Generator Group

Who owns Generator Group?
Generator Group is owned by investment funds managed by Brookfield Asset Management, which acquired the company from Queensgate Investments in May 2025 for approximately 776 million euros.

Is Generator Group publicly traded?
No. Generator Group is privately held. Its owner Brookfield is publicly traded, but Generator Group itself has no listing.

What brands does Generator Group own?
The group operates Generator, the hybrid hostel-hotel brand, and Freehand Hotels in the United States, along with the Broken Shaker bar concept attached to Freehand properties.

When was Generator founded?
Generator was founded in 1995 in London by siblings Louise and Kingsley Duffy, opening its first property at King's Cross.

How many properties does Generator Group operate?
Approximately 20 properties across Europe and the United States, with a stated plan to double the portfolio by 2031 through acquisitions, conversions, and management agreements.

Generator was founded in 1995 when siblings Louise and Kingsley Duffy opened a large-format youth hostel in London's King's Cross. The concept evolved through the 2000s and 2010s into a hybrid model combining dorm beds, private hotel-style rooms, bars, and event spaces, expanding across major European cities.

In 2017, Queensgate Investments, a London-based private real estate firm, acquired Generator for approximately 450 million euros. Under Queensgate, the company upgraded its estate to a four-star standard, opened properties in Madrid and Miami, and added a Washington, DC location.

Queensgate expanded the platform in October 2019 by acquiring Freehand Hotels from a consortium including Sydell Group and the Yucaipa Companies for approximately $400 million, gaining four US hotels in New York, Miami Beach, Los Angeles, and Chicago plus the Broken Shaker bar brand. Generator managed Freehand while keeping the brands distinct.

In May 2025, Brookfield Asset Management acquired the group for roughly 776 million euros. The new ownership brought a capital-backed growth plan: in October 2026, Generator announced the acquisition of Novotel London Greenwich, converting to Generator London Greenwich from January 2027, and a second Paris property, Generator Paris Place d'Italie, as the first steps of the portfolio-doubling plan.

Generator Group operates without major regulatory controversies. As a private company backed by institutional funds, its financial disclosures are limited, and local planning and licensing regimes govern each property's operation.