31 Oct Branded Residences Explained: Aman, St. Regis, Waldorf Astoria and Others in South Florida

Branded Residences Explained: Aman, St. Regis, Waldorf Astoria and Others in South Florida

A branded residence is a condominium that carries a hotel or luxury brand’s name under a license with the developer, usually with brand-run services, and South Florida, mainly Miami and Fort Lauderdale, has more of them than any metro except Dubai, with 48 completed and 55 in the pipeline, according to Savills; buyers have paid an average premium of 33% worldwide, but they also take on higher service costs and the risk that the brand can leave. This guide explains how the deals work and compares South Florida’s best-known projects, as of October 31, 2026.

Facts come from Savills, Knight Frank, law-firm analyses, Florida Statutes, Fannie Mae, the brands and established press, as dated below. Statuses and prices change; this is general information, not legal, financial or investment advice.

At a Glance

How a Branded Residence Works

Savills describes a branded residence as “a partnership between a brand (often a hotel operator) and a developer,” with the brand licensing its name to market and sell the homes. “Brands generally do not hold equity in the underlying real estate,” a 2026 ArentFox Schiff analysis notes. A 2026 Winstead analysis in The National Law Review describes three separate contracts: a license to use the brand in marketing, a management or operating arrangement that often continues after the owners take over the association (“many brands require the condominium association to retain a designated management company, often affiliated with the brand”), and a technical services agreement covering design and inspections.

The developer builds and sells; the brand licenses its name and often runs the services. At Waldorf Astoria Residences Pompano Beach, for example, Related Group and Merrimac Ventures are the developers and Hilton oversees residential operations, Florida YIMBY reported.

What Buyers Get, and What It Costs

• A price premium. Savills’ 2026 study puts the average branded premium at 33% worldwide, 39% in resort locations; in 2018, Savills found some New York cases where branded homes sold at a discount.
• Services. Base services such as concierge and amenity use are covered by service charges, while “on-demand” services from housekeeping to pet care cost extra, according to Savills. Knight Frank says access to concierge, valet, housekeeping and in-room dining is a major draw, and that developers are adding wellness and extras such as chauffeured cars.
• Higher running costs. Savills estimated in 2018 that owners’ annual fees “usually equate to between 0.5% and 2% of the purchase price, per annum,” varying by location and brand. Brand service standards can “increase association operating costs and assessments,” and budgets set during sales “may not reflect actual operating experience,” Winstead writes. “Staffing is the single biggest cost contributing to service charge,” according to Knight Frank. We found no reliable South Florida figure for how much higher branded dues run.

South Florida’s Branded Projects

Built

• The Surf Club, Surfside: Four Seasons-branded condominium towers by Fort Partners beside a 77-room Four Seasons hotel in the restored historic clubhouse.
• Four Seasons Private Residences, Fort Lauderdale: the hotel at 525 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd opened in March 2022 with 41 private residences, according to Four Seasons.
• The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach: Lionheart Capital’s project, marketed with 111 units, received its temporary certificate of occupancy and began closings in 2019, PROFILEmiami reported; county records now list 125 residences including villas, according to our building page.

Under construction

• Aman Residences, Miami Beach: OKO Group and Access Industries are building 22 Aman condominiums in a new 18-story building at 3425 Collins Ave, with hotel rooms planned in the historic Versailles building, which is being restored; delivery was pushed to 2027, and the condos were “fully presold” at an average of about $5,000 a square foot, The Real Deal reported in October 2025, citing a developer spokesperson. See our Miami Beach condos guide.
• The St. Regis Residences, Sunny Isles Beach: Fortune International Group and Château Group’s two 62-story towers will hold 320 residences; the South Tower’s foundation was poured in July 2026, with the North Tower to follow, Florida YIMBY reported, and the South Tower was 90% presold, The Real Deal reported in December 2025.
• Waldorf Astoria Residences, Pompano Beach: 92 homes in a 28-story tower that topped off in May 2026, more than 85% under contract, with completion expected in summer 2027, the developers announced.
• Rosewood Residences, Hillsboro Beach: Related Group and Dezer Development’s 92 residences on 12 acres between the ocean and the Intracoastal topped out in February 2026, with completion expected in early 2027 and available homes from $5.95 million as of February 2026, the developers announced.

Selling, not yet under construction

• The Residences at The Boca Raton: about 75 condominium homes on the resort’s golf course from BDT & MSD Partners, approved by the City of Boca Raton, with prices from $5 million, the Mann Report reported in May 2026. See our guide to The Boca Raton.
• Armani/Casa Residences, Pompano Beach: a fashion and design brand rather than a hotel, with 28 full-floor homes from $5 million in two 19-story towers, PROFILEmiami reported in 2024; Broward County property records still listed the site as vacant land in October 2026, according to our building page.
• W Pompano Beach Hotel & Residences: is marketed with condo-hotel suites and private residences in one tower; Broward County property records still listed vacant land in October 2026, according to our building page.

Three Things to Check Before You Buy

What happens if the brand leaves

Brand agreements can end. Owners typically acknowledge that the brand has only a revocable right to its name, and that “the brand may terminate the association with the residences at any time and without consent of the residence owners,” a Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner partner wrote on CoStar in 2018. After the owners take over, they “may have the power to terminate or modify the brand management agreement,” according to ArentFox Schiff. Ask what happens to services, staff and signage if the brand goes.

Rental rules

Under Florida law, a condominium amendment that prohibits or limits rentals applies only to owners who consent and to those who take title after it takes effect, under section 718.110, Florida Statutes, so read the declaration’s rental rules before you buy.

Condo-hotel or residence

A condo-hotel unit is not the same as a branded residence. Fannie Mae’s guide lists as ineligible for its loans projects “managed and operated as a hotel or motel, even though the units are individually owned,” and those with mandatory rental pooling, according to the Fannie Mae Selling Guide. Ask a lender early if the unit is part of a hotel program.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

1. What do the dues cover, and which services are billed separately?
2. How is the management fee set, and does a brand fee or royalty flow through the dues?
3. What is the term of the brand agreement, who can end it, and how do owners vote to change it?
4. What happens to services, staffing and signage if the brand leaves?
5. What rental rules are in the declaration, and is there a rental program?
6. Is the unit a residence or a condo-hotel unit, and what financing is available?
7. Does the first-year budget reflect real operating costs?
8. Has construction started, and how are deposits protected if it slips?

The Bottom Line

A branded residence buys you a name and services, at a higher price and with higher running costs. Read the brand agreement, the budget and the rental rules as closely as the floor plan.

More From Everything Luxury

• Pompano Beach new construction condos
• Sunny Isles Beach condos
• Hillsboro Beach condos
• Lighthouse Point and Pompano Beach

Last updated October 31, 2026. Facts come from the sources listed above, checked on that date, and may change. Not legal, financial, tax or investment advice. Full disclaimer