Everyone in the luxury hotel business can breathe a sigh of relief. The global recession and resulting stigma surrounding indulgences by the world’s richest people once seemed to threaten the industry’s health, but the sector has bounced back and is beginning to thrive again.
“Luxury hotels managed through the worst global recession in their history,” says Scott D. Berman, principal & industry leader in Hospitality and Leisure at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Miami. “For the most part, everyone is still standing.”
But not standing pat. High-end hotels aren’t taking the recovery for granted. Instead, they are raising their game in a bid to lure more customers and ensure that the upturn in demand continues. That means upgrading facilities, providing more customized service, deals and amenities that add value, and looking for new ways to offer guests a memorable travel experience. “They are going to have to continue to be vigilant and deliver uncompromising service,” says Berman.
Indeed, some luxury hotels are already taking action and going to great lengths to satisfy their customers and earn a place on The World’s Best Hotels 2012, Institutional Investor’s annual ranking of the leading hospitality establishments around the globe. Consider the Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, which ranks at No. 1 on this year’s list.
It’s all about attention to detail, says General Manager Greg Liddell. To cater to guests’ needs, the Landmark provides courier services to run errands and has staff help clients pack and unpack and do their laundry. “Generally, people weren’t doing things like this before, but now it’s all about home away from home,” says Liddell.
Other top establishments among The World’s Best Hotels are similarly zoning in on their client’s needs and helping them to create special memories. London NYC, Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles, Ritz-Carlton Central Park in New York and the Peninsula Beverly Hills round out the top five.
What is noteworthy about this year’s list is the number of smaller properties that have won over voters. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental is a boutique version of the Hong Kong-based luxury hotel chain, with just 101 rooms and a dozen suites. The top hotels in the Americas and Europe — London NYC in New York and the Metropolitan in London — are also both niche properties. London NYC is an all-suite hotel in the heart of midtown Manhattan, one of just two London hotels (the other is in West Hollywood) owned by the big private-equity shop Blackstone. The Metropolitan, which offers 144 rooms and suites and 19 long-stay apartments overlooking London’s Hyde Park, is one of 10 hotels and resorts operated by Singapore-based Como Group.
