EuropeanPete

As some others have hinted at here, now may well be an opportune time to swap out Amangiri for Sveti Stefan, Phuket for Vegas and Mexico for the Maldives.

The challenge is to really get the “Russian discount” from hotels which have lost Russian kleptocrat guests is that a lot of their favoured venues have developed a certain ascetic and atmosphere which may not be entirely to western tastes.

I’ll never forget Russian new year at the Conrad Rangali Island. Just me and my date romantically under the stars, alongside loud rave music and about 50 wasted Russians who had decamped from a few nearby super yachts.

Ghoulish

My personal assistant at BKK Waldorf, a native of Phuket, suggested well heeled Western Europeans have been migrating away from the resorts popular with Russians because they'd become too raucous.

EuropeanPete

I think I might know who you mean, and she's absolutely right

floridagal23

that is terrifying since Singita rates have doubled since our 2015 and 2016 trips!

TOMFORD

Hope more Asian destinations loosen restrictions so we can stop entertaining outrageous rates in US/EU.

chinmoylad

Will they not go up too (eventually)?

Some properties were basically left empty for 12-18 months, if not longer (exaggerated but you know what I mean) - and some people expected free cancellations/full refunds in light of Covid/travel changes etc. Now that travel is back up and running, surely you'd expect prices to go up given these properties barely made any money for a year or longer (two in some cases).

ridefar

This is about as unrepresentative sample as it gets, but for two Aman (Pulo and Puri) properties, the rates for next high season are (at the moment) pretty much the same rates as before the pandemic for high season.

Ghoulish

Seems the case in most of Thailand.

I noticed my average GRAB ride has gone up by 10% or so, but it's hardly noticeable when it's still uber at a 90% discount off NYC prices for an equivalent ride

chinmoylad

Yes, but bear in mind travellers aren't flooding in yet so they need to be (somewhat) enticed. Same for Aman Indonesia, some great rates/deals on at the moment if you book in (in fact, lower than previously).
I do wonder if that will change given how the rest of the world has adapted. I don't mean it will 2-3x like some places have done, but surely a ~10-20%+ rate hike if not more to account for losses over the last couple of years, and they should have strong demand?

I think a lot of is partly 'domestic'/regional driven though - until Hong Kong, Japan etc fully open up, the markets for these places is more limited than it usually is.

EuropeanPete

Thailand is still empty and will stay quiet as China stays home. The challenge is that the bulk of the market has shifted from highly price sensitive locals and expats in-country to international tourists who are comparing Thailand to all inclusives in the Caribbean and IG hot spots in Bali. Thailand remains great value, but it does mean that they are no longer pricing at the same level.

richarddd

Businesses tend to charge whatever the market will bear in order to maximize profits. Current market forces are much more important than past losses. They would increase 10-20%+ if they could whether or not they lost money over the past couple of years.

KatW

Two months ago I booked six nights in a Park Suite at the Lanesborough for late April. Cost was £1850 per night taking into account fourth night free. That suite now for those dates is £2650/nt, no free night.

Not only the U.S.

Jason85

My family is coming to visit me in LA, so I always book rooms at The Beverly Hills Hotel or The Maybourne (formerly Montage). Rates have only been going up and up over the last few years. I was just checking my emails and I was paying $700/night in 2017 for a deluxe room. I get a discount and work with the hotel directly. The normal rate was $895 back then. It increased over the last couple of years by only a slight margin, maybe a $200 increase since 2017, but I was just looking at the rates for August, and the Deluxe room which I usually book is going at $2300! That's nuts! It never went past $1200 (for high season). I get a 20% discount, but still! Keep in mind my family stays there for a month. Rates are way less at the best hotels in the South of France or the Amalfi Coast for starter rooms.

I think it's just the US where where rates have sky rocketed. I've been staying at the same room category at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, and rates have only increased 200-300 euros since 2012, which makes sense. They also had a total renovation 5-6 years ago, so that's another factor. The same is with Hotel du Cap. I have been staying there every summer for 2 weeks since forever, and rates have only gone up for 350 euros since 2014 for the same room category. Ritz Paris on the other hand, I've seen an increase of 100 euros a year max since 2017. Nothing justifies a 3x fare for hotels here in LA.

Jerkstore

Maybourne has a pretty solid ABA rate. Worth looking into.

offerendum

Indeed. I booked the 4 nights and mentioned it too. Frankly, at the moment I wouldn´t book it.