Aims

Veteran executives from Club Med do not stay idle for long. After Gino Andreetta, appointed to lead Ponant’s customer experience, it is Xavier Mufraggi’s turn to make headlines in the travel press.

Indeed, the man who steered Club Med’s fate in North America, and later across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, has just been named chief executive officer of Generator.

For those who do not know this British group founded in 1995, we are talking about a brand that reinvents youth hostels into full-fledged lifestyle destinations in major European cities.

But it is even better when the new boss explains the concept. “A headhunter came to me, promising not to say no before meeting the people. I discovered what I call a social hotel, in an experiential sense.

It’s a blend between the restaurant, hospitality, the gym and the nightclub. All aimed at 16–30 years old. A clientele hungry for travel, while being exceptionally curious.

These clients want to understand and feel the city they are visiting, to be as close as possible to locals“, he explains, summarising with his own words both Generator’s concept and the ambition nurtured by the group.

Contrary to the assumptions often held by tourism boomers, Gen Z is not entirely self-absorbed. They seek contact and convivial spaces.

Because, although young people are increasingly living alone, they do not shut themselves off from others. As urbanist and retail sociologist David Lestoux explained to us, this generation loves city centres, local shops, and vibrant places.

Generator therefore arrived with a concept that reconciles young people, especially women, the main clientele of the company, with travel.

“These young generations must choose between not travelling, for lack of budget, or doing so in places not always terrific. Affordable hospitality is either on the periphery or in white-box spaces with vending machines. We offer an alternative for all budgets“, explains Xavier Mufraggi.

We address these issues by offering central properties, made up of two-thirds dormitory rooms, some reserved for girls, and one-third private rooms.

So, for 35 or 40 euros, they are in a nice, secure place, letting them discover the city and enjoy experiences“, continues the leader, enthusiastic about this new mission.

Because, beyond freeing up budget for travellers, Generator offers establishments in the heart of major cities. Thus, guests can then enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate at Demago or on Carette’s terrace facing the Trocadéro.

Read: From Youth Hostel to Generator: a Whole Story

It must be said that the experience of living like locals would be at the heart of this new generation’s concerns.

“In Paris, for example, we are Quai de Jemmapes. We have nearly 900 beds, including standard rooms at 140 euros with a view of the Sacré-Cœur. We also have an extraordinary rooftop and a nightclub.

We also create experiences and do, in a sense, Lean Luxury, with a product offering excellent value for money while allowing savings to fund additional experiences.

We connect our clients to both the past and the future of these places. Moreover, our teams are connectors. They will share the right addresses with our clients, who also go to Generator to meet people like them“, continues Xavier Mufraggi.

Building on this winning formula with excellent margins, Generator struck it big in 2025.

Brookfield has set its sights on the British company and its European assets, for 776 million euros.

The aim now is to develop the brand and its network, while intensifying its positioning in hybrid hospitality.

“It’s a relatively little-known investor, but one of the world’s largest asset managers, ahead of TPG Capital or KKR. In Generator’s case, they are interested in real estate, i.e., acquiring atypical sites such as offices, car parks or a police station, which will then be converted into hotels.

They will own the walls, and our job is to turn them into fun, design-led, trendy places. Today we only have 15 sites, but tomorrow we will double, or even triple, this figure in Europe“, states Generator’s CEO.

To achieve this, the operator plans three to four openings per year, in order to reach 30 addresses by 2031. The ultimate goal will likely be 50 establishments. The horizon remains to be defined.

One of the development axes will be… Paris. “We have almost signed in Paris, at a location between Place d’Italie and Butte-aux-Cailles. Another project will be near Montparnasse station, then I will look for a building not far from Gare de Lyon.

We have three other projects in London.

Of the 15 existing sites, 11 are covered by a renovation plan. We need to premiumise them. Bunk beds will become cocoons, comparable to first-class spaces, as in airplanes“, reveals the leader.