a mile away from One&Only Palmilla. In 2028, SIRO Olaya Riyadh will open in the heart of the city’s diplomatic quarter in Saudi Arabia. The following year, SIRO Roppongi will open in Tokyo. Then, in 2030, SIRO Brickell is slated to open in Miami, marking the brand’s first US property.

Currently, there are three rare finds properties that you can book: The Meydan Hotel and Bab Al Shams Resort in Dubai, and Shamwari Private Game Reserve in South Africa. While the next gems to be transformed into rare finds properties are under wraps, there’s no doubt they will live up to the ethos of something exceptional.