What Is a Luxury Hotel by Today's Standards?
Historically, the idea of "luxury" in the travel and hospitality space has typically been associated with all the pleasures of staying at five-star hotels such as the Ritz Carlton's or Four Seasons' of the world, who are widely popularized and known for offering the most posh travel experiences.
The value was originally found in the creation of ease and feeling of complete and utter relaxation, highlighted by pampering and ultra upscale amenities.
As some may still find this ideal to hold true, over the past few years, we in the hospitality space, have seen a significant shift in the industry that has transformed and redefined what "luxury" now means in today's standards for the current travel consumer.
What is Luxury?
The dictionary defines the word "luxury" as a state of great comfort and extravagant living. What that means for the travel and hospitality industry, is the idea of offering extravagant and sometimes over-the-top accommodations, married with creating the ultimate level of relaxation and comfort for guests while they are traveling. Traditionally, there has been a very materialistic approach to what defines luxury for the discerning traveler, with the expectation that these experiences should mirror the living situation found in the homes of the uber rich. Upscale guestrooms, top-tier amenities, exceptional fine dining, high-end spas and treatment options, along with other material offerings have become standard across the luxury hospitality space.
Luxury services for hospitality have traditionally been associated with notable five-star brands that offer an exceptionally high level of quality, comfort, and exclusivity. The idea that the average consumer could not afford this level of service created even more demand and excitement, as guests are willing to pay a high price tag for the limited nature of the product. This idea of luxury was designed to appeal to people who are willing to pay extra for these exclusive experiences that are truly special by nature - as not everyone can afford to appreciate it.
Although the luxury traveler still enjoys the comforts and exclusivity associated with staying in a high-end property, the expectations and wants from their stay have begun to shift away from high-end accommodations with well-known brands and instead to prioritizing unique and meaningful experiences.
The Shift in Market - Luxury Redefined for the Modern Traveler
The most discerning travelers are less focused on luxury through materialistic offerings. There has been a significant shift in the market for a new emerging thought process and perception that has allowed additional brands who were not specifically categorized in this luxury space before to now enter.
Luxury travel is no longer solely defined by extraordinary physical spaces and exclusive material offerings. Today's luxury travelers yearn for unique experiences that are immersive, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding and sense-of-place in a more hands-on and interactive way. Sightline Hospitality is a great example of a company that is paving the way with multiple ownership groups in this newly defined view of luxury. Although Sightline Hospitality isn't known to be a "luxury operator," in traditional terms, the third-party management company committed to truly living the lifestyle of this newfound definition for "new luxury" travel. Consumers are not looking for only the high-end leisure offerings, but are also interested in unique, out of the ordinary experiences – and are willing to pay a higher price for it.
This altered landscape has brought about a new definition of luxury travel, one that goes past upscale guestrooms and fine dining and focuses on the intangible elements of unforgettable moments. Luxury is getting transformed and redefined from physical spaces and material offerings into experiential travel and Sightline Hospitality's vast portfolio of unique, independent hotels are now fitting the bill on what is considered luxury. Focused on highlighting the culture of each property and using each property to create a sense of place, the San Francisco-based company's executive team and creative trailblazers are inspired to push the limits of possibility to deliver individualized solutions and big-ideas that embody the individuality of each property that also serves the needs and earnest curiosity of guests.
Sightline has recognized the value of highlighting the specific DNA of each property and encourages out-of-the-box thinking, innovative ideas and experiences to meet the evolving demands of luxury travelers. Calistoga's original wellness resort, Dr. Wilkinson's Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs known for its quirky nature and mud baths, evo Hotel's evo campus featuring world-class amenities such as a bouldering gym (Bouldering Project), a skate park (All Together Skate), and even a large 100,000 square foot evo retail store, and Celebrity chef Todd English's culinary offerings and adult-friendly entertainment at The English Hotel, are great examples of this, as they are not what a typical 5-star hotel would offer, but are now nontraditional luxury products that satisfy the modern luxury traveler's new desires for extraordinary and memorable experiences. Click here for full reference article.
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