Ce La Vi expands global presence with London and Miami venues

SINGAPORE’S iconic rooftop bar-restaurant-club Ce La Vi is taking its offering to new heights with two more venues in London and Miami. Both are set to open in April 2025, becoming the fifth and sixth Ce La Vi rooftop venues after those in Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo and Taipei. 

Sanjay Nandi, chief executive of Admo Lifestyle Holding, the investment firm behind Ce La Vi, says the decision to expand to London and Miami is part of Admo’s broader ambition to take its best-in-class brands global. “Ce La Vi is uniquely positioned as the top operator of high-energy dining and rooftop experiences,” he said. “There are a few brands that try to offer this, but I think we are truly best-in-class.”

Despite London and Miami being two of the most competitive hospitality markets in the world, he is confident that Ce La Vi will be able to attract well-heeled crowds using its established ingredients of stunning panoramic views, high-end entertainment and fine dining – all the while maintaining a local touch in each market.

Ce La Vi’s Tokyo and Taipei outposts opened in 2019, while the Dubai branch debuted in January 2020. The pandemic took a toll on all four branches, including Singapore. But business has since thrived, prompting Admo to expand to two new cities.

“We decided on Miami because the city has really taken off since Covid, with a lot of international brands now establishing themselves there,” he says. London also offers a diverse and cosmopolitan clientele, making it an ideal location for expanding the brand.

But the key to attracting crowds is tailoring each venue to its local market, he adds. “It’s very important that you adapt to local conditions, whether it’s through the use of a local design team or local architects... We have to be responsible investors and stay close to the local market.”

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Miami, for example, has an influx of East Coast and Californian residents who have made the market more international. The Ce La Vi outlet there will reflect this atop a swish hotel in the hip Brickell neighbourhood.

Over in London, the nightspot will be in the fashionable Paddington Square, with plans for a design that balances London’s urban sophistication with Ce La Vi’s signature dining and lounge atmosphere.

Ce La Vi’s outlets require careful planning due to their size and operational needs. “We typically look for spaces between 12,000 to 15,000 square feet, with the necessary infrastructure to support longer operating hours and both indoor and outdoor dining,” Nandi says. Each venue must offer more than just spectacular views; there also has to be a seamless, high-quality experience in both its indoor and outdoor spaces.

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Perched atop Marina Bay Sands, with an unhindered view of Singapore’s Central Business District, Ce La Vi Singapore has a somewhat tumultuous history: It opened in September 2010 under the name Ku De Ta. But after a five-year lawsuit over the unlawful use of the Ku De Ta trademark, brought on by the owners of the original Ku De Ta beachfront club in Bali, it changed its name in 2015 to Ce La Vi – a stylised version of the French phrase “c’est la vie”, which that means “that’s life.” By January 2020, Ce La Vi had expanded to Tokyo, Taipei and Dubai.

The property changed hands a few times. At one point, L Capital Asia, the investment arm of French luxury group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, held a controlling stake. But in December 2023, it was sold to Admo, a joint venture between Monterock (the investment vehicle of Petros Stathis, the Greek entrepreneur known for his involvement in luxury lifestyle, hospitality and finance) and Alpha Dhabi (one of world’s largest and most prominent F&B and real-estate groups based in the United Arab Emirates). 

Through it all, Ce La Vi’s reputation had only grown.

Nandi is candid about the challenges that come with operating in competitive urban markets. “People are one of the biggest challenges,” he says, particularly in regions like the UK, where staffing has become more difficult post-Brexit. However, Admo is addressing this by focusing on reducing staff turnover and creating opportunities for team members to grow within the company.

In Singapore, for example, the company is undertaking a S$5 million refurbishment of its existing Ce La Vi venue, during which it plans to retain all staff by rotating them through different areas of the business. “We’re providing learning opportunities for staff to gain experience in different areas, which is great for both their personal development and our business,” Nandi says.

Looking ahead, he sees rooftop dining becoming even more competitive as cities grow more congested. However, he is confident that Ce La Vi will remain at the forefront by continuing to offer a seamless blend of dining, nightlife and stunning views. “It’s not just an observation deck or a place for a 14-course meal – it’s an overall experience,” he says. “And that’s what sets it apart.” 

He recalls: “When I first visited Singapore years ago, I had a fantastic experience at Ce La Vi. To be able to take this local brand around the world is especially fulfilling.”