Once upon a time, luxury in hospitality was defined by things such as marble floors, expensive silverware and the thread count of the linens. It was about spectacle and exclusivity. Fast forward to the post-Covid era and that is giving way to a subtler type of luxury that prioritizes thoughtfulness, emotional resonance, community and personalization.
Speaking at IHIF Asia 2025, Jeremy Cooper, chief investment officer at Sydell Group noted luxury no longer needs to be impenetrably exclusive to be aspirational. The company behind cult brands such as NoMad, Freehand and The Line has made a name blending high design with lifestyle accessibility and is now scaling that philosophy globally through a partnership with Hilton.
Add Soul
“At NoMad, we’re really at the intersection of luxury and lifestyle. Some of our entry rooms might be smaller than your typical traditional luxury hotel room but we have a mix of entry rooms and premium rooms and suites where a young, up and coming professional and a billionaire could both feel at home in the same place,” Cooper said.
That approach which includes smaller rooms offset by innovative F&B, curated art and service grounded in empathy reflects a broader shift within the luxury segment. For investors, it’s a practical evolution as this compresses traditional cost structures while widening demand.
And at Langham Hospitality Group, the idea of “comfortable luxury” is central to its repositioning.
“People are fed up with walking into a beautiful space that has no soul,” said Markus Aklin, vice president of development for Asia Pacific and the Middle East as he notes that luxury isn’t just about opulence anymore but rather about warmth, comfort and human connection.
But heritage brands face a unique challenge, namely, how to modernize without losing their soul. And Corinthia Hotels has chosen reinvention over nostalgia.
“There’s no conflict between history and modern luxury,” said Guido Fredrich, chief development officer. “One is a great launch pad for the other.”
The 62-year-old group, traditionally an owner-operator, is now pivoting to an asset-light model, targeting 30 to 35 hotels worldwide. Its newest openings, in New York, Brussels and Bucharest, and a soon-to-launch Rome flagship demonstrate that heritage and innovation can co-exist.
Warmth in Service
The shift demands not only design innovation but cultural change, with the thread connecting each expert’s perspective on what luxury means a focus in a human-centered approach, which begins with the service experience and staff.
“A lot of it is attention to detail,” Cooper said, with Markus noting Langham now hires for personality, not just pedigree. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are joining the ranks of concierges and guest-experience teams, bringing empathy and spontaneity back to luxury service.
“We empower our teams to be themselves,” he adds. “Gone are the days of scripted, cookie-cutter service. What people want now are unscripted moments that feel personal.”
Experts also note that AI will increasingly free staff from administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on what truly matters: connection.
Hiro Abe, managing director of H.A. Advisors, pointed to the same truth from another angle, especially as labor shortages remain a pain point, noted, “you need to create a caring environment within the hotel and within the team not only from a profit point of view but from a sustainable point of view.
The F&B Experience
Turning to F&B, Fredrich said “every property should be locally relevant and activated,” Fredrich as he noted that food & beverage has become a strategic lever for luxury positioning. “We’re working with third-party F&B partners, embedding hotels into their communities, and ensuring they become destinations for locals and visitors alike.”
Experts also stress the importance of tailoring F&B to local diners, stressing that a local-first strategy turns hotels into community hubs and strengthens mixed-use developments. “Developers are now seeing F&B, wellness and private clubs as ways to differentiate entire projects,” Merainer, vice president development - Asia Pacific at Rosewood Hotel Group said.
He added: “Every conversation I have starts with someone who’s been to one of our hotels and loves the energy, the innovation in food and beverage and has a great service experience. When you get F&B right, the guests will follow.”
Wellness
Wellness isn’t a feature but the foundation, adds Equinox’s global head of hotel development and acquisitions Shafi Syed as he explained that by co-locating hotels with clubs in dense, mixed-use neighborhoods, Equinox captures the growing urban demand for convenience and community. “It’s about creating ecosystems where work, play and wellbeing coexist.”
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