When he launched SBE Entertainment Group in 2002, Sam Nazarian redefined hospitality by developing some of the most luxurious hotels, restaurants, lounges and nightclubs across the country, including brands like SLS, Delano, and Mondrian. Many of his projects centered on architecting the most luxurious settings for not just overnight stays, but iconic pool parties, rooftop bars and live DJ sets as well. But his latest venture, The Estate, is less about bottle service and more about bio-optimization for longevity.
“The Estate started with a question that’s been on my mind for a long time: what does it really mean to live well, long-term? I’ve spent years building world-class hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs that bring people joy and connection, but I wanted to go deeper,” Nazarian tells Forbes.
With a goal to reshape the future of luxury hospitality and living, The Estate is fusing preventative medicine, AI-powered diagnostics, and longevity science.
Nazarian launched The Estate with motivational speaker and bestselling author Tony Robbins in 2024. The cofounders aim to open 15 hotels and residences and 10 urban preventative medicine and longevity centers worldwide by 2026. Hotel openings are planned in St. Kitts; Miami; the United Kingdom; Trento, Italy; Montreux, Switzerland; and in the Gulf region. Some centers will offer membership opportunities with top-tier programs priced at $35,000 annually, and will include all diagnostics and priority access to medical care. In 2023 Nazarian also launched HQ Hotels & Residences, a new hospitality brand in partnership with Wyndham Hotel & Resorts, which aims to create a more accessible option for consumers priced out of the luxury-wellness market for travel.
Longevity has already emerged as the next keyword to lead the next wave for wellness, with the number eight eternity sign symbolizing as each brand’s mission to help consumers lengthen their lifespans. Canyon Ranch’s Tucson location hosts four-day Longevity8 programs that include performance scientists and overnight sleep monitoring. In November David Beckham announced he’s launching and investing in IM8, a nutritional supplements company that includes the Daily Ultimate Longevity capsule.
The Estate meanwhile has appointed wellness veteran Kenneth Ryan as its inaugural Chief Longevity Officer (CLO)—the first-ever role of its kind. Says Nazarian, “With Kenneth as our Chief Longevity Officer, we’re taking it to the next level…He’s a key part of what will set The Estate apart.”
With over 27 years in wellness hospitality, Ryan is the former VP of Global Operations for Spa, Fitness & Retail at Marriott International. He is tasked to ensure these centers don’t become another spa hotel but an AI-powered, cutting edge health club. From diagnostics to personalized bio-optimization protocols, The Estate wants to redefine luxury travel with an emphasis on long-term health. As CLO, he will implement AI-driven health assessments, biological age tracking, and more across The Estate’s properties.
Here, Ryan explains how this SBE venture will mark a shift in global wellness tourism, an industry that is expected to hit $1.35 trillion by 2028.
Q: Wellness retreats have become incredibly popular and come in many different forms. How do the longevity retreats offered by The Estate differ from more traditional wellness escapes and packages?
Kenneth Ryan: Traditional wellness retreats have done a fantastic job promoting relaxation and mindfulness, but what we’re building at The Estate is something truly next-level. Longevity isn’t just a program or an add-on—it’s a core pillar of the lifestyle we’re creating. We’re integrating science-backed diagnostics, personalized therapies, and high-touch hospitality from the ground up. This isn’t a spa bolted onto a luxury hotel; this is a full lifestyle ecosystem designed to extend both health span and lifespan in an environment that feels as indulgent as it is impactful.
Q: What kind of guiding principles shape the treatments and services at The Estate?
Ryan: Our approach is rooted in predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. We’re partnering with leaders like Fountain Life to bring in cutting-edge diagnostics—from full-body scans to metabolic and genetic testing. Whether someone is struggling with sleep, gut health, or performance, we’ll be able to tailor a roadmap to optimal living. Our urban locations will partner with Clinique La Prairie to offer holistic treatments. Members can opt for hyperbaric chambers as well as red light therapy and cryotherapy. The majority of the population is confused about this space and we are taking out all the guesswork to create customized services to help them achieve results.
Q: Are there any grand openings or upcoming locations you can share with us?
Ryan: Our first location is set to open at Century Plaza in Los Angeles by the end of the year, which will house our flagship Longevity Center. This is a state-of-the-art diagnostic facility where guests can undergo a comprehensive set of tests and treatments. After that, we have 15 additional properties in development—including a full resort in St. Kitts with hotel and residential components.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your previous role and how it led you to this position at The Estate?
Ryan: I’ve spent the past 27 years in the wellness, spa, and hospitality space. Most recently, I was with Marriott International for 15 years, where I served as Global Vice President overseeing spa, wellness, fitness, and retail across 650 spas worldwide. That portfolio generated over $540 million annually, making us the largest luxury spa provider globally. I’ve also worked with brands like Fairmont, Raffles, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis—so you could say this field is not just my career, it’s my personal passion.
Q: What’s the process behind selecting the locations for The Estate’s properties?
Ryan: We look at a combination of aspirational travel destinations and key global cities. Places where people want to go—or already live. We want to meet our guests where they are, whether that means a private wellness escape or an everyday residence with integrated longevity services.
Q: Do Blue Zones—countries where people generally experience longer, healthier lives—factor into your site selection and programming? And is living in one truly the ultimate “longevity trip”?
Ryan: Blue Zones absolutely inform our philosophy—they’ve shown us what’s possible with community, movement, and purpose. But we’re not trying to replicate those locations; we’re drawing from their wisdom and applying it to the luxury lifestyle. The idea is to create a modern-day Blue Zone: a place where high-performance living is fully supported, whether you’re visiting for a week or living there full-time.
Q: Is longevity a smart way to engage men, who may not always feel drawn to traditional wellness retreats?
Ryan: Yes, longevity has proven to be a fantastic entry point for men, they’re drawn to the performance metrics, optimization, and advanced diagnostics services. But what’s exciting is that this space also has something for everyone—including families. We’re designing this for men, women, and even children. Imagine a family vacation where the kids are engaged in movement-based activities while parents focus on diagnostics or recovery. We’re not testing children, of course, but we see opportunities in wellness and nutrition education, and playful movement for the next generation.
Q: It sounds like there’s a significant residential component. Can you tell us more about that?
Ryan: Definitely. Our goal is to build a fully integrated ecosystem where wellness isn’t just a weekend thing—it’s a lifestyle. We’ll have standalone residences in key markets, as well as homes connected to our hotels and resorts. These aren’t retirement communities; they’re homes for people who want to live vibrantly at every stage of life. Residents will have access to all the diagnostic tools, performance therapies, and medical professionals our guests do—with memberships that offer ongoing care, including telehealth, supplement guidance, and progress tracking. Top-tier membership will be around $35,000 annually and will include all diagnostics and priority access to care.
Q: Any parting thoughts on what makes The Estate unique in the longevity and hospitality space?
Ryan: We’re not building a clinic with luxury finishes—we’re building a lifestyle rooted in both hospitality and cutting-edge science. No one else is marrying these two worlds in quite the same way. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine what luxury living looks like through the lens of longevity.