Chad Pike's career is a fascinating blend of finance and a passion for the outdoors. From his early days at Blackstone to founding Eleven Experience and now launching a new firm, Makarora, Pike's journey is marked by innovation and a commitment to excellence.
Early Life and Career
Chad Pike's path to creating Eleven Experience began with his childhood in rural Ohio, USA, where his ‘Huckleberry Finn’-style adventures - building treehouses and fishing in nearby Grassy Creek with friends - inspired a love of exploration and the great outdoors. Despite initially pursuing a high-calibre career in global finance, two significant life and global events ultimately redirected his passion.
Pike worked at Blackstone for 25 years, and from London was co-head of real estate globally between 2005 and 2011 before Jon Gray took sole charge of the business unit. Pike was later tasked with co-leading the firm’s Tactical Opportunities division.
The Genesis of Eleven Experience
Discover Unfortgettable Adventures in Awe-inspiring Destinations with Eleven
A fly-fishing trip with friends to a remote yet luxurious lodge in the Scottish Highlands revealed to Pike the potential of high-end, bespoke adventure holidays, while the 2008 financial crisis, and it’s subsequent real estate crash, provided the opportunity to purchase Scarp Ridge Lodge, an authentic ‘Wild West’-style saloon in Crested Butte, Colorado.
Over three years, Pike and his designer wife, Blake, meticulously renovated the lodge, infusing it with a luxurious American West aesthetic. Complete with five king guest rooms, indoor and outdoor amenities, and, (indicative of Pike’s desire to go above and beyond for the Lodge’s guests), an oxygen-enriched air system throughout, designed to alleviate any potential altitude sickness caused by the Rocky Mountain lodge’s 2700-metre elevation. Scarp Ridge Lodge opened in 2011 as Eleven Experience’s inaugural flagship property.
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Subsequent additions to the portfolio include a 510 square-metre chalet in the French Alps hamlet of Le Miroir in 2012, and Sopris House, a four-bedroom guesthouse with a private saloon a stone’s throw from the original Crested Butte property, in 2013, each imbued with the same sense of style and sophisticated cosiness. Just over a decade later, the entire portfolio of properties now includes thirteen Eleven Experience lodges and chalets across eight diverse locations around the globe, and continues to grow each year.
The Essence of Eleven Experience
Amidst the world's most remote and breathtaking landscapes, luxury experiential travel brand Eleven Experience epitomises three of Y Travel’s favourite ‘Y Factors’ - Adventure, Taste, and The Unexpected - blending their collection of ‘rustic chic’ lodges, and sumptuous private homes around the world with heart-pumping outdoor experiences and tailor-made, ‘above-and-beyond’ bespoke itineraries as unique as each guest they host.
Embarking on a journey with Eleven is not merely about chasing adrenaline rushes; it's an invitation to immerse yourself in the wonders of nature without compromising on comfort or sensory indulgence. From heli-skiing in Iceland's untamed wilderness to indulging in a Winter Wellness retreat in Colorado, Eleven Experience transcends conventional luxury adventure travel and is a testament to the meticulous attention to detail that drives its visionary founder, Chad Pike.
The team at Eleven Experience believes that your trip should be about you, which means that no two adventures are ever the same. The inherent philosophy is “If we can’t ski, we can hike. If we can’t fish, we can go mountain biking with a gourmet riverside lunch. You came to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and that’s what you’ll get.”
When former Blackstone executive-and outdoor enthusiast-Chad Pike founded his adventure-based collection of luxury lodges, he named it Eleven, a This Is Spinal Tap reference to taking things to another level. Following that, his wife, Blake, who now handles all the interior design for the brand, called her company No. 12 Interiors.
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Eleven Around The World
The Eleven Experience portfolio of lodges and chalets reads like a catalogue of the world's most coveted adventure destinations. From the heart of the Canadian Rockies, to the mountains and rivers of New Zealand’s stunning South Island, the majesty of the French Alps, the beautiful pink-sand shores of the Bahamas, and finally, of course, the Colorado mountains where it all began, each Eleven property offers a unique blend of luxury, adventure, and authenticity.
Among the crown jewels of the Eleven portfolio is Deplar Farm, a breathtaking retreat nestled in the remote wilderness of Iceland's Troll Peninsula. Here, guests can embark on heli-skiing adventures, traverse dramatic fjords, and immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of this enchanting land.
For those craving some warmth, the sun-drenched shores and tropical bliss of Bahama House on iconic Harbour Island beckons with its spellbinding, Caribbean-style accommodations and unparalleled ocean views.
So while the rustic treehouses of Chad Pike’s youth have been replaced with refined, cozy lodges, and their locations are spread across some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the globe, the true essence of those carefree childhood days by Grassy Creek remains at the heart and soul of the Eleven Experience.
Chad Pike Launches Makarora
Chad Pike, former head of real estate investing in Europe at Blackstone and later global co-head of RE, is back in the fund management business with the launch of a new firm. Makarora is a New York-based company that will initially target US opportunities private debt and equity opportunities and also those in the public markets.
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Also on board is former AllianceBernstein professional, Adam Brooks, who is partner and co-founder at Makarora as part of an initial 12-strong team. The firm could grow to upwards of 40 staff and is expected to launch a first fund in 2024 with a target of billions of dollars, according to reports.
It seems Chad Pike is continuing to take things "to eleven", whether in luxury adventure travel or the world of finance.
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