Luxury Travel, Lifestyle and Marketing Trends

The socialite – whose great-grandfather Conrad Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels – says she is ready to follow in the footsteps of her family as she believes she needs a new challenge in her career. We’ve already seen her become a reality TV star, a singer, have her own fragrances, a clothing line and appear in movies, and apparently she is now ready to try her hand at being a hotelier.

Apple has already revolutionized how we use technology in our daily lives. And there is no doubt that Apple’s iPad has the same potential to revolutionize the dining and hospitality industry. Here’s a list of ten that are laying the foundation for a new generation of hotels and restaurants outfitting their traditional services with the iPad. These early-adopter pioneers can potentially get a valuable lead in the industry’s competitive landscape.

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?”