Is ‘Luxury’ the New ‘Standard’ in Serviced Accommodation?
‘Luxury SA’, ‘Luxury accommodation’, ‘Luxury stays’, ‘Luxury holiday rentals’ - they are so commonplace now that I truly believe that our perception of what ‘luxury’ is, is slowly becoming the norm.
As consumers, we are expecting more. Our level of ‘acceptable’ has gone up - standards have gone up as more and more SA operators try to stand out from the crowd and draw in their potential guests before they look at their ‘luxury’ competitors.
While this is good for the business - good for standards of service in all hospitality, it is not so great for everyone within that business, struggling to stand out amongst a sea of other options.
There is a sea of mediocrity out there, and its easy to drown, or at least get lost, popping above the surface only temporarily with one or two ‘good’ bookings - literally keeping your head above the financial waters just enough to survive.
But you want to THRIVE!
And here lies the problem.
With so many people claiming to be ‘luxury’, the term has lost its sheen. It’s no longer the glistening promise it once was - the ultimate treat for the average Joe. Now we expect nothing less than ‘luxury’. Gone are the days of appreciating a basic clean room to rest our head - we want more! And luxury is what we opt for.
But part of the charm of ‘luxury’ was the exclusivity of it - only the honoured few were worthy of true luxury. Now, however, it’s the masses who are lured by the term. But with the masses comes the loss of exclusivity.
Luxury has become the new standard.
So what is next? What do we term the next level up? Exclusive? Premium? High-end? Designer? Out-of-this-world?
I haven’t figured this one out yet. No one term seems to encompass what could be ‘more than luxury’. ‘Luxury’ as a term is now tainted, maybe a tad brash, maybe even ‘cheap’? Which is such a shame. But as standards rise, and our expectations alter, our language takes time to catch up.
We not only have to change our language in order to catch up with demand and expectations, we also have to change what we provide. Interior design is a VITAL element of this change. It is what will make the difference - what will stand you apart from every other SA operator who is also swimming in the sea of mediocrity, rising and falling with the seasons and the tide.
INTERIOR DESIGN!
Interior design gives you a lifebelt - in fact, it could give you a whole RNLI lifeboat and crew if you want! You just have to decide to be MORE THAN LUXURY - be ahead of the swimmers and be rescued. You can settle on that island of exclusivity again, happy with your increased profits and maximised occupancy!
Although beware! This will only last until the next wave hits and you have to work out how to be ahead of the crowd of swimmers again.
Being ahead of the game takes constant work. Luxury has been caught by the masses so you need to work hard to escape its net.
If I could give one bit of advice on how to escape the ‘standard’ sea of mediocrity, it would be to use the power of interior design to rise above it.
Stand out and be rescued.
Whatever term we now use for ‘more than luxury’, it is there where the biggest profits are to be made, where true luxury still remains.
