Luxury Travel & Lifestyle Trends

A new wave of cool, movable accommodations are appearing and morphing every few months while tying into compatible events. Not always pricey, pop-ups give consumers something they can perceive as an exclusive discovery, to be grabbed “while it lasts.”

Omni Hotels is taking its sensory branding to the next level by making a lasting emotional impression on guests with customized scents “based on the destination’s particular ambiance” which they refer to as the ‘local color’ experience that they’re looking to create for each hotel.

The hospitality industry is nothing if not competitive, so utilizing new technologies makes good sense as a means of differentiation. Engaging new technologies, we’ve seen Sheraton’s use of interactive tables, Mama Shelter’s installation of iMacs in every room, the Algonquin’s use of Kindles and the Townhouse Hotel’s emphasis on Twitter. The savviest now realize that achieving marketing success means figuring out how to rivet the attention of consumers obsessed with sleek mobile devices. Now continuing along this technological path comes InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, which recently announced that it is equipping its concierges with Apple’s recently launched iPad.

The Wall Street Journal reports that broadcast company, NBC Universal, is taking a new approach to advertising with behavior placement. “In just one week on NBC, the detectives on “Law and Order” investigated a cash-for-clunkers scam, a nurse on “Mercy” organized a group bike ride, Al Gore made a guest appearance on “30 Rock,” and “The Office” turned Dwight Schrute into a cape-wearing superhero obsessed with recycling.”

Globetrotting oenophiles can stop by The Ritz London to taste a glass of the hotel’s signature Pauillac wine, bottled by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in the first ever partnership between the prestigious label and a hotel. The hotel is part of a new movement by luxury hotels to offer guests bespoke, customized house wines.

Over the last couple years, ART has become a central focus for hoteliers due to its appeal to affluent consumers (i.e. art is a part of an affluent lifestyle), its ability to add personality to any room, and the value it adds to the guest experience. An added benefit - it can be a very good investment over time. As a result, we’re seeing more and more hotels creating distinctive interiors by keeping up with some of the hottest trends affecting the art market.

I rank Starbucks exec Howard Schultz in a category with other great entrepreneurs/minds of the decade including Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and the folks at Google. Schultz was the first to identify and capitalize on the importance of community, selling the idea of a place to connect with friends and colleagues rather than just another coffee bar. He was also one of the first to champion free trade products.

Recently I was a guest speaker at a Preferred Hotel Group conference, and a question on the minds of many was, “Do the affluent use social media?”

It’s permeating everything from gifting and wedding registries to personal enrichment and self-reinvention, so that creativity and artistic expression are accessible to everyone, not just reserved for the affluent.

Temporary stores have been popping up with some regularity since 2003, but pricey rents and a lack of available space made them a major investment. Now temporary stores have emerged as a perfect solution for cash-strapped brands, commission-hungry brokers and landlords faced with a glut of commercial real estate space. Brands are using these interim spaces as a means to create buzz, test new concepts or even evaluate a new neighborhood or city.