Accor’s founding brand Novotel is getting firmly behind supporting guests’ wellbeing and quality of life through a new vision called ‘Longevity Everyday’ and it’s set to be a global sensation, Novotel’s Global Brand President, Jean-Yves Minet, exclusively tells James Wilkinson.

Jean-Yves, tell us how the Longevity Everyday concept came about.

Over recent years, we have seen a clear shift in what travellers expect from hotels. Wellbeing and longevity are no longer niche or aspirational concepts; they are everyday priorities, and people are looking for realistic ways to feel better while they travel.

Novotel’s new global brand vision, Longevity Everyday, was created in response to that shift. It reflects our belief that longevity is not about extreme routines or radical change, but about small, consistent habits that fit into real life. As a brand that has served families and professionals for nearly 60 years, Novotel is uniquely placed to democratise longevity at scale.

From the outset, we knew this vision could not be delivered through programming alone. It needed to be brought to life through people who genuinely live these principles.

That is how the Novotel 37 Collective came about. The Collective will bring together experts, creators and athletes who embody the power of small, daily actions adding up over time. Our founding members include Olympic gold-medallist surfer, Kauli Vaast; plant-forward creator, Alfie Steiner; and former Paris Saint-Germain footballer, Javier Pastore.

The Novotel 37 Collective will grow over time, with members helping us to translate our vision into simple, practical ideas that guests can relate to, use during their stay, and continue long after they leave. In the coming weeks, sleep experts and ocean defenders will join the Collective and it will continue to grow.

It is not about aspiration or perfection. It is about progress that feels achievable. This is what both Longevity Everyday and the Novotel 37 Collective are designed to support.

How important is it for such a big global brand like Novotel to push wellness with travel?

Novotel today offers more than 600 hotels across 67 countries so we have a real opportunity and responsibility to influence how people experience wellbeing in everyday life.
Travel today is no longer a pause from reality; it is part of how people live and work. Guests increasingly expect hotels to support their energy, balance and routines, not disrupt them.

By embedding wellbeing into the core of the stay, Novotel can make a meaningful impact at scale – not through extremes, but through accessible choices that help people feel better wherever they are.

This is more than just a campaign for the brand isn’t it?

Indeed, Longevity Everyday is a long-term brand vision, not a short-term campaign. It shapes how we think about design, food, sleep, movement, meetings and connection across the entire Novotel experience.

Rather than creating standalone wellness offers, we are integrating longevity into everyday moments of the stay. It is about evolving the brand in a way that remains relevant for the long term, strengthening emotional connection with guests and reinforcing Novotel’s role in their daily lives.

The vision is also looking at wellness cuisine – will we see all Novotel restaurants globally making some additions to menus?

Absolutely, food is a key pillar of Longevity Everyday. Novotel is progressively evolving its food offering to make healthier and more sustainable choices easier and more enjoyable.
We are very excited about our multi-year partnership with Alfie Steiner, world-renowned plant-forward food creator with 5 million followers on social media. In April, all our hotels worldwide will launch new plant-forward menus designed by Alfie.

By the end of 2026, at least 25% of menus across the network will be plant-forward. This evolution is supported by global culinary training delivered in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America, as well as sustainability guidelines developed with WWF, particularly around seafood sourcing. The aim is not restriction, but flavour and enjoyment – food that tastes good and makes people feel good.

What are some of the exclusive on-property experiences guests can expect going forward?

Guests will see Longevity Everyday expressed through a range of tangible experiences across four pillars – Eat, Sleep, Move, and Meet – integrated directly into the Novotel stay.

Under Eat, new plant-forward menus will begin launching globally from April, with a commitment that at least 25% of menus will be plant-forward by the end of 2026. This evolution is supported by enhanced training with the Culinary Institute of America, alongside inspiration from leading voices in plant-forward cooking, helping make healthier, more sustainable choices both appealing and accessible across Novotel restaurants and kitchens.

On Sleep, this includes elevated bedding standards and the progressive rollout of new Novotel beds by 2030, designed to support better rest and recovery. For Move, everyday movement remains easy and inclusive, with around 70% of Novotel hotels featuring pools and gyms.

Through Meet, Novotel will continue to bring together families, friends and colleagues. For families, Novotel is expanding purpose-driven experiences such as WWF-designed edutainment games that engage children as future ocean ambassadors.

The Novotel 37 Collective complements these pillars through on-property moments, content and experiences that translate longevity into practical, everyday ideas guests can use during their stay and continue at home.

What has the feedback been from hotel owners so far?

We introduced this new vision to Novotel owners last year and feedback has been very positive. Longevity Everyday is seen as a clear, relevant direction that responds directly to evolving guest expectations without requiring radical reinvention.

Owners value that this is a brand-led, equity-building strategy that enhances guest satisfaction and loyalty by improving how people feel during and after their stay. It provides a clear framework, practical standards and strong global partnerships, while remaining flexible enough to work across different markets and hotel formats.

How important is this wellness initiative for business travellers who are on the road and in the air for weeks at a time?

Work travel must offer more than just efficiency: it has to create value for the traveller as much as the business.

Increasingly, business travellers are prioritising their wellbeing, energy and performance. In fact, a third of travellers are taking a daily step to improve their mental and physical wellbeing. When they travel, they are no longer just managing their time; they’re managing their energy levels – maximising their performance by maintaining their longevity habits.

So, for business travellers who spend weeks on the road and in the air, Longevity Everyday is essential.

Travel today is no longer an occasional interruption; for many professionals, it is part of everyday life. When you travel frequently, small disruptions to sleep, nutrition, movement and connection quickly add up.

Longevity Everyday is designed precisely with these travellers in mind. Rather than asking them to add new routines or find extra time, we focus on helping them maintain simple, familiar habits wherever they are.

Better sleep environments, healthier and more sustainable food choices, easy access to everyday movement, and spaces that support focus and meaningful connection all help business travellers manage their energy, not just their schedules.

They travel with purpose, and we must support them, not just to save time, but to help them stay energised, resilient, and ready to perform, both when they travel and when they return home.

When business travel supports wellbeing rather than undermining it, travellers feel better, perform better, maintain their wellbeing routines and maybe even come home inspired with new habits they can sustain long after the journey ends.