LUXURY TRAVEL TRENDSFOR 2018

NOVEMBER 2017

Travel trends change quicker than the seasons, but we have identified one undying movement at Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) – independently minded luxury. This makes trend watching a deceptively easy task for us, given that our brand is home to over 500 independently minded properties in more than 80 countries, each owned and operated by the luxury travel industry’s experience mavericks. SLH has been trailblazing for over 27 years, and continues this ethos in 2018. Brand new hotels will be added to the portfolio in exciting new destinations for luxury travellers, such as Comporta in Portugal, Cape Fahn in Thailand and South Caicos in the Caribbean, and a collaboration with What3Words that will see our annual directory featuring an industry-leading geographical pinpoint tool downloadable to smartphones. When it comes to luxury travel, there’s only one thing for sure – trends change, but true style lasts forever.

There are, however, game-changing innovations to maximise customer satisfaction, with many SLH hotels paving the way in the art of luxury service. That’s why we developed this report – when you’re at the forefront of a movement, it’s important to champion these exceptional hotels and to shout from the rooftops about the unrivalled experiences we offer. We joined forces with the global analysts at TrendWatching to identify the cutting-edge trends on our own doorstep, relying on their ability to unlock compelling innovations across the consumer world.

Together, we have identified five consumer trends that will shape luxury travel and experience in 2018 and beyond. From the demand for personalised leisure (HANDS-ON LUXE) to new spheres of inner discovery (SPIRITUAL STORIES), new challenges and tremendous opportunities lie ahead for those battling to surprise and delight travellers in the next 12 months.

The trends are as follows:

1. HANDS-ON LUXE2. SPIRITUAL STORIES3. NOVEL GAZING4. NIGHT NURSES5. INTUITIVE DINING Each trend includes an overview and examples of the hospitality initiatives that SLH hotels are implementing to delight customers around the world and raise the bar to new heights, as well as examples from the wider world of consumer experience.

Now, it’s time to dive into the good stuff!

Enjoy!

Filip Boyen, CEO – Small Luxury Hotels of the World™

Introduction

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Forget fancy things – we are well and truly in the era of the Experience Economy, with unique, memorable experiences trumping any physical souvenir. If you think travel and hospitality have already seen the full impact of the Instagram effect, consider that the platform is projected to grow from 800 million (in September 2017) to 1 billion users in 2018. This means more luxury experience hunters sharing every moment than ever before.

But how will luxury travellers break free from the masses and do something radically different in 2018? By getting their hands dirty and working on their vacation and ensuring that every element of their experience is just so: from creating their own personalised ambiance to catching their own dinner, travellers want to co-design their own experience. Counterintuitive? Sure. Yet when done right, independently minded travellers can earn their way to richer, more evocative memories.

1. Hands on Luxe

700,000 HoursMembers can choose travelling hotel’s destination

SLH member Dar Ahlam introduced 700,000 Hours, the world’s first ‘wandering hotel’ experience that travels to a new destination every six months. Guests partaking in the experience must first become a member of The Amazirs’ Circle programme, which contains different levels of membership. Guests who choose to join the higher tiers will be able to influence the hotel’s destinations and other aspects of the immersive, curated experience.

Hotel Magna Pars Suites Milano & The VIEW LuganoGet a ‘scents’ of place with customised hotel rooms

Scent has the power to trigger memories in a far more powerful way than any other sense, so it only seems natural that hotels would want to use this to enhance a guest’s experience. Based in an old perfume factory all things olfactory take centre stage at Hotel Magna Pars Suites Milano – guests here are taken to the perfume laboratory on checking in and can chose one of 39 Home Fragrances. Each essence is distinguished by a number – the Suite number – and by its corresponding olfactive ingredient, from aromatic woods to floral shrubs and fruit trees. The VIEW Lugano also takes guests’ preferences into account before their arrival – not only for the scent in their room but also the type of linen, brand of toiletries and even the colour of their toilet paper (black is the most popular, in case you were wondering!).

OceanGateUSD 140,000 Titanic visit is extremely hands-on

Private ocean research company OceanGate will hold the first Titanic Survey Expedition, a submarine mission to study the Titanic wreckage, in 2018. Fifty-four passengers (as of April 2017) have paid USD 140,000 each to be a part of the weeklong mission off the Newfoundland coast. Passengers had to apply to participate, and several were rejected for expecting a luxurious trip. Participants will need to go to helicopter underwater egress training, in case of a helicopter crash, and will be completing basic tasks (such as assembling batteries) to assist the crew when they are not exploring the wreckage. Proceeds from the trip will fund future expeditions as well as a 3D rendering of the UNESCO Underwater Heritage site.

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2.Spiritual StoriesLuxury consumers don’t have trouble putting a roof over their heads, but everyone is in the race to be their best selves with the golden prize being more meaningful travel. See the wellness industry boom for evidence of the battle for self-actualisation. But this goes beyond a well-equipped spa and relaxation meditation. In 2018, the real innovation in this space will go deeper than the deepest deep tissue massage, because this isn’t about relaxation – it’s about self-discovery.

Larger brands and smaller players are competing to provide personalised spiritual experiences and moments of mindfulness as a rising number of consumers will pursue inner growth that gives them a one-of-a-kind story to share. Luxury travellers will seek to tell their peers: “My spiritual journey was more wild - and deeper - than yours.”

Sankara Hotel & Spa YakushimaPower spots infuse guests with energy

Guides at the Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima in Japan take guests to visit natural ‘power spots’ on Yakushima Island, the first location to be declared a World Natural Heritage site in the country. Power spots represent areas where the Earth’s natural energy accumulates and are said to immerse visitors in healing energy tied to Japan’s ancient myths, shrines, Shugendo mountain worship and feng shui practices. The Shirantani Unsuikyo Ravine (also known as the Forest of Princess Mononoke, referencing Hayao Miyazaki’s popular film) is covered in lush greenery, while the 7,000-year-old Jomonsugi Cedar is believed to change visitors’ perspectives.

Spa Village Resort TembokResort offers stargazing spa treatments

The Spa Village Resort Tembok in Bali offers a stargazing session and a Massage under the Stars spa treatment. During the stargazing session, guests lie on a floating platform and listen to a curated soundtrack. The outdoor, nighttime massage aims to impart the beach’s natural spirituality onto guests. Guests follow a candlelit path to their ocean-side massage, which incorporates herbal oils to release tension and balance male and female energies in the body.

Vild MadApp teaches people the art of foraging

Available to download from June 2017, Vild Mad (meaning ‘Wild Food’) is a mobile app from Danish chef, René Redzepi and the team at the annual MAD Symposium food conference. The free app aims to teach people how to forage. Available in English and Danish, the app offers instructions on foraging, how to find and identify wild food and then how to cook foraged food. Redzepi’s Noma Mexico pop up at SLH hotel La Zebra in Tulum in 2017 sold out within seconds.

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3. Novel GazingIn their urge to escape the digital distractions of daily life, luxury travellers are longing to go back to times when life was simpler. They are nostalgic for a time where they didn’t spend over five hours each day with digital media (KPCB, May 2017). In 2018, modern luxury travellers will find solace in all things timeless, and what’s more everlasting than literature? Independent hospitality players are providing an immersive taste of the past through libraries, literary butlers, and by paying homage to esteemed writers and classic novels. While these experiences look backwards to simpler pleasures, they tie into consumers’ cravings for new memories that they can take home.

The Betsy South Beach & Kristiania Lech Hotels introduce guests to literature

The Betsy South Beach in Miami and the Kristiania Lech hotel in Austria both implement literature-focused initiatives aiming to expand their guests’ minds. Each night, The Betsy South Beach guests receive a bookmark featuring poetry from Pulitzer prize finalist Hyam Plutzik (the father of the hotel’s owner, Jonathan Plutzik) that doubles as a plantable flower. The hotel additionally houses the Betsy Writers’ Room, which serves as a workspace for writers and a centre where guests can interact with visiting artists each week.

Kristiania Lech has its own ‘book butler’, who interviews guests on their literary tastes and then provides them with a curated book selection.

Owl and the Pussycat HotelHotel concept based on poem

Owl and the Pussycat Hotel in Sri Lanka is based on the poems of Edward Lear, who lived here during the 1800s. The hotel cleverly uses Instagram to convey the non-sensical world as Lear imagined it. The Owl and the Pussycat Hotel also sponsored the Galle Literary Festival in January 2017 and the Edward Lear Prize for Poetry.

Rockliffe HallResort debuts Alice in Wonderland parkland

Mischmasch, a GBP 750,000 development due to open in 2018, is inspired by a periodical and illustration by Lewis Caroll, who spent some of his childhood in Croft, the neighboring village to Hurworth, where Rockliffe Hall is located. Mischmasch will have a strong Lewis Carroll theme, introducing a wide range of activities for younger visitors to Rockliffe Hall in its Wonderland of Curiosities. These will include an Alice in Wonderland Nature Trail and Sculptures (some of which will be well hidden for children to find), a large Eco Adventure Playground including climbing frames and slides and Interactive Water Fountains. A main feature of Mischmasch will be six Arctic Pods, nestled in the woodland, featuring different indoor experiences including interactive and electronic games and the start of a journey to “Find the Cheshire Cat”.

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There’s one thing that everyone needs but is somehow universally out of reach – a good night’s sleep. With buzzers and beepers and constant distractions, luxury travellers are increasingly concerned with the quality of their sleep. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the US identified lack of sleep as a public health epidemic, and the sleep aid industry is projected to reach USD 52 billion by 2020 (BCC Research, January 2016).

It’s no surprise that travellers expect their hotels to be sleep havens that provide them with their best night’s rest, one that goes far beyond a pillow menu. Luxury travel brands are now providing rejuvenating, memorable experiences and solutions for every hour of the evening, from guests’ first dip into sleep to the moment they wake up – although you’ll see that, in some cases, sleep is worth interrupting if it leads to incomparable, unforgettable moments.

137 Pillars Suites Hotel group offers sleep therapy and ‘sleep butler’ services

The 137 Pillars hotel group offers two sleep treatments designed to relax guests, Sleep by Design therapy and Sleepdown service, at its Chiang Mai and Bangkok locations. Sleep by Design is a four-part, 90-minute ritual that includes Reiki treatments, a massage, warm blankets or towels, and aromatherapy. The Sleepdown service is conducted by a Sleep Curator and Sleep Butler and includes a dream tea, a drawn bath, the option to receive a bedtime story and a sleep music setting.

Circadia Device uses AI to measure and improve sleep cycle

The Kickstarter campaign for Circadia - an AI device and smart lamp designed to track and improve users’ quality of sleep - raised over double its fundraising goal as of August 2017. With 98% accuracy, Circadia’s sensors measure users’ respiration, movement and heart rate, as well as the conditions (light, climate, and sound) of their bedrooms as they sleep. The USD 79 device uses this information to wake people up at the optimal time based on their cycle and provide them with tips (via the Circadia mobile app) on how they can sleep more soundly.

Casper Duvet prevents sweating during sleep

US mattress brand Casper launched a crowdfunding campaign for the Humidity Fighting Duvet in August 2017. The patent-pending blanket prevents discomfort from sweating during sleep, and is constructed from down and Merino wool to reduce moisture and humidity. Priced from USD 250, the duvet will begin shipping in December 2017. Beds at DasPosthotel in Austria provide guests with sheets made out of an organic beech wood fibre that is cooling in the summer and warming in the winter.

Hotel RangaGuests can opt for Northern Lights wake-up call

Guests at the Hotel Rangá in Iceland can request a wake-up call in the middle of the night to head outside to view the Northern Lights when they appear, as they are especially visible in the hotel’s rural location. The hotel has the most advanced observatory and astrophotography centre in the country: it hosts a roll-off roof, computerised telescopes and an 18-inch reflector (the largest telescope in Iceland).

4. Night Nurses

Kickstarter.com

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5. Intuitive Dining

Dar AhlamHotel serves customised meals in unique spots

The 100-person staff at the Dar Ahlam mansion in the Moroccan desert take note of guests’ mood and energy levels to serve them customised meals. As the staff learn more about guests’ preferences throughout their stay, their dishes are adjusted. Dar Ahlam also takes travellers on personalised adventures and serves them meals in unique and private locations (such as the gardens of Louis Benech) – and never in the same spot twice.

Ett Hem & Foxhill ManorHotels give guests complete freedom in dining policy

Staying at Ett Hem is like being a guest in somebody’s private home. Each morning the chefs decide on the day’s menu which both guests and non-residents can enjoy at a time and a place of their choice – in the Greenhouse, in the library or in the kitchen. Guests can also help themselves to a snack or a drink in the kitchen any time they like. Foxhill Manor in the UK also follows this premise. All guests are introduced to the chef at the beginning of their stay. Based on the local ingredients available, they can provide the chef with exact details on how they want their meal to be cooked (even down to how they want their vegetables sliced) and enjoy it anywhere from the bath to the cinema room. Visitors can also serve themselves drinks at the beverage station and access the cellar to select their own wine.

Consumers expect pinpoint personalisation, from their bedding preferences to what’s on their dinner plate. But how do you know whether it’s scrambled or sunny side up? Luxury brands are no longer relying on data to create the perfect plate, with a focus on the impeccable prescience of well-trained staff. Cue the emergence of INTUITIVE DINING. In 2018, luxury hospitality brands are proving they are tuned-in to their customer’s needs, and doing away with inflexible menus and rituals. These establishments will surprise guests with what they’re craving or, alternatively, meet their every whim - including where on the property they choose to dine.

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SLH.COM

Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) matches independently minded guests with independently spirited hotels. The diverse collection of over 500 hotels in more than 80

countries around the world includes everything from cutting edge design hotels and city centre sanctuaries to historic country mansions and remote private islands – all SLH hotels are

consistently different, however, they are all united by the fact that they offer the best locations, highest quality, personalised service and a truly authentic way to discover a destination.

TRENDWATCHING.COM

TrendWatching has been tracking the consumer trends, insights and innovations that matter for over 15 years, unlocking powerful new answers to the question “What will your customers

want next?” Their team of researchers and analysts work out of their London, Amsterdam, New York, Singapore, Lagos and São Paulo offices, collaborating with hundreds of on-the-

ground spotters (TW:IN, the TrendWatching Insight Network) in 90+ countries.