From transparent planes to peace and quiet, top executives from hospitality group Rotanta offer TTN their views on what constitutes a luxury experience
Everyone’s definition of luxury is different, for some it’s about unique experiences, for others just simple peace and quiet.
We spoke to senior staff at Rotana, one the region’s most successful, home-grown hospitality groups, to get their views on what constitutes luxury, favourite travel experiences, both achieved and still to try, and what they see as the future of luxury travel.
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Your definition of luxury: Being a hotelier for so many years, luxury for me is not all about having access to the finer things in life, travelling in the most fantastic destinations, dining in the fanciest restaurants or indulging in the most exciting activities. At this current time, luxury is also about having the highest level of comfort, the time to do things and engage in activities that promote our well-being and, more importantly, it is about creating personal experiences that matter and will last a lifetime. As we say in Rotana, we promise you ‘treasured time’, which for me is a very important component of the word ‘luxury’.
Favourite luxury travel experience: My favourite luxury travel experience was when I travelled to Germany with my family. It was an amazing experience, the culture, the hospitality and the trip in general was truly memorable.
Travel ambition for the future: In the future, I would love to go to Monte Carlo and discover for myself why it is such a famous destination amongst leisure travellers.
Future of luxury travel: Luxury travel has a very bright future ahead in the Middle East and beyond. With consistent innovations and increasing focus on the individual needs of the traveller, the hospitality industry will continue to entice travellers from all over the world. From the opposite perspective, more and more people feel the need and importance of travelling and exploring new destinations hence, luxury travel is indeed a very promising industry not just in the region but internationally.
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Your definition of luxury: Luxury definition can be summarised in the following quote from Coco Chanel: 'Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. Luxury lies not in richness but in the absence of vulgarity. Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury'.
Favourite luxury travel experience: We have recently experienced an unforgettable weekend stay at The Chedi Muscat, a sumptuous resort where luxury and opulence reside in the rich yet simple environments cleverly created by the designers of this exclusive hotel. Elegant concepts developed in both internal and external spaces merged with a personalised service and an outstanding attention to detail made our experience lavish and soothing at the same time.
Travel ambition for the future: A luxury travel ambition that would definitely be one of my future destinations is the W, Retreat and Spa – Maldives.
Future of luxury travel: In my opinion, luxury travel in the region will move away from the seven-star concepts to a more refined, elegant and focused representation of luxury. The luxury concepts will no more revolve around the exorbitant budgets and high levels of expensive finishes, but in the experiences and the new ideas they create and invite us to experience. I am confident that our region will set new milestones in the book of luxury travel destinations as it proves to be the new centre of world development and progress more specifically in the hospitality sector.
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Your definition of luxury: Real luxury is an indulgence in something that provides you satisfaction, pleasure or comfort with experience.
Your favourite luxury travel experience: I usually travel to countries where you see more real nature, to feel the natural and fresh weather, where you are able to rest from the noise of busy cities. For instance places like Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Future of luxury travel: Al Ain has a huge plan for a social and economic future. The city is entering a time of major construction and evolution. Plenty of hotels will be coming up in the, as well as parks and business development. Soon it will become a mini Dubai. However, I think that the focus of luxury for the future in Al Ain has to be more on natural projects, preserving the national heritage of the Emirati ancestors which will keep Al Ain different. I believe this will develop the region as not only a place where people spend a lot of money but also for the luxury of the sense of attaching oneself to nature and complete self rejuvenation.
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Your definition of luxury: I believe luxury is about the personalised service a guest receives from the check-in at the hotel till his departure. This sense of being pampered by hotel staff would make me return again. Luxury also comes with the importance of all the small details one should find in a luxury hotel which make it out of the ordinary.
Favourite luxury travel experience: My favourite luxury travel experience is the small boutique hotels I visited in Tuscany, Italy, and Marrakesh, Morocco.
Travel ambition for the future: A luxury travel ambition I look forward to is taking my family and children to a luxury lodge in Africa on a desert safari.
Future of luxury travel: The future of luxury travel, I believe, will be towards virgin exotic new destinations associated with luxury spas.
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Your definition of luxury: I see luxury as indulging oneself in rich and ostentatious goods, maintaining a high standard of living, worshiping brands etc.
Travel ambition for the future: To travel the world on the equivalent of the Concord airliner, or a Luxury cruise that serves Champagne and caviar for three meals a day! Space travel would be the height of luxury experience.
Future of luxury travel: It is inevitable that our region will embark on a wave of luxury travel experiences in the not too distant future. From private jetting, sophisticated luxury marine travel, to seven-star hotels. The question is when!
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Your definition of luxury: Space, tranquility, freedom
Favourite luxury travel experience: My favourite luxury travel experiences were trips to Hawaii, Kenya and a Nile cruise.
Travel ambition for the future: A long holiday in a lodge in somewhere in a tranquil place high in the mountains.
Future of luxury travel: Highly customised ‘dream holidays’ and more ‘thrill’ holidays.
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Your definition of luxury: My definition of luxury is two-fold: to have lots of space around you – and to have total peace and quiet (no disturbances).
Favourite luxury travel experience: Spending five days a few years ago on the northernmost island of the Maldives. The island was very remote, our suite was extremely large, had its own swimming pool and beach with clear blue water and white sand. Both the television reception and the internet were down for much of the time so there were no disturbances. It took a while to reach – two planes, a sea plane and a boat – but it was worth it!
Travel ambition for the future: The North or South Pole, if looking at a cold-weather experience, somewhere remote but with certain luxuries like a nice shower. For a hot-weather experience, there are still many places in the Middle East that I have yet
to explore.
Future of luxury travel: Travelling on a plane with see-through walls, a private pool in the room, minimum disturbance, no rules (set times to do things) and lots of space.
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Your definition of luxury: Luxury is the absence of crowds and crowded places, it is space. It is the ability of detaching from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life. It is ultimate freedom, to do what you please without limitations for time and space.
Favourite luxury travel experience: A short holiday at Four Seasons Bali Jimbaran Bay in a villa with a private pool. Days spent sailing, lazing on the beach and using the spa.
Travel ambition for the future: In the future I would love to travel on a private jet around the world, from big cities to remote rural areas; all in the absence of mass tourism.
Future of luxury travel: Bespoke programmes with privacy and exclusivity, uncomplicated movement by air, sea and ground and access to local culture with genuine people. Accommodation should provide amenities matching guests’ preferences and fully integrated with today’s technology (media) and unobtrusive butler service.