How Homogeneous Are Ultra-Luxury Hotel Guests? Privacy Vs. Scene & Networking

There are a lot of people online making a lot of broad generalizations, often based on limited firsthand experience. I think this is about as true in the luxury hotel space as anywhere.

I’ve repeatedly seen people make this broad claim that luxury hotel guests are seeking privacy above all else in their travels, and that this is somehow one of the primary things that causes them to spend many thousands of dollars per night at a hotel.

For example, with the recent Amanvari and Ryan Walker drama, many people tried to justify Aman’s actions by arguing that those spending $5K+ per night just want privacy, and don’t want someone recording things. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I viewed that as a bit of a straw man argument, since it didn’t in any way excuse the way the hotel treated him.

Anyway, in this post I’d like to talk more broadly about the different profiles of ultra-luxury hotel guests that I observe, because I don’t think they’re nearly as homogeneous as some people like to claim. I also think that one of the primary motivators people have for booking many luxury hotels amounts to the opposite of a desire for privacy.

Three major categories of ultra-luxury hotel guests

In general, luxury hotel rates have gone through the roof in recent years. If you ask me, it’s hard to make the argument that most luxury hotels represent a good “value.”

But the simple reality is that there are a lot of people with limited free time but a lot of money, so they’re willing to pay whatever for those peak experiences. Hotels are very much trying to capitalize on that, and are essentially skimming the market, charging sky high rates, because they know they can get people to pay those rates.

In this post, I’d like to share what I consider to be the three broad guest categories of those staying at ultra-luxury hotels. Let me be clear that I’m painting with a very broad brush here, and there’s quite a bit of variance depending on where we’re talking about (a top resort is going to be different in this way in Courchevel vs. St. Barths vs. Bali).

Perhaps ironically, I consider “those seeking privacy” to be the smallest of these groups. Let me explain.

Those who book a hotel for the scene & networking

There’s no denying that the way people choose hotels has changed over the years. We have a different recommendation culture than ever before, and especially at the hotels retailing for many thousands of dollars per night, it has very much become about “seeing and being seen.”

Just look at properties like Eden Rock St. Barths or Hotel du Cap-Eden-Rock. Very few people are booking hotels like this in peak season because they want to be “invisible” — they’re typically doing so because they want to be part of the scene, want to see people like them, and want to be seen by others like them, and possibly even meet new people.

The rates being charged by many of these hotels are almost like a “social tax,” where you’re paying for the privilege of that.

Want prime proof that people want to be seen? I mean, go to Courchevel, probably the world’s most over-the-top ski destination. People aren’t ordering Jeroboams of Cristal at 12PM and being carried by four shirtless servers in a chair with a crown and sparklers because they want to fly under the radar.

The way that people crave scene differs, so I’m not trying to argue that everyone is equally flashy, or whatever. Some want to post that they were somewhere on social media, some just want to see others from their social network, etc. But a sense of scene, and being around others who you “perceive” to be of a similar class, is definitely a factor, for better or worse.

The CEO of Orient Express recently talked about the company’s guest profile, since many guests may have their own jets or yachts, but still choose an Orient Express experience. Why?

“A lot of our guests do it for the networking effect, because they want to meet other like minded people. Obviously it’s at a certain price point, so immediately you can create a very interesting network of people… maybe it’s transactional, but not necessarily from a business point of view, it’s also social transactions.”

That’s a remarkably honest reflection of how travel has evolved, and I think people often dismiss that.

Those who book a hotel for the hospitality experience

At its core, a great hotel is supposed to offer an amazing hospitality experience. It’s not about the other guests, but instead, it’s about the facilities, attention to detail, service, dining, etc. This is very much what I love about luxury hotels… good hospitality is an art, and just as I love when airlines put in effort, the same is true of hotels.

I’ve explained it before, I’m a huge introvert, so I absolutely don’t go to a hotel because I want to be seen by anyone, or because I’m looking to engage. When Ford and I sit at a bar, I always ask if I can sit on the side that has no one on the other side.

Now, I will say that I love people watching, but that applies everywhere, whether I’m at an amazing hotel, or an airport gate. Humans are fascinating, and I get endless enjoyment out of observing “life.”

But I do think a sizable number of ultra-luxury hotel guests come into an experience just looking to have a nice, relaxing time. For example, this is why I try to visit hotels in the shoulder season, rather than peak season. Not only are rates lower, but I also prefer to be at hotels when there’s less of a scene, and it’s less busy with the people who desperately want to feel like they’re part of something.

Those who book a hotel for a sense of privacy

There’s no denying that some percentage of hotel guests also book ultra-luxury hotels for the privacy and seclusion they can offer. Now, I don’t think this is anywhere close to a majority of ultra-luxury hotel guests nowadays.

I suppose there are also different ways to interpret what constitutes privacy. A place can be serene and not crowded, while still being a scene, where guests are trying to get involved in “the action” rather than getting away from it (which is typically what I’d associate with the concept of “privacy”).

I think Aman is a perfect example of a brand that has massively transformed over the years. Going back well over a decade, it absolutely was a brand that was about privacy. “Amanjunkies,” as they’re called, would seek out these properties not because they wanted to go home and brag to their friends that they stayed at them, but instead, they just wanted a truly immersive experience. Amans also weren’t as insanely priced.

However, the brand has changed post-Adrian Zecha. Aman has very much capitalized on its “coolness” and being more mainstream, and I think that has turned the brand from one that’s about privacy, to one that’s about seeing and being seen. I mean, the brand has gone from opening resorts in the middle of nowhere, to opening hotels with members clubs in some of the world’s busiest cities.

So I’d quibble with the narrative that Aman guests want privacy… quite to the contrary, I think a large percentage of them nowadays want others to know they stayed at an Aman.

To me, there’s also the funny question of what constitutes a “violation” of privacy. People of course take big issues with “influencer culture,” which I get. But what about the 25-year-old hot Russian with the 80-year-old “boyfriend” who spends half of her stay having pictures of herself taken? Does she fit in the “chosen class” of “belonging,” or is she the type of person that some people think are ruining luxury hotels?

Bottom line

As I see it, the guest profile at many ultra-luxury properties has changed, and that’s perhaps more reflective of overall societal shifts. Many people want to be at the “cool” places with other people of similar means.

Some hotels are now able to charge $5K+ per night for a base room in peak season, with basically nothing included. It’s amazing how many people will gobble that right up. As I see it, this reflects a very simple reality — a lot of people are willing to pay this because they want to be around other people who are willing to spend that amount to stay somewhere.

To me, that’s the opposite of seeking “privacy,” at least in a traditional sense (defined as “the right or ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves, keep personal affairs concealed, and control who has access to their personal information”).

Anyway, those are my two cents, and like I said, I don’t think everyone is the same, so people are all over the place when it comes to what drives them to stay at hotels. But I do firmly believe that the percentage of ultra-luxury hotel guests who specifically want to be secluded from others is a decreasing number.

What’s your take on this — agree or disagree?