The Future of Luxury Hospitality, Through the Wellness Lens.
We’re into our fourth year of the pandemic. Four years that have completely shifted our attitude toward health, wellness and overall well-being. People understand the consequences of their choices more than ever and we’re able to quantify everything from our ability to sleep, digest, burn fat, calorie intake and steps. Constantly.
Wellness has become a priority for most luxury audiences. A deep desire for health and wellness is radically reshaping what luxury brands need to offer and how to communicate the value of their goods and services. It has re-written industries from fashion to real estate, and will continue to transform new segments.
Gyms and fitness studios are fast becoming the third space of choice for affluent millennials, the demand for natural and organic beauty products is soaring and luxury travel experiences are being redefined to deliver rich wellness programs to guests searching for more than a deck chair by the pool. First class lounges can no longer simply rely on offering the best products, but need to offer holistic wellness experiences whilst people are in transit.
Affluent audiences of all ages are willing to allocate a substantial amount of their disposable income to wellness products and experiences.
Whilst this impacts almost every category in the luxury sector, at Rankin Creative, one trend that particularly stood out is the rise of the wellness narrative and experience in luxury hotels. Often in the form of targeted wellness programs, these revenue-generating packages create opportunities for stay-cations and partnerships, generate loyalty and ultimately differentiation in an increasingly competitive market place. According to The Robb Report, not only has well-being become a top priority for guests, but an integral part of how they want to travel in the future.
Often conjuring images of yoga at sunrise, green juice and aromatherapy, there’s a huge opportunity for the more progressive hotel brands to completely shake up the status quo and craft experiences that begin to completely re-define the industry.
At Rankin Creative, we strongly believe the only way to stay relevant is to be in constant dialogue with people whose attention you want. We’re always talking to our audience groups, from Gen-Z to Ultra high net-worth boomers. Here are five things for luxury hotels to consider in their wellness offering:
1.Get personal, at every touch point
In an age of personalisation, guests are looking for wellness-focused experiences that cater to every aspect of their stay. From private chefs and personalised nutritional meals to in-room fitness experiences, wellness is on their terms at every single touch point.
2.Embed wellness into your programming strategy
Wellness is becoming less of an occasionally sought out experience, but a lifestyle choice, so whilst specific programs are good, people are increasingly looking for an integrated wellness offering that lets them go about their stay and day as they would at home, with a focus on health. Holidays are no longer just about reckless abandon, gluttony and indulgence but a balanced experience. Hotels that can offer both will tap into the rewards that both of these needs can create.
3.Partnerships can do the heavy lifting
People love their favourite and most trusted brands showing up in places and spaces that mean a wellness standard has been set. Partnerships in the luxury hotel experience can offer unprecedented opportunities for partnerships to solidify a wellness strategy. From Augustinus Bader’s collaboration with Claridges to Mandarin Oriental and Movementum, the bar is being set and proving to be effective.
4.Offer spaces beyond the bar
Younger generations are looking for places and spaces that offer more than toxic drinking culture, including hotels they book when on holiday. From everything to ice-bathing, dance nights or communal saunas in their private suites, younger people are looking for luxury communal experiences that go beyond bar and champagne culture.
5.Offer alternative products
Luxury wellness isn’t just about what you do, but what you can consume - from non-alcoholic champagne to Ayurvedic meals, people are actively choosing places that can fully cater to a healthy diet, from farm fresh food to virgin olive oil in the kitchens.