STAYING ON TREND

Hotels at the forefront of new concepts and global movements

Hotels at the forefront of new global travel movements

Today’s travellers are embracing pared-back extravagance by interacting with local cultures, respecting nature and participating in something that feels bigger than themselves. That’s the verdict from Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), which has identified six themes defining the luxury hospitality scene in 2020 and the progressive hotels delivering these experiences.

CONSCIOUS LUXURY

Discerning travellers now expect bioarchitecture, conservation projects, plastic-free initiatives and carbon neutrality.

Check out: Aleenta Resort and

Spa Hua Hin in Thailand, which champions carbon-free cooking and Harbour Village Beach Club in Bonaire, where guests who dive can learn how to hang and maintain corals and become PADI certified in coral restoration.

DISPERSED HOTELS

Dispersed Hotels span several buildings in one small town or village, creating a unique micro-community for guests and locals.

Check out: Japan’s first dispersed hotel, Enzo Ango Fuya II, in Kyoto, with five buildings dotted along one street; San Canzian Village & Hotel in Buje, Croatia, created on the ruins of an ancient medieval village; and Le Refuge de la Traye in Meribel, France, where eco-luxury chalets have created a ‘hotel hamlet’.

UPSKILLING ESCAPES

Upskilling escapes offer once-ina-lifetime experiences, granting travellers VIP access to specialists in an effort to learn new skills or become experts themselves.

Check out: Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay to learn about the island’s precious Neptune grass with a National Geographic presenter or hire Olympic skier Andrew Weibrecht as your exclusive ski guide at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, Lake Placid, New York.

WELLNESS FROM AHH TO ZZZ

Indigenous spa practices and rituals such as hay baths, volcanic mud and Ayurvedic therapies are on the rise, as are innovative solutions to achieve optimum sleep or rest.

Check out: The sleep fitness programme at Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa in California; the ‘Bamford B Silent Sleep Retreat’ at Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad, Switzerland; and Mind Therapy at Rockliffe Hall in the UK, where wave therapy induces the ultimate power nap.

THE ‘ROOT’ BACK TO REAL FOOD

Plant-based restaurants are rising in popularity and white charcoal, or binchotan, is being incorporated into food and drink across menus worldwide to absorb impurities and release vital minerals.

Check out: The Prince Akatoki London and Mykonos Riviera Hotel & Spa, which both use

Chikutan Sticks made from sustainably derived white charcoal for cocktails and Hotel de la Ville in Monza, Italy, which includes white charcoal in fusion dishes to aid digestion.

DESTINATIONS TO WATCH

Bhutan, one of the only carbon negative countries in the world; Nepal, which celebrates ‘ Visit Nepal’ this year; Azerbaijan, the perfect combination of European, Asian and Middle Eastern influences; and Montenegro, a small country with hidden treasures.

Check out: New SLH properties including Gangtey Lodge in Bhutan; the Lost Horizon Resort & Spa

Begnas, opening near Pokhara, Nepal, in December; Dinamo Hotel Baku in Azerbaijan; and Villa Geba, the group’s first property in Montenegro.

Montenegro