Luxury Travel

It's no wonder mass-market cruise lines are trying to attract wealthy vacationers. But does someone looking for a luxury experience really want to spend a week with his family on a floating shopping mall?

It's not the Concorde. There's far more room inside, for a start, and plenty of time to enjoy all that pampering.

Providing exceptional experiences is more difficult than ordering sheets with the highest thread count and thus fundamentally changing how luxury brands position themselves and interact with guests.

These organizations are facing competition from major hotel groups for the first time, but their relationship with independent properties and brand trust among consumers will keep them business even as independent sector heats up.

Preferred Hotel Group has likely evolved the most of any of its peers throughout its existence and continues to do so by tracking and adapting to the needs of specific customers segments.

Relais & Châteaux goes beyond a focus on independent luxury properties with a specialty in cuisine, attracting a specific segment of high-spending leisure travelers who want a quality guarantee on both the hospitality and culinary aspects of their stay.

Designing the guest experience today requires thinking through the entire travel process, which includes providing guests with jealousy-inducing stories to share upon their return.

Delivering a great experience starts long before a guest walks in the door and it a service element that has to be instilled in the staff so it becomes second nature.

Friendly and genuine interactions with hotel staff go a long way toward making or breaking a hotel stay; however, it takes a conscious plan and months of investment to deliver that guest experience.

As consumers become more accustomed to personalizing their shoes, furniture and experiences, it is only logical that they come to expect similar service from high-end hotels. Which brands will be ready to assist them could impact their future.