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Discuss this article (0 Comments)What is luxury?
by ArabianBusiness.com staff writer on Saturday, 08 November 2008
zoomFregate Island Private, the Seychelles: the uniqueness and exclusivity of the destination comes into play when defining luxury.
Jacqueline Campbell, managing director of Dubai-based luxury hotel representation group, The Travel Collection, commented that luxury had to be "subtle" and "different" to warrant the term.
"Luxury is always aspiring to be the top end of the market of course," she said.
"But it has to be more than that. If you're talking about a luxury property, the guest has to feel like they're arrived.
We try to avoid the phrase luxury in our releases now.
"Luxury can be big or small it doesn't have to be defined by size, but it does have to give the guest a sensation of deserved indulgence when they stay there."
Ritz-Carlton Company LLC regional vice president Middle East Pacal Duchauffour said his company had "always positioned itself in the luxury market" and over the past few years had "spent a lot of time talking to customers" to determine the evolving needs of the ‘luxury traveller'.
"We have gone back to basics and redefined some of our standards based on the needs of the customer today," he explained.
"Customers are younger and faster; they want to combine business with leisure; and technology is part of their lives. They want our staff to be more casual."
As a result, Ritz-Carlton has encouraged staff to modify their behaviour according to the customer and are "polite but sincere".
"I believe that is what defines luxury," Duchauffour added.
It's expected that industry leaders in the luxury market will have differing views on the definition of luxury in the current market, but the one constant is the consensus that a property cannot provide a luxury experience without staff that can perform to the very highest standard.
"The small and the big touches; that is what makes the difference in today's market between merely top end and actual luxury," said The Leading Hotels of the World director of sales Middle East Hatem Chatter.
"It's all about understanding that the comfort of the guest is paramount and then working from that mindset"
Of course, the concept of luxury is difficult to quantify and also depends on the market you are targeting.
"The interesting thing is that while a run-of-the-mill deluxe property certainly is luxury to the average working man, it's nothing special to a billionaire," said the general manager of Bahrain International Travel Group, Paul Clabburn.
"What was previously termed a ‘luxury traveller' is now someone seeking to elevate their travel experience.
"The term ‘luxury' is intrinsically linked with product branding and the emotive perceptions of the target audience.
"To define luxury is very tricky, but here's a thought, is unique the new luxury?"
The idea that luxury has to be a unique experience echoes the comments of GHM's Puri, but is it fair to dismiss properties simply because they are part of a brand that seeks to offer consistent high standards across all of its properties?
It's possible to see both sides of the argument and Clabburn's additional comment that luxury experience should be "something so special that all expectations are surpassed", is a good one, but doesn't account for the high standards of the mega rich and would be impossible to judge, because what defines unique?
One solution would be to have a luxury properties accreditation board setting out standards that were adhered to worldwide, but until that time comes, clients will just have to decide for themselves.
Puri defines luxury…
A world where art and architecture are elevated to the level of religion.
A place where subtle complexity arises from an elemental simplicity.
It is spiritual at the same time that it is physical.
It is balance attained. The self at peace, at one with its surroundings, both physical and metaphysical. It is the unity of place and space and time.
It silences the din and provides sanctuary. It is a weightless, invisible armor. It strengthens you without adding to the burden.
True luxury is about imperfections, bespoke, a touch of hand, exclusivity, personal vision. It is about an obsession and passion, without reference to cost.
And the luxury lifestyle hotel...
Is imaginative, daring and sexy. Naughty when it needs to be and big on design and service etiquette.
Private butlers are de rigueur assisting with the plethora of choices.
The culture has changed and has eradicated guest snobbery.
There is an assurance that this hotel will be at the centre of everything that is important, current, and timeless.
A world where art and architecture are elevated to the level of religion.
A place where subtle complexity arises from an elemental simplicity.
It is spiritual at the same time that it is physical.
It is balance attained. The self at peace, at one with its surroundings, both physical and metaphysical. It is the unity of place and space and time.
It silences the din and provides sanctuary. It is a weightless, invisible armor. It strengthens you without adding to the burden.
True luxury is about imperfections, bespoke, a touch of hand, exclusivity, personal vision. It is about an obsession and passion, without reference to cost.
And the luxury lifestyle hotel...
Is imaginative, daring and sexy. Naughty when it needs to be and big on design and service etiquette.
Private butlers are de rigueur assisting with the plethora of choices.
The culture has changed and has eradicated guest snobbery.
There is an assurance that this hotel will be at the centre of everything that is important, current, and timeless.
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