Luxury hotels are increasingly offering unique and personalized experiences to distinguish themselves in a market where high-end amenities such as infinity pools and wellness centers have become standard. This trend has been amplified by the pandemic, as travelers seek hyper-customized experiences tailored to their interests and requirements.
Hotels are now offering a range of bespoke activities. For instance, Aman, a luxury resort company, offers guests the opportunity to learn about an artist’s process in their private studio or master fish butchery and sushi making. They also partner with camera manufacturer Leica to offer photography masterclasses.
Similarly, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island offers activities such as canyoning, horseback riding, and salmon fishing. Guests can also charter a helicopter for mountaintop adventures. Other resorts offer activities included in the room rate, such as forest-bathing sessions, watercolor lessons, and visits with wildlife.
Hotels are also providing exclusive access to personalized experiences. For example, guests at the InterContinental London Park Lane can learn from Michelin-starred chef Theo Randall in a kitchen masterclass. At Carlton Cannes, a Regent hotel in France, guests can explore the perfume capital of Grasse and create their own fragrance with world-renowned perfumers.
Some hotels are leveraging their locations to provide unique experiences. Alila Hotels and Resorts, for instance, offers surfing lessons at its Encinitas location in California. Other resorts, like Amanpulo resort in the Philippines, make the most of their natural environment by offering tours with resident naturalists.
Personalization is key in this trend. Raffles Singapore offers a personalized shopping extravaganza where guests consult with a personal shopper before arrival and then enjoy a chauffeured trip to some of Singapore’s top boutiques.
Hotel experts predict that the trend of offering bigger, bolder, and more creative experiences will continue as guests seek new experiences that break away from the algorithmic predictability of their daily lives.
Source: nytimes.com