Originally Posted by
vuittonsofstyle
I tend not to stay at NON-hotel places. Medi Spas are not my thing - well, at least until Nigel Franklyn persuades Clinique La Prairie that they need a chemical-free skincare option. He is still working on it, apparently.
I have stayed at places like Skibo Castle, which is a members only club, and really did not like it.
I enjoy the people-watching aspect of hotels, the buzz of a restaurant, the variety of activities that are not as niche as, say, a Spa Clinic. I guess I don't like being told what to do, what to eat etc.
Cruises terrify me. The idea of being trapped with people I may not like on a floating skyscraper, with dinner at the Captain's table, is something I would pay to avoid.
The same is true of some safari camps, where communal dining is de rigeur. I prefer to choose my dinner dates.
I like staying in Villas within hotels, such as Amanpuri Villas, because there you can choose to dine in or go out to one of the restaurants. Same for Trisara et al.
I like hotels and resorts too much to go to a clinic or a stand-alone Villa.
I totally agree with you, especially in terms of cruises -- terrible idea.
I am not a fan of medical spas either. Clinique La Prairie works very well for a medical check-up, but it is hardly a spa that suits my taste obviously. The dynamics however are quite interesting: Their initial skin care line, La Prairie, is long sold off to Beiersdorf, replaced by their recent development, Swiss Perfection, which is - of course - utilized in their spa there. It also seems that Four Seasons, amongst other hotel groups, jumped on the bandwagon and has taken on Swiss Perfection in some of their spas. I equally hope they would introduce a chemical-free option, but knowing their owners I fear Nigel will fall on deaf ears.
Isn't Necker also Communal Dining? Kage?
Originally Posted by
KatW
I've twice tried the luxury spa experience, it is not for me.
Any cruise (including Residensea), other than privately chartered by one's self or group of friends is going to land you on a vessel with unknown companions. In a hotel, it's easy to avoid folk who put you off. On a floating hotel, not so much.
I've not felt compelled to seek out luxury non-hotel/ resort experiences because a true luxury hotel/resort (e.g., Le Bristol, Twin Farms) is just exactly my cup of tea.
Interesting. I actually love a luxury spa experience, as long as it is intuitive. I don’t like too many gadgets and chemicals. Rather skilled therapists and quality ingredients, so medical spas often don’t fit the bill.
Cruises don’t appeal to me for the same reason mega-resorts, such as Atlantis for example, scare me. Especially when they involve some sort of ‚entertainment‘ or even gambling.
Originally Posted by
SanDiego1K
I used to belong to two private clubs in London. One was the
Lansdowne Club in Berkeley Square. It had rooms for members, as it was meant to be the city residence for those who lived in the country. The property was spectacular with Adams designed bar and ball room. It had an indoor swimming pool and squash courts. However the rooms were very spartan.
Totally forgot about private clubs. Great post -- thank you!
My most memorable 'non-hotel'-hotel experience would probably have to be a private residence in Southern California that set on promontory of 25 acres was run (and sized) like a hotel, with a staff-to-guest ratio that most Amans could probably dream of. Although for reasons Vuittons quoted, I do prefer a solid hotel.