Skift Take

The new luxury is very different from the old luxury. Travelers want a more authentic experience, and increasingly that is taking them back to nature.

The Skift New Luxury newsletter is our weekly newsletter focused on the business of selling luxury travel, the people and companies creating and selling experiences, emerging trends, and the changing consumer habits around the sector.

We’ll keep in mind the needs of the specialist travel agents who sell these products as well as the sophisticated consumers who shop for them.

Old-style luxury is all about ostentatious glamour, showing how wealthy you are by doing things that only rich people can afford.

But being so obvious is anathema to today’s new luxury consumers. They don’t just want to look good, they want to feel good, as well, and increasingly that involves some form of escapism in the broadest sense.

Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club encapsulates that trend. As one of its founders told our contributor Samantha Shankman, the real luxury for guests is “disconnecting from the hectic nature of modern life, and connecting with the group around you on a deeper level.”

Stressed-out millennials are looking for ways to slow down, and smart brands are coming up with innovative ways to help them out.

— Patrick Whyte, Europe Editor

Five Looks at Luxury

The Future of Luxury for Overstimulated Millennials Looks Serene: Circadian mood lighting might cut it on a business trip, but the future of luxury will be based in actual nature.

How a Hotel Stay Can Make You Feel Better: Wouldn’t it be nice if a hotel room could enhance your sleep, whip you into shape or make you relax? Four Seasons, MGM and Swissôtel are among the brands experimenting with accommodations designed to make guests feel healthier.

Why This Boutique Barcelona Hotel Transformed Itself Into a New York Weekend: Cross-promotions like this are most successful when both sides have something to gain. While Seagram’s gets access to a new audience, The Corner Hotel can enhance its reputation.

A Cruise Ship Called The World Is a Luxury Home at Sea for the Super Rich: The World is a fascinating hybrid of vacation home and luxury ship. Casual cruisers need not apply: In order to own a piece of the “Residences at Sea,” interested parties need $10 million in assets, a clean background, connections to current owners, and nearly $1 million a year for maintenance.

Technology Is Top of Mind for Hotels: The heads of luxury brands at Marriott and Hilton and other leading industry experts have some bold 2018 predictions ranging from the disappearance of turndown service to the rise of Internet-connected guest rooms.

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Skift Europe Editor Patrick Whyte [[email protected]] curates the New Luxury newsletter. The newsletter is emailed every Tuesday.

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Tags: cruise, hotels, luxury, wellness

Photo credit: A guest relaxes at Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club in New York's Catskill Mountains. The property promotes a slower pace of life. Peter Crosby / Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club

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