Housekeeping re Luxury Hotel forum: your opinions sought
Jan 16, 2017, 4:05 pm
#34
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My only comment on this topic at this point is that it seems to me to be a bit ambiguous where the true luxury chains with frequent guest programs belong, given that those frequent guest programs tend not to be very interesting. I get that luxury properties that belong to chains with programs are discussed in those fora (RC, StR, PH, and Waldorf Astoria in Marriott, SPG, Hyatt, and Hilton respectively as possible examples of luxury brands within major hotel chains, Kimpton in other programs, individual hotels such as some of the LC properties within Starwood, etc.) but what about true luxury chains like Peninsula, Imperial's ICI, and Raffles, at least before it became more closely affiliated with Fairmount etc.? To me, it's ambiguous from the fora descriptions.
A further comment is that one should consider whether the updated Luxury Travel forum will need subfora at some point for hotels, cruises, etc.
A further comment is that one should consider whether the updated Luxury Travel forum will need subfora at some point for hotels, cruises, etc.
Jan 16, 2017, 5:22 pm
#35
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: QF CL
Posts: 689
I've just added cruises to the forum description:
Discussion regarding the very best luxury properties around the world as well as luxury train, cruises, private air charter, and luxury guide service..
Is there anything more we should add to the description? Someone mentioned wanting to discuss private villa rental.
Discussion regarding the very best luxury properties around the world as well as luxury train, cruises, private air charter, and luxury guide service..
Is there anything more we should add to the description? Someone mentioned wanting to discuss private villa rental.
Jan 16, 2017, 6:59 pm
#36
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
"Properties" in current description would include non hotel managed villas. There has always been some discussion of such villas on this forum from time to time. I am in favor of this as long as the villas discussed are in fact "luxury" i.e. comparable to or of a higher standard than resort managed villas.
Jan 17, 2017, 10:14 pm
#37
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,853
"Properties" in current description would include non hotel managed villas. There has always been some discussion of such villas on this forum from time to time. I am in favor of this as long as the villas discussed are in fact "luxury" i.e. comparable to or of a higher standard than resort managed villas.
Jan 17, 2017, 10:25 pm
#38
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,542
"Properties" in current description would include non hotel managed villas. There has always been some discussion of such villas on this forum from time to time. I am in favor of this as long as the villas discussed are in fact "luxury" i.e. comparable to or of a higher standard than resort managed villas.
Jan 18, 2017, 4:16 am
#39
formerly declinespecificinformatiom
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,140
For the villas/apartments we've stayed at: Ani Villas Sri Lanka, Iniala, El Palauet Living, and upcoming stays at Ani Anguilla, as well as a villa in Cape Town, our stays at Aman et al seem like tiny hotel rooms with fairly cheap, generic furnishings, and a lobby to walk through. In the cases of the staffed places the service standards have been much higher and when it was not staffed it was nice to not walk through a lobby or eat a buffet breakfast.
I define luxury travel differently than a hotel room, and like more in terms of space and furnishings. If any thing, the hotel rooms could be the weak link on this forum.
It would certainly be interesting if one argued the other way around: that we could include hotel rooms if they are in fact luxury, i.e. comparable or of a higher standard than luxury villas. Then we might be left with North, Fregate, Luacala and the all the big-box chain hotels would no longer be included!
I'm personally far more interested in hearing about unique or independent properties than I am in reading about Four Seasons or Westin hotels even if there's no concierge. But I'm probably an outlier on this board as I don't need luxury places to stay at, plus I don't really know what the term means. It frequent use seems kind of 1980's to me.
I define luxury travel differently than a hotel room, and like more in terms of space and furnishings. If any thing, the hotel rooms could be the weak link on this forum.
It would certainly be interesting if one argued the other way around: that we could include hotel rooms if they are in fact luxury, i.e. comparable or of a higher standard than luxury villas. Then we might be left with North, Fregate, Luacala and the all the big-box chain hotels would no longer be included!
I'm personally far more interested in hearing about unique or independent properties than I am in reading about Four Seasons or Westin hotels even if there's no concierge. But I'm probably an outlier on this board as I don't need luxury places to stay at, plus I don't really know what the term means. It frequent use seems kind of 1980's to me.
Last edited by DSI; Jan 18, 2017 at 4:26 am
Jan 20, 2017, 5:04 am
#41
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Jan 20, 2017, 9:21 am
#42
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I think "Luxury Travel" fits the bill.
I think getting into the details of what is and isn't included (chain, non chain, hotel, villa, private rental etc) misses, to a certain extent, the usefulness of this forum. I think 'luxury' is relative, and someone may be looking for the 'least bad' option in a location and thinks others in this forum might be able to ascertain what that is if they have visited the same town / city / island etc. The property may or may not fit a standard definition of luxury, but if the best option in town is equivalent to a 4 star by NY / London / Tokyo standards, it is likely where members of this forum stayed when they were in that town, and it is useful to have their opinions on that 'luxurious' option for that location.
I think getting into the details of what is and isn't included (chain, non chain, hotel, villa, private rental etc) misses, to a certain extent, the usefulness of this forum. I think 'luxury' is relative, and someone may be looking for the 'least bad' option in a location and thinks others in this forum might be able to ascertain what that is if they have visited the same town / city / island etc. The property may or may not fit a standard definition of luxury, but if the best option in town is equivalent to a 4 star by NY / London / Tokyo standards, it is likely where members of this forum stayed when they were in that town, and it is useful to have their opinions on that 'luxurious' option for that location.
Jan 21, 2017, 8:21 am
#43
Join Date: May 2016
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Carol,
Firstly, thank you as always for your efforts and work here on FT. You and the other Mods have sometimes difficult and almost always thankless roles. So, thank you.
As to your questions:
1) Please don't.
2) I'd be amenable, perhaps, to a Luxury Travel forum, with separate sub-fora for Cruises, Private Air, Hotels (i.e. this forum), and any other options others think appropriate.
It might be nice to have a sort of "one stop shop" for those who wish to put together solely Luxury travel.
-aa
Firstly, thank you as always for your efforts and work here on FT. You and the other Mods have sometimes difficult and almost always thankless roles. So, thank you.
As to your questions:
1) Please don't.
2) I'd be amenable, perhaps, to a Luxury Travel forum, with separate sub-fora for Cruises, Private Air, Hotels (i.e. this forum), and any other options others think appropriate.
It might be nice to have a sort of "one stop shop" for those who wish to put together solely Luxury travel.
-aa
Ken
Jan 21, 2017, 6:46 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Posts: 1,245
I will prefer to keep the forum as it is now. The miles and points section caters to a different category of travelers. Over there, I find most of them obsessed with upgrades and points, or getting the best deal, rather then getting a luxury experience.
Jan 21, 2017, 8:47 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: Plat AA; UA Gold; Virtuoso Advisor; Marriott Stars; Hyatt Privr; Fairmont
Posts: 30
Carol,
Firstly, thank you as always for your efforts and work here on FT. You and the other Mods have sometimes difficult and almost always thankless roles. So, thank you.
As to your questions:
1) Please don't.
2) I'd be amenable, perhaps, to a Luxury Travel forum, with separate sub-fora for Cruises, Private Air, Hotels (i.e. this forum), and any other options others think appropriate.
It might be nice to have a sort of "one stop shop" for those who wish to put together solely Luxury travel.
-aa
Firstly, thank you as always for your efforts and work here on FT. You and the other Mods have sometimes difficult and almost always thankless roles. So, thank you.
As to your questions:
1) Please don't.
2) I'd be amenable, perhaps, to a Luxury Travel forum, with separate sub-fora for Cruises, Private Air, Hotels (i.e. this forum), and any other options others think appropriate.
It might be nice to have a sort of "one stop shop" for those who wish to put together solely Luxury travel.
-aa