Millennial travel: Old school luxury for new school kids
Photograph by Craft House Consulting
From the Blog, The Good, the Bad, and the Funky, by Yvette Jong, for HOTELSmag.com
Is millennial travel all About boutique hotels and coliving, or is there a new breed of travelers - young, professional, reaching their peak of income earning, and dying to experience old school luxury?
While the definition of “luxury” can be redefined again and again – we’ve said it’s everything from silence and flexibility to genuine cultural exchanges, we now feel there will be a return and growth of “traditional (read old school) luxury.” And not just amongst our parents, but even amongst Millennials.
This doesn't mean all Millennials seek only “traditional luxury.” But we believe that somewhere in the middle of their lives with too much to do and too little time, some Millennials desire the opportunity to decompress, regenerate, and be waited on hand and foot. With growing disposable incomes and greater access to work while traveling, they may not be willing to venture offline, but they are willing to bask in the glory of services once made available to the world’s elite.
Thankfully, there exist some standout hotels providing amazing experiences. From the Connaught in London and the Pierre in New York to Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand. These offer world-class service with employees who are responsive, empathetic, flexible, calm and cool when helping make small miracles happen. They have Michelin food, in-room dining with personalized menus, spas that make you melt away, housekeepers who line up your bobby pins and draw you a bath, butlers who will light your fireplace and gracefully gather the balls you throw at them.
Here’s to Millennials, and millennial travel, aspirational in every sense.
Craft House Founder and Director, Yvette Jong, contributes regularly to her HOTELS Magazine Blog titled, "The Good, the Bad and the Funky." Topics of discussion include all aspects of hospitality development, operations, branding, marketing, human resources, sustainability and much more.