How has the definition of luxury changed over the last decade? What are today the essential characteristics for a hotel to be defined as 'luxury'? 

For a hotel to truly define itself as luxurious today, it must possess certain key characteristics: exceptional service, a high degree of personalization in both design and customer offerings, privacy, amenities such as drivers, personal shoppers, and butlers, security, and high-end cuisine. Beyond the necessary list of services and the more obvious aspects such as exclusivity and attention to detail, today’s concept of luxury revolves largely around a refined customization. While, rationally speaking, luxury can still be defined by a high price, today we are witnessing a redefinition of ‘ultra-luxury’ as a ‘return to origins’, with a particular focus on historical authenticity, one-to-one relationships, and art. This can be summarized in the idea that luxury is an attitude, a way of living and enjoying life, something that makes us say ‘wow’. The experiences offered by a luxury hotel should in fact translate into ‘wow moments’ – or the so-called ‘wow factor’ – namely memorable moments. To achieve this, the people working behind the scenes of luxury must inquire about their guests, understand their tastes, and offer the most tailored experiences possible. Otherwise, it is no longer luxury and bespoke, but standard and cataloged.

What other trends in luxury hospitality are important to be highlighted? 

The current trend is towards personalized experiences – what in French in called cousu main. At Accor, this concept emerges particularly with the MGallery collection, dedicated to all, of course, but with particular attention to women. Typically, hotel sets come in one size conformed to a male model. At MGallery, however, sets are offered in different sizes to fit everyone. Another example is The Purist, characterized by Accor signature holistic retreat approach, based on few key pillars: care/treatment, movement/sports, nutrition, sleep, and circadian rhythm. Central to this is the individual’s well-being, built significantly on nutrition, sport, sleep, and the alignment with the sunrise-sunset rhythm.

A trend already defining the fashion world and now extending to hospitality is the so-called ‘quiet luxury’. In contrast to traditional luxury, which emphasizes opulence, grandeur, and displays of wealth, quiet luxury mutes any excess and embraces tranquil environments where one can relax in a sophisticated manner. The tourists of quiet luxury places prefer small boutique hotels or resorts that offer a high level of service and exclusivity, while maintaining a sense of intimacy. To meet this demand, hotel groups like Accor are developing collections brands to value small boutique hotels and resorts that meet the new luxury demands.

Not so much a trend, but rather a global urgency, I also want to the mention prioritizing sustainable practices in hotel design: sustainability should be the first thought, not the afterthought. At Accor, we are proud to say that 84% of our hotels have eliminated single-use plastics, 34% are eco-certified – with the goal of certifying all MGallery and Sofitel brand structures by 2024 – and more than 700 hotels are in partnership with Too Good to Go, the pioneeting app designed to reduce food waste.