The dictionary defines luxury as ‘a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense’ but in today’s world does it mean the same to everyone? Defining luxury in hospitality can be challenging if people from different walks of life want to indulge in their own ways. This was the focus of a session on “The ‘new’ luxury in hospitality experiences” at the recent Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Show – where ABDA’s Director Claire Smith chaired a panel of experts to share their joint insights.
Claire was joined by: Charlotte Raffo, Founder – The Monkey Puzzle Tree, Zaynib Khan, Architect and Senior Associate Director – Benoy and Sam Edwards, Director of Capital Projects – Fifty Five Hospitality. Here are just a few of the highlights and key takeaways from the session.
The differing definitions of luxury
Claire kicked off the discussion by asking each panellist to talk about what luxury meant to them personally. She joked that for her “luxury is being able to lock myself away and not talk to anyone for 24 hours!”
The concept of luxury means something different to each of us though and for Charlotte Raffo it was all about an authentic experience. She explained: “For me luxury is experiencing something unique and memorable that I can’t find elsewhere (even if it’s actually just down the road). I feel like the standard of basic design and hospitality is often so high and consistent now, that luxury has to offer something with real meaning. If that’s abroad I want it to really reflect the local culture, and not be someone else’s idea of identikit glamour. I’m looking for an exciting narrative that you can look forward to.”
Luxury doesn’t have to be all about grand design features, it’s often the smallest things that have the most impact. Sam Edwards gave his view: “For me it’s all about the little moments of luxury, the personalised service, the arrival note in the bedroom, the feeling of being genuinely relaxed and looked after with amazing food, of course!”
Echoing the theme of simplicity when it comes to luxury, Zaynib Khan was looking for “a one to one experience – something that will change my behaviour.”
How the concept of luxury has changed
The differing definitions of luxury show just how much the concept has changed over the years. As Sam Edwards put it “Does luxury mean super fluffy bath towels and high end in room products, caviar bellinis and champagne? Or laid back, quiet spaces, a seamless online booking, relaxed but attentive service and privacy?”
The changes to the way we live and the pace of life also contribute to how luxury has changed. Sam Edwards continued: “People want to spend more money on special experiences, this might be an off grid cabin on a secluded island, having a tailored stay of nutrition, exercise and wellness, or a day spent in a vegetable garden. Perhaps these days luxury is slowing down, feeling wholesome and being involved in nature.”
From an architectural perspective, Zaynib Khan felt the current process of creating a luxury experience in the hospitality sector was very much dependent on the geographic location and the guest profile. “We really look at composing experience from understanding what the guest wants and develop the story of luxury from there” she explained and added that “The hospitality experience and offer has to tie in with what else is happening in the surroundings.”
There was agreement that excellent customer service was still paramount to the luxury experience – this is something that hasn’t changed.
Levels of luxury in hospitality
With so many differing definitions of luxury, Claire Smith invited the panel to discuss whether there were different levels of luxury and how these could be defined.
Charlotte Raffo was first to tackle the topic: “There’s obviously a big difference between what you might want from business or leisure. Corporate safe luxury might be what’s needed for entertaining customers whereas if on a leisure trip you might be looking for a bit more excitement or extreme relaxation, where service is key.”
Sam Edwards brought the discussion back to service levels too, adding that “With all things there are different levels of luxury, with a price point which brings tiers of expectations. That said, there is an underlying level of luxury that should and can be achieved regardless – such as good customer service.”
The panel discussed how clearly levels of luxury could be defined, is it always something that’s intangible? Zaynib Khan gave her view: “People want to build communities and have an authentic experience with heritage cultures and experiences – it is important that there is that subjective context. However, as much as it is subjective, there are also objective elements in what a hotel offers – how many restaurants it has, where it is situated – so in some ways there are very defined parameters and metrics.”
The role of storytelling in luxury
From a design perspective, Charlotte Raffo was keen to pick up the topic of stories: “We help to create a narrative to the design. I feel like the role of our designs is to bring the character and story to the project. There might already be a strong story relating to the location of the hotel, or the history of the building or something that the brand stands for or we might have to work to create that soul. The soft touch point may be a cork wall for sound reduction and a cosy feel.”
This prompted Claire Smith to ask panellists whether storytelling was more important in luxury than other sectors of hospitality. It was a resounding yes from Charlotte Raffo: “If I stay somewhere luxurious, I want to feel a memorable connection with the space, maybe a historical element, or at least a story and a reason behind the design. I’d like to be able to go on the website and there to be more than a paragraph to read about the interior and design so that I can get really excited about it.”
The power of storytelling was equally important for Zaynib Khan, who explained: “The magic of hospitality spaces and having an incredible hotel lobby is inside out, not outside in. The story telling starts before the design comes in – where the location is – is it city centre, urban, seaside? That makes a difference to what the experience will be – what is the booking process like, the first glimpse of the hotel, the drop off area – it all matters and adds to the story.”
Balancing luxury and sustainability
The topic of sustainability cannot be ignored when it comes to luxury – guests have high expectations when it comes to both. But how do you get the balance right and deliver a luxury experience whilst mitigating environmental impact? Claire Smith was keen for panellists to share their collective insights on this important question.
Sam Edwards felt strongly that when it comes to sustainability “You’ve got to want to do it for a start.” He added that “Some of the major infrastructure changes to sustainable methods such as heating and cooling spaces via heat pumps are expensive.”
He felt that sustainable luxury in hospitality could be achieved in many ways, citing examples such as “your takeout packaging being fully biodegradable and no plastic makes for a guilt free experience, the products you use and the food you consume.”
Charlotte Raffo added to the discussion from a design perspective: “We should of course be using more sustainable options where we can, but I think it’s key to create a design that will last – and that definitely doesn’t have to mean neutral or classic. Specifying furniture that can be upgraded, reupholstered and refinished is an important aspect of this. I also think that, if possible, using reclaimed and antique pieces both adds to the sense of individuality and character of a space and also has a lasting appeal – so that it’s less likely to date and need replacing because it’s no longer on trend. Thought should also go into reducing the need for disposable consumables in the room itself, so refillable soap bottles rather than individual soaps or a beautiful water jug for example.”
Looking at the future of luxury
Keeping in mind the issue of sustainability, the panel discussed what the future of luxury might look like and what the challenges would be.
Charlotte Raffo felt creativity would always be at the heart of luxury: “Creativity comes in to make hospitality spaces more memorable and individual. For me the challenge in a luxury space is to constantly surprise and delight and create individuality but it must still hang together.”
The concept of luxury becoming more accessible now and the future of this was discussed by all. Whereas once luxury was exclusive and unobtainable, it is now more inclusive with luxury festival experiences and various options to ‘dip into luxury’, for example a twilight spa experience, rather than a spa weekend.
For Sam Edwards, sustainability and the future of luxury were deeply intertwined: “Sustainability is luxury – sustainable products are usually more expensive and that needs to change. I think everything about sustainability is luxury.”
Zaynib Khan felt the subject of sustainability was crucial to the future of luxury too, urging operators to think big: “For sustainability you need to look at the big picture – we look at it as an eco-system and it is always about building communities for tomorrow. Have a synergy with everything around the building. This could include partnering with other local businesses – florists for example.”
She added that for her the future was all about “affordable luxury and inclusive luxury.” She encouraged thinking about the circular economy and suggested “using robust materials – choose a refined material palette that can withstand trends. This is especially important in high traffic areas, so you are not replacing frequently.”
What does luxury mean to you?
Feeling inspired? Get in touch if you’d like to discuss a luxury hospitality project or hear more about our work in this area.
