The battle of budget hotel brands is now a war that extends across the Atlantic Ocean.
08.09.2023 - 22:47 / skift.com / Colin Nagy
This summer has seen a surge in the highest end of luxury across the world. Some of it is about revenge travel and increased global mobility: A lot of the Middle Eastern market parked closer to home in Covid and are now shipping their Bugattis to the streets of London and other haunts in Europe. The palaces of Paris, the best hotels in Europe, and five-stars in the U.S. did brisk business at eye-watering rates.
I don’t think this is about to change. There’s a new class of hyper luxury (think the Cheval Blanc in Paris) that will continue to attract travelers who don’t look at the bill. As a hotel-obsessed friend recently commented: “$1,500 is the new $600” in terms of room rates. This is well and good for ownership, and the social class that still loves the old vestiges of luxury: marble, beaux-arts interiors and all of the trappings of excess (replete with 70 euro butter chicken).
But from these properties joining a new, nosebleed asset class comes an interesting opportunity: The elevated boutique, which doubles down on sensibility, hires talent that may have worked at some of these palaces, and has sturdiness in construction, materials, and super crisp F&B concepts. These elevated boutiques play at an entry level luxury price-point of around $450 to $600 a night, so it is at the higher end of what you’d see on Tablet Hotels, but there’s still value in the equation for what you get.
How does this differ from boutiques of the past, you may ask? Many of them, starting from the Morgans hotel epoch and onward, emphasized aesthetic and icy sex appeal at the cost of other areas, like warmth of service. This new white space is much more evolved, and more satisfying for the guest.
My argument now is you can have it both ways: great design and polished, modern service. And there is a market segment of those likely priced out of the hotels they used to frequent that are up for grabs. Give them modern hospitality, something that doesn’t feel cookie cutter, with an element of sensibility that is in an interesting part of the city.
For me, the most vivid example of this right now is La Fantaisie which recently opened in the 9th arrondissement in Paris. When I stepped in, I was expecting another high-concept Paris boutique, high on the cool sensibility but low on the quality of materials and actual build. Something that photographs well for the social feed, but is a bit hollow when you tap on the veneers.
But I was pleasantly surprised: It was the best boutique hotel I’ve set foot in in recent memory. The design was inspired (crafted by Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki), anchored in a strong point of view with impeccable quality. There is ample green space, creating a haven in the back of the hotel, with a cafe
The battle of budget hotel brands is now a war that extends across the Atlantic Ocean.
This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.
Would you rather spend the night in a luxury hotel or a wine barrel that's been converted into a tiny home?
As summer holidays come to an end, 50 Best has compiled its list of the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023.
Following the success of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, 50 Best has just announced The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023, marking the brand’s first global launch since 2009.
Sometimes, it's okay to clap when a plane lands.
A Swiss International Air Lines plane arrived at its destination without a single checked bag onboard.
With fall on the horizon, the window for travelers to visit seasonal hotels and resorts is narrowing, and often shoulder season is the best time to visit seasonal properties as it brings less crowds, cooler temperatures and more affordable prices.
In the saturated market of high-end beauty, luxury fragrance brands abound. Few, however, have a story that’s as compelling as MEMO Paris.
Grand Cayman has long been a popular destination for travelers in search of white-sand beaches, excellent snorkeling and diving spots, and well-heeled accommodations. Just 22 miles long and eight miles wide, the island is the largest of the Cayman Islands and has a reputation for providing travelers with a quiet, low-key getaway. And with most of the action happening near the famous Seven Mile Beach, only 15 minutes from the Owen Roberts International Airport, travelers can start their vacations minutes after landing.
Russian River Boutique Hotels support one another to meet the rise of tourism in up-and-coming destination.
The Parlour where afternoon tea is served in the pink, ridged roof cottage at Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa dates back 400 years. This year, the resort, Bermuda’s original cottage colony, celebrates its 100th anniversary as a hotel. But while celebrating its history and continuing traditions (such as its repeat visitors’ plaque including one California couple in residence over 100 times, earning them their own key to the cottage which has been renamed for them), the resort is also breaking out new developments. On the heels of its purchase by Dovetail + Co and complete redesign, a new executive chef took over in July with new, inventive menus due to be unveiled in November.