The Luxury Letter Blog

By Courtney W. May, Publisher, The Informed Traveler


Something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity, sumptuous or expensive, abundance or great ease and comfort – these are all definitions of luxury. In the past we have tried to help define luxury in terms of hotels and resorts at Five Star Alliance – but overall, there no longer seems to be one standard definition to help determine what is or is not luxury. No longer can something be considered luxury just based on cost, marketing campaigns, or desires. The Google Images “luxury” image results include a shower head, Phantom Rolls Royce, palm tree, a sleeping pod, and a villa exterior – just to name a few. After we asked hundreds of people for their definition of luxury, read quotes both online and off, we found a wide range of varied responses. Do you agree with the ones below? Disagree? What is your definition of luxury?

“A ‘luxury experience’ is something that simply makes me feel good. Or Special. In defining a luxury hotel, for some people this can be staying at ‘the’ Landmark property in town – while for others it can be checking into the newest, hippest, trendy Boutique. Luxury in a hotel goes beyond the physical presence and amenities and extends to the all important levels of service. Luxury is an experience. It’s the total package. One of my friends once told me ‘it’s what I deserve’ – I think that’s pretty close to a perfect definition.” Cal Simmons, Chairman, www.FiveStarAlliance.com (more…)