Luxist

Delivering Happiness: Tony Hsieh On Thinking Outside The (Zappos Shoe) Box

Susan Kime — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST

Tony Hsieh ( pronounced SHAY) is not yet a household word, like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or Steve Jobs. But if given a few more MONTHS, he probably will be. And, he might already be to those UNDER a certain age -- say, 35. This is an admittedly arbitrary number, but in terms of the mindsets of youthful entrepreneurs, they know Tony, age 37. He is a serial entrepreneur, who founded Link Exchange while he was an undergraduate at Harvard, and eventually sold it to Microsoft for $265 million in 1998. He eventually became involved with Zappos -- the online shoe retailer in 1999, and came on board full time in 2000.
Under his leadership, Zappos has grown gross merchandise sales from $1.6 million in 2000 to over $1.billion in 2008. And, in 2009, he sold Zappos to Amazon for $850 million, a deal now worth more that $1 billion, due to Amazon's stock appreciation.
He has recently written a book, Delivering Happiness, that chronicles his early personal and professional challenges and successes, that led him from starting a worm farm when he was eleven, to becoming the CEO of one of the most successful 21st century companies thus far.

Somewhere between 2000 and 2009, Zappos became much more than a place to buy and sell shoes online. It became a rara avis -- a company, led by Tony, that envisioned as well as operationalized change, defining a strategic movement from a corporate to consumer-centric focus, creating new parameters of customer service along the way. These range from offering to pay employees to quit after a short time if they were not happy with their jobs, offering customers free shipping both ways and a year to make returns, and hiring 24/7 phone reps who are as courteous, empathic, upbeat, and knowledgeable as any missionary, psychotherapist, or high end hotel concierge. These are are all part of the Zappos revolutionary 21st century methodology that underscore the transparency and humanity of Zappos 10 core values. These values are the essential identity and root system of the Zappos culture : simple, yet profound, they are the e=Mc2 of a more transparent, 21st century business ethos:

l. Delivering WOW through service
2.Embrace and drive change
3.Create fun and a little weirdness
4.Be adventurous, creative and open-minded
5.Pursue growth and learning
6. Build open and honest relationships through communication
7.Build a positive team and a family spirit
8. Do more with less
9.Be passionate and determined
10. Be humble.

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Filed under: Books

Delivering Happiness: Tony Hsieh On Thinking Outside The (Zappos Shoe) Box originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peregrine Wines of New Zealand: Awards-Winning Wines, Architecture, Philanthropy

Susan Kime — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EST

What is this? And where is it?

Actually, it is not a secret defense weapon in the US Air Force arsenal, but upon approaching it, it does look numinous and otherworldly. It is actually the Peregrine Winery, situated in Gibbstown, New Zealand, on the famous Central Otago Wine Road, a road that takes the oenophile 20 minutes outside Queenstown, NZ on a great tasting trip, beginning with Peregrine.

Before discussing the wine, it is important to mention this architecture's many awards, the most recent being the
New Zealand Supreme Architectural Award. Judges from UK magazine The Architectural Review like it too, placing it, in 2004, in the top five of its annual emerging architecture awards. The jury described the Winery as "an elegant blade of light [that] contrasts with the rugged and sublime natural landscape. But Chris Kelly, the architect, described the building in a more avian manner: "It was recognized early on that the building would be important in reinforcing the Peregrine wine brand, so the changing roof gradient was inspired by old images freezing the kinetic rotation of a bird in flight. The roof is evocative of the majesty the Peregrine or native falcon has as it glides on the thermal uplifts off the heated land." However it is interpreted, it is also on DesignCrave's 2009 list of the Ten Architectural Wonders Of The Wine World, for among other things, its inventive handling of space and light.

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Filed under: Wine, By Design

Peregrine Wines of New Zealand: Awards-Winning Wines, Architecture, Philanthropy originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thought Leaders -- The Multicultural, Luxury Dimension: A Interview With Luca Franco

Susan Kime — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:02:00 EST

Luca Franco is well-known in hotel and hospitality circles as one whose reputation has been forged in the luxury, multi-cultural realm. He is fluent in five languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and, Latin and is working on Portuguese. Luca's multi-cultural hospitality experience also is as varied as his linguistic expertise, as it ranges from working with the Ferragamo Group, Bulgari Hotels, to the Four Seasons Hotels and Residences and Marriott Vacation Clubs, to name a few.

Early on, his reputation became solidified as the person who brought the Palazzo Tornabuoni in Florence,Italy, to the fractional interest market, taking the first steps to allow the historic 15th century Medici palace to become what it is today: a multi-awarded contemporary mixed use private residence club. I wrote about this club in a Luxist column, earlier this year. The Palazzo has won many awards, with most recent being from the Urban Land Institute, the Award for Excellence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It was selected from 43 entries across 17 countries, yet the Palazzo stood out ( see below) for the "meticulous level of renovation and restoration demonstrated throughout."

Luca has also had success in the company he founded, Luxury Leisure Properties International, where he and his team have created similar alliances with other hotels, including the renowned Strategic Hotels. In all, they work to create successful high end mixed use projects,with luxury fractional, condo-hotel, wholly owned residences, within existing hotels. At present, his projects range from working at the Baglioni Marrakech Hotel and Residences in Morocco, the Copthorne Hotel in Dubai, to a fractional offering at Rio Quente in Brazil, the San Gimignano Golf Country Resort in Tuscany, and the Ritz Carlton Hotel and esidences in Herzliya, israel. Recently, I interviewed him about his latest projects, and how he sees the future of the luxury mixed use hotel/residence industry

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Thought Leaders -- The Multicultural, Luxury Dimension: A Interview With Luca Franco originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Opening of the Veer Residences, CityCenter Las Vegas

Susan Kime — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:01:00 EST

Last week, on July 14th, the Veer Towers, an integral part of CityCenter, Las Vegas, opened for business. It is one of the most, architecturally avant garde buildings within an exceptional array of edgy, urban structures, Veer Towers is designed by Helmut Jahn and is the only full residential development at City Center. The Towers incline toward each other at 5 degree angles from the center, and are 37 feet high, home to 335 contemporary condo residences, ranging from 500 to 3300 square feet, from studios to 3 bedroom residences and penthouses. Pricing begins from the mid $300,000s to a few million, depending on size, location and interiors. Turnkey interior packages are available, where potential members can move in with only their toothbrush, if desired. At present, in honor of the Veer opening, at some of the Veer towers studios owners can receive a complimentary turnkey interior design/living package, worth up to $20,000 -- an interesting deal, and might include a toothbrush.

I have written about City Center on Luxist before in an article entitled: City Center: The New Urban Vision, but had never been to Veer Towers, as they had not been completed. Now, walking into the residential towers from other areas of CityCenter, I was reminded how much of a city within a city CityCenter really is. Everything is within close proximity. From seeing a studio with exceptional views of the a portion of the Las Vegas skyline, plus multileveled rooftops of Crystals,the 500,000 square floor retail/shopping area, to a residence on a higher floor, ( see image above), the Veer residences offer a sense of sanctuary and peace, all within a city NOT known for such things. Looking out a Veers Towers window at this city of constant. colorful movement can be a peace-inducing experience.

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Filed under: Real Estate Developments

The Opening of the Veer Residences, CityCenter Las Vegas originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thoughts on Consumed: Rethinking Business In An Era Of Mindful Spending

Susan Kime — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST

A seminal book about changing consumer perceptions and attitudes will be released to the public on July 12. Titled Consumed: Rethinking Business In the Era Of Mindful Spending by Andrew Benett and Ann O'Reilly, it takes the reader on a unique process journey through the history of how consumers came to this post- consumptive stress disordered moment, and what the trend implications are for businesses and consumers in the future.

In a recent interview, Andrew Benett, one of the co-authors, said, " It is much more difficult to change a behavior than to change an attitude, but it is obvious we are seeing a revolutionary attitudinal sea change in the consumer. We are moving from hyper-consumerism of past years to more mindful consumer attitudes at the present, and probably in the future."

Much of the book discusses the results of a new consumer study, created by EURO RSCG Worldwide, and fielded by Market Probe International in October-November 2009. Seven markets were studied, Brazil (n=700), China (n=700), France (n=700), Japan (n=700), the Netherlands (n=700), the United Kingdom (n=700), and the United States (n=1,500). The research was based on an attitude assessment questionnaire, and depicts an historic shift in consumer values and attitudes, as the sample populations showed themselves recalibrating what it means to be a consumer in this hyper-consumptive global village.

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Thoughts on Consumed: Rethinking Business In An Era Of Mindful Spending originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Night At The Museum...Hotel

Susan Kime — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST

Upon my arrival in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, I was met by the Corporate Cab driver. After he picked up my luggage, he said, " You are going to The Museum Hotel?" I said that was correct. He then asked, " Have you been there before?" I said I hadn't. He then said, " Well, you will have in interesting time with all that ART."

It was the way he said ART that made me ask, " What do you mean?"

" Well' he said as we drove, " It is a unusual collection. Not ART as usually defined by many people. You'll see what I mean. Like, for example, he has a MOTORCYCLE in the lobby!"

Oh well, I thought, should I tell the Corporate Cab driver about a young entrepreneur I interviewed last year who had a 1950s Porsche lifted onto the mantelpiece of his new condo because he so enjoyed the clean lines of this great work of art? No, I figured I would just remain circumspect, and contemplate the hotel's history.

The Museum Hotel, owned by Chris Parkin, is one of the top ten art hotels in the world, according to Yahoo. It lies near the harbor in Wellington, NZ, and is across the street from the world renowned Te Papa Museum, dedicated to the history, art, and life of the Maori people. But the Museum Hotel was named prior to the Te Papa Museum being built. It was, in fact on the exact spot that the Te Papa was built. In 1993-4, Chris had the Museum Hotel MOVED across the street, a major engineering project, so the Te Papa could be built where it is today. But, where it was and where it is now, The Museum Hotel is a living repository for Chris's evolving and growing art collection.

Gallery: The Museum Hotel, New Zealand

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

A Night At The Museum...Hotel originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Lifetime High: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Offers Luxury Music Camp To Amateur Adult Musicians

Susan Kime — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:02:00 EST

No, this is not a picture of a high school or college reunion, but it is a picture of nearly fifty people who have shared a new, purposeful pleasure: being part of The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's inaugural music "camp" for adults, all of whom wanted to take their musical abilities to a deeper level. These people came from all different areas of life, shared a great love of music, but for one reason or another, were not able to pursue their musical dreams as extensively as they wanted.

To that end, each paid up to $1650.00 for a week of intense rehearsals and interactions to play and learn from the professional musicians and the Maestra of the BSO, Marin Alsop. ( She is fifth from the left in a light blue shirt, in the picture above.) The amateur musicians practiced and played in the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, in Baltimore. According to the Academic Coordinator of the program, this is the first program of its kind in this country.

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A Lifetime High: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Offers Luxury Music Camp To Amateur Adult Musicians originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Harmony: New Zealand And Emerging Luxury Travel Trends, Part 1

Susan Kime — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST

In my recent Luxist articles,The Dawn Of A New Economy, and Is The Recession Over?, I have discussed a multiplicity of luxury trends, derived from the Luxury Summit discussions and research, and from the American Affluence Center Research, Spring 2010. These new trends suggest changes in high end spending and saving, redefining what is newly important to consumers. Such changes have been enhanced by the recession that has at best lightly touched and at worst deeply affected both the aspirational and inspirational high net worth populations. Much of this research suggests changes in purchasing attitudes that range from a more conspicuous to a more conscious consumption, allowing for less artifice and more authenticity, less presumption and more purpose, less spending and more investing - all in material and experience that mean more than just acquiring more stuff.

Within the past year also, a greater interest has emerged in high end, authentic adventure travel, multi -generational family travel, and all with a greater eco-sensitive outlook. These luxury travel trends correspond, and indeed harmonize with high end travel offerings found in New Zealand, the youngest, least populated (still more sheep than people, 16 million sheep, 4 million people), and arguably one of the most unspoiled, green, eco-sensitive and adventurous and adventuresome country left in the world.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

In Harmony: New Zealand And Emerging Luxury Travel Trends, Part 1 originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renovating A Scottish Icon: The Gleneagles Hotel

Susan Kime — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:02:00 EST

" The Gleneagles Hotel represents more than a great golf location and resort, in many ways it represents the soul of Scotland," said Dorothy Welsh, Gleneagles Director of Sales and Marketing. "That's why it has taken awhile for the renovation of Gleneagles to be completed. It has to be done slowly and carefully, more restoration than renovation - restoring a newer life into an already established icon."

As Ms. Welsh infers, The Gleneagles Hotel is already an iconic golf resort hotel. Set on 859 acres of estate land in Perthshire, Scotland, the hotel opened in 1924, and has been one of the great Scottish golfing destinations for over ½ century. "But a major goal," continues Ms. Welch in a recent interview, "was to expand the vision - making it an even better golf destination as well as a significant luxury resort destination for the 21st century."

The costs for the restoration, renovation and basic redevelopment of the hotel lies excess, as of this writing of £70M, which loosely translates into over $100M. Some of the renovations are to the golf courses, The Kings, The Queens and the Jack Nicklaus designed PGA Centenary Course, where the 2014 Ryder Cup Matches will be played. These renovations are mostly invisible to the eye, as they deal with four seasons playability, green and eco-sensitive components.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

Renovating A Scottish Icon: The Gleneagles Hotel originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A New Luxury Hybrid: Suites Of The World

Susan Kime — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:01:00 EST

The simplest, most lucrative ideas usually are not borne in a vacuum: they hybridize from others that have been successful, but with an ineffable something that seemed missing. So it was with Randall Brown and John Martinelli, who recently launched their new company, Suites Of The World. Brown and Martinelli combined their experiential intelligences in the luxury hotels and in private investment banking fields to create this company, the only one that provides travel professionals, their affluent clients and interested others with choice and access to high end and often historic suites.

Messrs. Brown and Martinelli knew about luxury hotels, the needs of high end private banking clients and realized -- more than once! -- how many of their clients, including celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, and luxury travel professionals were frustrated with the lack of readily-available information about the history and the availability of the world's top suites. "We've positioned Suites of the World to educate the affluent consumer as well as luxury travel professionals about the history and exclusivity of these suites." said Brown. "Additionally, we also have access to numerous suites and private properties not yet released to the general public, enabling an even more unique experience for those who have interest."

Suites of the World provides detailed information on all represented properties, from a current photo library and accurate floor plans to key security information on the suites and villas. Additionally, the company will assist in providing access for filming and arranging special events within the suites.

Suites of the World's collection of luxury hotel suites are hand-selected for their character, location, historic significance, style, and service. Many premier suites have been home to celebrities, royals, diplomats, and presidents. Just a few in New York include:

The Presidential Suite at the Waldorf Towers (see below) is one where where every sitting president has stayed since Herbert Hoover. This suite is complete with JFK's actual rocking chair and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's private desk.

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A New Luxury Hybrid: Suites Of The World originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ultimate Escapes Escape: The Anatomy Of The Destination Club Vacation

Susan Kime — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:02:00 EST

The story below deals with my Ultimate Escapes escape: an experiential vacation trip I took last month. Those who know me know that I have experienced many destination club residences and villas, and I am usually asked questions about them, as many people have heard mixed reviews, due to the well-publicized bankruptcies of Lusso, High Country, Tanner & Haley and Solstice, all within the past few years. But, the vision and the reality of the destination club remains. At present, there are probably between 7,000 to 8,000 members for DCs, and those members are fiercely loyal, due to the treatment they receive on their vacations. It became obvious, early in 2004 when the industry was in its infancy, that it encountered an unexpected consumer need (not fault) line -- the need for sanctuary and for legacy from their vacation time.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

The Ultimate Escapes Escape: The Anatomy Of The Destination Club Vacation originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Hamilton Hall to the Hamilton Grand: Kohler Redesigns St. Andrews

Susan Kime — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:01:00 EST

When we last left Herbert Kohler, he had just purchased the large building at St. Andrews called Hamilton Hall. It was originally The St. Andrews Grand, a hotel built in the early 1900s, then became an Army barracks, then was purchased by the University of St. Andrews to house dormitory students. It was then purchased by the Wasserman Group, a real estate development group out of New York, whose plans were to build million dollar plus fractionals. This plan fell through because, in part, it did not sit well with the townspeople.

All the while, Herbert Kohler was well-known to St. Andrews, as he had purchased The Old Course Hotel, one of the great landmarks on the course at St. Andrews, in 2004. He had quietly and expertly renovated it, using many town workers and consultants. Indeed, the Managing Director of the Old Course is herself from Scotland. When Hamilton Hall became available, he purchased it in November of last year, and planned to hold an open town hall forum, asking the people of the town and interested others, for feedback as to how he should proceed with the renovation and restoration of Hamilton Hall. Here's what happened.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments, By Design

From Hamilton Hall to the Hamilton Grand: Kohler Redesigns St. Andrews originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The New Luxury Deliverable: Turks And Caicos Sporting Club, Ambergris Cay

Susan Kime — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST

In some of my recent Luxist articles, The Dawn Of A New Economy and From Conspicuous to Conscious Consumption I have suggested how newer definitions of luxury help inform the decisions about how and why people buy in this unusual social-economic climate. I learned from the many presenters at the Luxury Summit, a luxury ideas symposium held last month, about the nuances of an emerging economy with new luxury consumer decision-making processes, especially regarding big ticket items. And few are bigger than second and third homes. It is no secret this market has suffered, as has the primary home market in 2009. But there are rays of light in 2010, and especially with the Turks And Caicos Sporting Club at Ambergris Cay. Amid the barrage of news about market declines and foreclosures, this club is doing well. And the reasons for success circle back to the trends explored at the Luxury Summit.

" Last year," recounts Steve Schram, CEO and Managing Partner of DPS Development who owns and runs Ambergris Cay, "was basically a static year. We didn't make money, we didn't lose money There were a few sales, but nothing like we were used to. Then, in 2010, YTD, we have done 20M worth of new home sales. It seemed as if potential buyers were actually hesitant to call us in 2009, and then, in 2010, they called. It was as if the phone lines were reconnected. Most were member referrals, which is always rewarding. There are three new homes just started and another seven to ten starting in the next six months. We will start two of these houses in the next two months. Members and their families know what they receive here, and it fits so well with a newer sense of social and environmental responsibility, along with a sense of being connected to each other and to the island."

One of the many trends gleaned from the Luxury Summit, and borne out by the success of the Turks And Caicos Sporting Club, is that the luxury consumer is not on autopilot anymore. Their purchasing interests have evolved from I want to I need to we need: essentially a journey from individual self-absorption to a kind of familial populism. The consequence of such a shift is the take away value -- which has also moved from quantitative excess to a qualitative rediscovery of feeling favorably connected -- whether it is with people or new experiences. In both instances, Ambergris Cay fits with these ideas in an eco -sensitive, communitarian way.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

The New Luxury Deliverable: Turks And Caicos Sporting Club, Ambergris Cay originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HomeWaters Club: Designing The Link Between Flyfishing And Religion

Susan Kime — Tue, 18 May 2010 09:01:00 EST

For many, the acquisition of deep inner peace come not from sitting in church or walking in the California Redwoods, but from fly fishing. There is indeed, in my fly fishing experience, a kind of flow derived from the engagement of all the senses: the physical sense of great casting, hearing the rush, and feeling the clear cold of a river, searching for that Trout, and finally, Zen-like, becoming one with the surroundings. As Yeats once wrote, how can you tell the dancer from the dance? Well, you can't, if you are the dance. Or, as Norman McLean wrote in his classic A River Runs Through It, " In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing." HomeWaters Club appears to understand this invisible link, and appeals to those who understand it also.

In the era of destination clubs and private residence clubs, there have been theme-based hybrid clubs that have been successful, and whose themes are based on certain passions: golf, equestrian, wine/food, and yes, a few years ago, even surfing. But HomeWaters Club is a new one, whose theme is fishing -- fly fishing and trout fishing mainly, and whose resources, eco-sensitivity and desire for legacy, appear to be substantial.

HomeWaters Club is a theme based private club, with multiple locations and reciprocal rights of use in each, similar to an equity-based destination club, but with a fly-fishing identity. It was formed in 2009 as an alliance between Spring Ridge Club of Pennsylvania and Alpine River Club of Colorado, to preserve, and offer members access to 35 miles of trout and steelhead waters across Pennsylvania and 40 miles of the streams and rivers in Colorado. At present, there are nearly 200 members, and the club is expanding to other areas of the US. But right now, the locations span from central, northeastern and Erie, Pennsylvania, to Vail and Steamboat Springs Colorado areas.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

HomeWaters Club: Designing The Link Between Flyfishing And Religion originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 18 May 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CityCenter: The New Urban Vision of Las Vegas

Susan Kime — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:01:00 EST

On the back cover of a recent New Yorker Magazine, bastion of serious fiction, non-fiction and poetry, was a full page ad that took me by surprise, especially after I had just traveled there for the Luxury Summit conference. It said, " So you're not a Vegas person... " and then in huge block letters, "ARE YOU SURE?" It was an ad for CityCenter, and touted all the great art, great culture, restaurants and cultural atmosphere found there. But that ad stuck with me, as the inference was the theme I was going to explore: could a visionary development on a grand scale change personal tourist attitudes toward a destination? And conversely, could Las Vegas actually be perceived differently because of one grand multi-use venue?

In thinking about this, it is crucial to remember that Las Vegas is a desert city, situated in a barren Mojave desert valley. The city is about 2000 feet above sea level, it rains, on average, less that 5 inches a year. But visionaries have come here before, dreamed big dreams, and built. Historically, Las Vegas's persona is tied to big gaming and play in all its dark and light dimensions. But the building of CityCenter challenges this Las Vegas stereotype, as its vision hopes to resculpt and redesign Las Vegas's neon persona, by creating a design as well as an eco-sensitive aesthetic unseen and untried anywhere else. Here are some basic dimensions.

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Filed under: By Design

CityCenter: The New Urban Vision of Las Vegas originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 17 May 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luxury Thought Leaders: Bill Taubman and the Evolving Idea of the Luxury Mall

Susan Kime — Tue, 11 May 2010 09:01:00 EST

It was my subject matter ignorance that led me to believe that a presentation by a luxury mall developer might be dull. But the presentation by William S. "Bill" Taubman, COO of Taubman Centers of Bloomfield Michigan, was one of the most thought provoking, philosophically relevant ones at the Luxury Summit conference, held nearly two weeks ago in Las Vegas. This presentation was fascinating partially because of his and his company's vast experience in envisioning and constructing the luxury mall, but also because of Mr. Taubman's philosophical, process-oriented discourse about the subtextural meanings of the mall in our culture. Luxist interviewed Mr. Taubman to discuss the meaning of luxury shopping, the dimensionality of the contemporary luxury brand, the evolution of the high end mall, and what the shoppers let the mall developers know about their needs and wants.

You said in your Luxury Summit presentation that you went to Cambridge University - Explain your journey from getting a degree in philosophy at Cambridge to developing luxury malls.

Taubman: I went to Cambridge for 2 ½ years, and studied Moral Philosophy, but earlier, got my degree with a triple major at Brown University in Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Russian. I realized, however, while I Cambridge that I did not have the tools, and by that I mean, fluency in both Latin and Greek, to do original research. Also, I got tired of studying in the Cambridge library, which was really cold and dull. So, I went home, one thing led to another, and went to work for the Taubman Group the company my father founded many years before. I have always been grateful for my education, in that I can think quite logically, strategically and analytically.

You said in your Luxury Summit presentation, that the mall is evolving, but with a strong heart. What are the components of this strong heart?

Taubman: One component of the strong heart is understanding that the mall is a social environment, as much as it is a shopping venue. If you look at it this way, the mall is an area where people seek out people, talk, eat and purchase, so another component of the strong heart is the high end shopping experience. The luxury brand becomes the positive, memorable experience. It also becomes part of the consumer mindset and identity. The luxury mall is providing the environment so the brands can become all these things.

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Filed under: By Design

Luxury Thought Leaders: Bill Taubman and the Evolving Idea of the Luxury Mall originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 11 May 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club's New Offering: 22 Villas in Tuscany, Provence and the Cote d'Azur

Susan Kime — Mon, 10 May 2010 11:02:00 EST

Last month, I wrote a Luxist article about Abercrombie & Kent opening seven new Villas in Mykonos, Greece, for their travel clientele. Now, twenty-two new villas have been opened for the use of Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club members, in addition to A&K travel clients. The Villas are located in Tuscany, Provence and the Cote d'Azur. They were added to the A&K Residence Club property portfolio because of increasing interest for family friendly, multi-generational European travel.

These properties are in the most-requested destinations in Italy and France, ten in Tuscany, six on the Cote d'Azur, and six in Provence.

A human amenity of an A&K Residence Club villa vacation is the existence of a dedicated global experience manager, who works works with members and their families to make all the arrangements for the Villa stays, including preparing the home with groceries and other amenities. Managers have insider access to experiences that are unique to each destination.
A&K Residence Club members appear to be inveterate travelers, who explore the areas completely. Here are three thumbnail sketches --all with experiential examples of what is offered on the Villa vacation in these significant areas.

Continue reading Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club's New Offering: 22 Villas in Tuscany, Provence and the Cote d'Azur

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club's New Offering: 22 Villas in Tuscany, Provence and the Cote d'Azur originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 10 May 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viva Vdara!: Exclusive Resorts Adds Ten New Residences in Las Vegas

Susan Kime — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:01:00 EST

Recently, I wrote a Luxist article about the relevance of Exclusive Resorts and their permanent mark on the destination club industry. Exclusive Resorts has announced the opening of 10 new residences for members at Vdara Hotel & Spa at CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip.

All are corner units, located high in the building, custom-designed and furnished to suit club member tastes. Each two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath residence features an open floor plan, fully equipped kitchen, and spa-style bathrooms, wrapped by windows showcasing city and mountain views. Amenities include round-the-clock concierge service, gourmet in-room dining, and preferred reservations at MGM MIRAGE restaurants and shows.

Continue reading Viva Vdara!: Exclusive Resorts Adds Ten New Residences in Las Vegas

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Viva Vdara!: Exclusive Resorts Adds Ten New Residences in Las Vegas originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 06 May 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dawn Of A New Economy: Latest Findings on the Habits of the Wealthy from The Harrison Group and American Express Publishing

Susan Kime — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:02:00 EST

New research about America's wealthiest consumers was released Tuesday at the American Express Publishing Luxury Summit in Las Vegas. The results confirm that although discretionary spending is growing only modestly, there are changes occurring within the mindsets of today's affluent consumer that can drive America forward in the coming year.

Some of the highlights announced by Dr. Jim Taylor, vice chairman at Harrison Group, and Cara David, Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing & Integrated Media of American Express Publishing, include:

o. Luxury consumption to increase by $28 billion
o. Affluent and wealthy consumers have become... happier!
o. The wealthiest consumers have become... wealthier
o. Re-emerging consumers are conducting "Precision-Shopping"
o. They are increasingly immune to persuasion
o. Xer professionals are now experiencing an "Economic Status Jam"
o. Social media remains mainly social, but desire digital information and content is growing... but not at the expense of
traditional media
o. Resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, value and needs-based purchasing dominate

These findings come from the 2010 Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America, produced by American Express Publishing and Harrison Group, released on Tuesday. Fielded monthly, 1,910 respondents among the top 10 percent of Americans have been interviewed in 2010 so far. The mean sample household income is $520,000. Each respondent completed a 50-minute questionnaire, covering topics such as shifting attitudes and marketplace priorities, as well as current and anticipated spending on over 18 categories. This is the fourth year of this study, allowing for the tracking of attitudes and behaviors over these difficult years. here the relevant findings:

Continue reading The Dawn Of A New Economy: Latest Findings on the Habits of the Wealthy from The Harrison Group and American Express Publishing

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Vacationist - A New Website from Travel & Leisure and Luxury Link .

Susan Kime — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:02:00 EST

"We launched our new website site today at the American Express Publishing Luxury Summit in Las Vegas." said Mark V. Stanich, Senior Vice president and Chief Marketing Officer of American Express Publishing, "It's a good place to do it, and we are proud that it is the first site of its kind!"

Vacationist (www.vacationist.com) is indeed the first website of its kind to provide limited-time, invitation only offerings at top hotel properties in the United States and around the world.

" It is basically a private sale travel website for luxury travelers," continued Drew Marich, CEO of LuxuryLink.com, " one that will present a number of significant hotel and resort offerings each week and will launch its first sales with a mix of exotic and urban destinations, including Turtle Island in Fiji, The Surrey in New York City, and The James Hotel in Chicago....and we will go from there, weekly!"

Vacationist offers exclusive luxury hotel and resort rooms available for purchase to its members at 25 to 40 percent off for limited periods of time. Each property featured on Vacationist, which will be hosted and powered by Luxury Link, will have insider tips and expert reporting by the editors of Travel & Leisure who are dedicated to helping readers access the best travel experiences. Invitees to Vacationist will initially be limited to Travel & Leisure customers and Luxury Link members.

Continue reading Vacationist - A New Website from Travel & Leisure and Luxury Link .

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Vacationist - A New Website from Travel & Leisure and Luxury Link . originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Designs Of Villa Vacations, Part 3: Private Trade Winds

Susan Kime — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST

Within the past weeks, i have written about The Designs of Villa Living, highlighting Abercrombie & Kent Villas, and Villazzo and VVillas. Both companies have designed exceptional villa vacations in both American and Europe. Private Trade Winds has taken the villa vacations concept a step further, as these villas are located in Europe, America, the middle east and on the high seas.

Private Trade Winds is a different business model from others- it is a Five Star villa vacations rental service combined with a luxury travel service. The PTW private villa portfolio includes more that 400 classic and modern villas all of which have passed the PTW Luxury Quality Assurance standards.

" Private Trade Winds defines the full gamut of luxury travel, but our villa rental component is extremely popular with our highest end clients." said Irene Aviles, President and CEO of Private Trade Winds. " ...and especially this year. Our most successful year was 2007-2008, but 2009 was not so great - we did not fail, but we remained sort of static. But it seems the moment January 2010 came around, we had a lot of business. Indeed, we have grown 61% YTD, which is quite substantial."
This growth is not surprising, and was indeed expected by Private Trade Winds as they commissioned a Research Survey done on villa vacations, done by the Harrison Group -- a leading marketing and strategic research consulting firm headquartered in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Continue reading New Designs Of Villa Vacations, Part 3: Private Trade Winds

New Designs Of Villa Vacations, Part 3: Private Trade Winds originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quintess and The Tour Club: A New Strategic Alliance with Four New Residences Added

Susan Kime — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST

The luxury destination club Quintess, LRW has announced a reciprocal agreement with THE TOUR CLUB that provides Quintess, LRW members with access to new destinations that include: The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast, California, Sage Valley Golf Club, Graniteville, South Carolina, Atlanta National Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia and TPC Jasna Polana, Princeton, New Jersey ( pictured above)

Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World is a luxury destination club that creates highly personalized vacation experiences for its members. Quintess, LRW provides its members with access to 80+ multimillion-dollar residences and experiences in 40+ international resort and city destinations.

The Tour Club, through a licensing agreement with the PGA Tour, is the first and only national sports entertainment group providing access to luxury residences at some of the world's most sought after golf destinations. At the Resort at Pelican Hill, rated by Golf Magazine as a "Premier Resorts 2010 Top Newcomer," members stay in richly appointed two-bedroom villas. Sage Valley, ranked as #6 of America's greatest golf retreats by Golf Digest, offers members four-bedroom cottages that epitomize Southern charm and luxury. At Atlanta National, one of Georgia's most respected private clubs offering world-class golf, members stay in either a four-bedroom lodge overlooking the 8th or 12th hole, or the five-bedroom villa overlooking the 17th green. Nestled in the hills of Princeton, NJ, TPC Jasna Polana sets the standard for private clubs nationwide and offers the rare opportunity to stay in one of the two former private residences on the estate.

Continue reading Quintess and The Tour Club: A New Strategic Alliance with Four New Residences Added

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Quintess and The Tour Club: A New Strategic Alliance with Four New Residences Added originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Designs Of Villa Vacations, Part 2: Villazzo Villas

Susan Kime — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:02:00 EST

Last week, I wrote part I on the Design Of a Villa Vacation, by highlighting Abercrombie & Kent Villas, and how they create high end vacation experiences in Europe. This week, I am adding another exceptional company that creates similar, high end experiences in America and in Europe.

"Our industry deals with products you don't need," comments Christian Jagodzinski, President and CEO of Villazzo, one of the highest end villa rental companies in the world, "... so we design our villas to bring out the "need" in our clients. I have heard more than one person say, " WOW! I didn't know I needed this type of vacation. but I do!"

Villazzo Villas is a boutique villa company known in the US and Europe, partly because it is one of the most expensive, but also because the company is modeled on two unique hybrids: The Villa Hotel model and the VVillas model, a " lighter" type of Villa experience, with the same villa quality, but without so much attentive service.

"Our models serve different populations who have different needs and wants. Our Villa hotel model serves only the highest end - celebrities and their entourages, diplomats and their families and extended families, and the like. Who also chooses and uses our services are large families, or smaller families that would like multi-family reunions in the most exceptional villas in the most exceptional destinations. The Villazzo Villas have boutique hotel staffs to serve every need of the Villa guest - from private chefs, valets, butler, maids and chauffeurs, always ready to serve."

Gallery: Villazzo Villa

Continue reading New Designs Of Villa Vacations, Part 2: Villazzo Villas

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New Designs Of Villa Vacations, Part 2: Villazzo Villas originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is The Recession Over? New Affluent Survey Stats May Provide Clues

Susan Kime — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST

Many books, much research, a lot of time and effort have been written about the spending attitudes of the high and ultra high net worth population, mainly because of the challenge they consistently present: they are an elusive group, as they would prefer to remain relatively anonymous. However, the American Affluence Research Center's work stands out in defining the attitudes and behaviors of this group, as their stringent quantitative methods produce cutting edge results. One ( of many) is -- though there is pessimism about the economy, affluent people are still buying luxury commodities. Go figure!

The most recent Affluent Market Tracking Study #17 was released on April 15, 2010, It is an independent report, not funded by any marketing group, club, or project that would lend possible bias to the data collection methods, questions or answers.

The Center publishes two direct mail surveys a year, each year, spring and fall. Those who are chosen to respond are subjects chosen at random to be representative of the precisely defined population of affluent households, consistent with the research done by the Federal Reserve Board. Over 690 responses were received, and the survey results were based on 525 men and women who promptly responded and met the minimum net worth requirement. The net worth categories on the questionnaire conform to those used by the Federal Reserve Board to define the wealthiest 10%, 5% and 1% of US households. This demographic has the following in common:

* A minimum net worth of $828,000
* Has an average net worth of $3.1M
* Has an average income of $256,000
* Earns 36% of the total income of all Americans
* Owns 63%of the personal assets of all US households
* Holds 89% of the total value of all publicly traded stock and mutual funds in the US
* Owns a primary residence valued at over $651,000.

Continue reading Is The Recession Over? New Affluent Survey Stats May Provide Clues

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Is The Recession Over? New Affluent Survey Stats May Provide Clues originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Design of the Villa Vacation, Part 1

Susan Kime — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:02:00 EST

In a recent NY Times article ( April 10, 2010), entitled The Well Off Are Spending Again, But Carefully, a high end Manhattan travel agent was quoted as saying, many of her high end clients are returning, but they don't want Italy 101 anymore. They want more exotic destinations. The high end villa rental business reflects this kind of optimism, as well as availability of many elite, exotic locales. The result is the luxury villa rental business is doing very well, apparently better than many, even in this is still unbalanced economy.

One of the most successful travel brands Is Abercrombie & Kent Villas, part of the 1/2 century year old Abercrombie & Kent Luxury Travel company, that includes luxury travel to just about anywhere in the world the Villas component, and an equity-based, member-owned residence club, Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club.

Recently, it was announced that A&K Villas recently opened seven new villas on the Greek island of Mykonos, making their Villa residence count to over 150.

"The Villa vacation experience is a good value, because it can create the best memories," said Charlie Stephenson, Director of A&K Villas Europe, " and a great way of seeing Europe in a leisurely, elegant and often in a multi-generational way. Yes, we had a standstill in 2009, but we did not deflate. But this year, 2010, we are up dramatically! Since January 2010, our volume has increased about 25%. Our opening of the seven Mykonos villas in the Cyclades in Greece, reflect our growth, defined by the interests and the requests we have from our clients. And each of the Mykonos villas has its own design and personality."

Here is what Charlie means :
(all Villas below have between 3-5 bedrooms, and sleeps 6-10)

Villa Grace -- Overlooking Mykonos beach , close to the town of Mykonos.
$32,004.per week

Villa Olive Garden - In the middle of an olive grove overlooking
Mykonos Harbor $9736.00 per week

Blue Living --Villa on three levels, overlooking adjacent islands of Delos and Rhenia
$14,749.78 a week

Les Soleil de Rhenia
views of south side of Delos and Rhenia
$8965.39 weekly

Villa Asteria and Villa Artemis - sister properties both $11,471.00 a week, each.
Villa Artemis - an original stone country Villas
renovated, featured in Elle Decorator magazine, on the Southern peninsula, on a hilltop, and Villa Artemis adjacent, can be rented together for larger groups.

Villa Galaxy
$17,473.00 weekly
on a hilltop on 5 acres, facing the Aegean. This villa has four large suites enclosed within it.

As can be seen from above Villa rental is not cheap, but for those who can afford it, it is an addictive way to travel, very much like private jets. Once experienced, it is hard to return to stuffy hotel rooms and packed commercial airlines.

Gallery: Abercrombie & Kent Villas Mykonos

Continue reading The Design of the Villa Vacation, Part 1

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Whole Ownership at the Palazzo Tornabuoni

Susan Kime — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:01:00 EST

Peter Kempf of Kempf International, recently announced that the Palazzo Tornabuoni, Florence's first Private Residence Club, once a 15th century Medici Palace, has for the first time opened 18 whole ownership residences, now available for sale. Kempf's private brokerage firm, Peter Kempf International Ltd., is exclusively handling the transactions.

"Originally, the Palazzo Tornabuoni Private Residence Club became quite a successful fractional after it opened in 2007. The residences were fractionalized into 1/8 shares in 36 apartments. Back then, the population who bought was approximately 70% American, 30% European. It is now 50% US and 50% rest of the world, and we expect the "world" portion to continue to increase. We have members from 5 countries.. At present, two whole ownership residences have been sold and there are offers on two more. Given the state of the world economy, we are very pleased, but given the unique nature of the offering, we are also not surprised."

The wholly owned residences range in price from 1.6 to 5.1M Euro ($2,350,000 to $7,884,500 dollars), and are between one and two bedrooms, with from one to three baths. They are between 700 sf to nearly 3000sf in size. The wholly owned residences are part of the Palazzo Tornabuoni, an edifice that defines the architectural and historical significance of Florence,Italy, as it was built for the Medici family in the l5th century, original 16th-century frescoes by Ciampelli,and an exquisite fireplace adorned with micro-mosaics by the miniaturist Rafaelli (c.1800). Each property is set among the Palazzo Tornabuoni's various courtyards and terraced gardens, and certain residences feature roof-top views of Florence and the Duomo.

It took five years to restore the Palazzo into residences. But with the collaboration of Michele Bonan, the award-winning Tuscan-born interior designer, Its contemporary design captures Bonan's signature style in creating "an environment in which the owner feels they belong...and are not just visiting." This was a complex undertaking, as the Palazzo defines by its very architectural style, a kind of Renaissance formalism, and is also is a museum of sorts of Renaissance art and artisanry -- there are original 16th-century frescoes by Ciampelli,and an exquisite fireplace adorned with micro-mosaics by the miniaturist Rafaelli (c.1800). Outside, a central courtyard still exists that was originally created by Renaissance architect Michelozzo (1400). But yet the residences do have a kind of contemporary comfort, even though surrounded by the finest 15th century Florence had to offer.

Gallery: Palazzo Tornabuoni

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Whole Ownership at the Palazzo Tornabuoni originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Architecture of Sanctuary: Calistoga Ranch

Susan Kime — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:03:00 EST

To anyone who lives in Napa Valley, or in San Francisco or even on the Western edge of the United States, Calistoga Ranch is significant resort. Located in a secluded canyon in upper Napa Valley, The property is part of Auberge, one of the world's premiere resort companies. It has won multiple awards, most recently from Travel & Leisure and from Andrew Harper both in 2009. Calistoga Ranch is also a Luxist Awards nominee for Best Green Spa.

Being a guest there for a day or two, allows you to see how different the resort design is, and how the well the design fits with the needs of the guests or of the owners who own part of the fractional residences on the property. Located on 157 acres just outside the town of Calistoga in Napa Valley, California, Calistoga Ranch is one of the few seasoned hotels and Private Residence Clubs in California wine country, encompassing 47 guest lodges and 27 owners lodges.

The property's contemporary architecture is inspired by its natural surroundings, and was created to fit the landscape, with a focus on an indoor-outdoor lifestyle. In keeping with the rich wine producing heritage of Napa Valley, Calistoga Ranch has an on-site vineyard and mountain wine cave, where owners and guests can share in the process of winemaking and viticulture. They can also store their own wine in the wine cave store facilities where the temperature always is cool, and dry.

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The Architecture of Sanctuary: Calistoga Ranch originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aspen Fashion Week: Combining Play With Philanthropy

Susan Kime — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:03:00 EST

An important part of Aspen's cachet lies in its relative isolation combined with its great wealth. This unusual combination is part of its history. It was in 1879 when a few pioneers crossed the Continental Divide, and discovered a Ute hunting area, a valley sheltered on three sides by mountain ranges, rich with game, and fresh water. Also, they discovered, a great abundance of silver. So even then, the possibility of wealth, combined with isolation equaled a kind of intrigue, and helped define Aspen as it was then and, to some degree, Aspen as it is now.

These days, Aspen is defined not by the possibility of wealth, but by the reality of it: the most billionaires per capita in a small town, again a town consistently on the most-expensive-places-to-live lists, a town with a sustained and sustainable luxury energy. This energy is defined by partly by the enjoyment of high altitude sports and cultural events, but it is also defined by a great amount of philanthropy, as are many areas in this country blessed with great wealth. Along with Ralph Lauren, Dior, Prada, Bulgari,Gucci, Fendi, and all other luxury boutique emporia, is The Aspen Institute, The Sports Philanthropy Project, The Aspen Foundation, The Aspen Community Foundation, to name just a few. And this is a small town - about 6000 people, about 3.5 square miles long. The most recent coming together of wealth, philanthropy and enjoyment was Aspen Fashion Week held from March 14 to March 19, 2010. It was a destination fashion event designed to showcase and market the winter resort, ski and tech outerwear both at home and slope side.

"The second Aspen Fashion Week quickly developed into a must on the fashion and entertainment calendar," said Lisa Johnson founder of AFW. "Aspen is prime for an event of this caliber; combining world class designers, young designers and brands with unique art programs, film screenings, and great music."

Gallery: Aspen Fashion Week

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Aspen Fashion Week: Combining Play With Philanthropy originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Conspicuous to Conscious Consumption: Redesigning the Meaning of Luxury

Susan Kime — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST

Looking for the green shoots of optimism is not easy -- especially after two winters of discontent. Yet, there appears to be a resurgence of optimism, a new energy that may have the power to redesign as it redefines new ways of perceiving the idea and the reality of luxury.

On the plus side is the Wall Street Journal. In the 03/08/2010 article entitled The Ten Best Places For Second Homes, Steven M. Sears declared, "At long last, the market for luxury real estate is coming back to life. Prices for primary residences, which plunged at least 20% from the peak in 2007, appear to have bottomed. In some of the snappiest locations, scattered bidding wars are breaking out and prices are turning upward. In Greenwich, Conn., realty brokers say, the final months of 2009 were almost record-setters for sales volume, as two years of pent-up demand was unleashed."

Also pertinent are data in the newest Wealth Report (3/15/10), with inferences that seem promising: "Retail chains post a 3.7% increase in February comps, with luxury outperforming the overall group. Consumers are again indulging in luxury purchases."

Could this mean that the 2009 severe recession earthquake is behind us? Well, hopefully. But it's necessary to remember the concept of false positives. In medicine, economics, statistics, pregnancy tests and LIFE, they are results that look good but, after the dust settles, may not yield the results originally expected. Consistently valid results take time. So with the shoots of hope within the numbers above, there is still room/time for questioning. We receive clearer pictures as time goes on, understanding that hope should be tempered by the economic history of the recent past.

Maybe the consensus of philosophers and economists were right - that it takes trauma to change minds and actions, and because of this unexpected economic jolt, what has also changed over the past 18 or more months is an unexpected evolution in the definitions and dimensions of luxury.

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From Conspicuous to Conscious Consumption: Redesigning the Meaning of Luxury originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chocolate Dreams: The Hotel Hershey's Grand Renovation

Susan Kime — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST

Craig J. Smith and Christina Romann, are partners in C2 - a high end interior design firm specializing in designing and restoring luxury hotels. They have been designing,, restoring and renovating for over 20 years, and have never been without significant work, as they have done renovations to The Greenbrier Sporting Club, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, The Turks and Caicos Sporting Club, in Ambergris Cay, BWI, The Trump International Hotel & Tower and the Lowell, both in New York, to name just a few.

But the 67M recent renovation of the Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania provided them unique challenges and memorable lessons, both aesthetically and philosophically. Or, as Christina said, " My first impression when we walked into the Hotel, before we ever considered any renovation work at all, was, what is a hotel like this doing here?"

What Christina and Craig both saw was an elegant, though somewhat fading, 80 year old hotel, with a personal and philanthropic legacy. It originally was constructed on a small hill, overlooking Mr. Hershey's chocolate factory. Nonetheless, it reflected the worldly character of the original visionary, Milton Hershey, who created of the original recipe for Hershey's Milk Chocolate -- still a happily absolute NEED in many of our lives.

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Chocolate Dreams: The Hotel Hershey's Grand Renovation originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enlivening Exclusive Resorts: Moving Forward in the Destination Club Industry

Susan Kime — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST

Bovey Castle, England

As with many great ideas, this one started small, and from unpleasant, stressful experiences. Exclusive Resorts was originally founded seven years ago, by Brad and Brent Handler, two brothers who had consistently experienced classic vacation dilemmas with their own families. When traveling with children, grandparents and friends to high-end resorts and hotels, they experienced the same problems again and again: not enough room, no kitchens, child-unfriendly spaces, and the distinct impression from some hotel staffs that larger families with children were noisome rather than welcome.

At the same time, a new luxury travel idea was already in the air. That year, 2002, a company called Private Retreats, based in Telluride, Colorado, was launched to address the same vacation dilemma. It was called a destination club, a new idea with a model that combined two vastly different yet already successful industries: the country club and the fractional jet business. From the country club model came the idea of paying a membership deposit and annual dues, and from the fractional jet world came the idea of paying the dues and deposit in relation to the amount of time the potential member wished to use, so there was a range of pricing, usually from one month to three, or more or less. But in both cases, the member did not own or invest in the club, or the homes, instead he or she paid to use, and so it was called a non-equity club.

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Enlivening Exclusive Resorts: Moving Forward in the Destination Club Industry originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The new Scottish Re-Formation: Hamilton Hall, St. Andrews and Herbert Kohler

Susan Kime — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST

Religious pilgrims were the first to come to St. Andrews in the 10th century, to view to relics of St. Andrew himself, St. Peter's brother. In more recent times, golfing pilgrims have consistently flocked to St. Andrews to pay homage and play on a stretch of weather-beaten land on the edge of the North Sea, where the game was invented over 600 years ago. When contemporary pilgrims set off down the first fairway of the Old Course into the prevailing wind, and it is always prevailing, they walk headlong into history. There is no place like it. It is no wonder then, that over the years many hotel developers have seen the most lucrative of possibilities here, not knowing that the town of St. Andrews also plays a huge part in the history and formidability of any project's success.

St. Andrews is a small Scottish town, that stresses the Scottish traits of humility, distrust of pretense and artifice, and frugality. The hallowed St. Andrews course is an unadorned links course that lies on public ground, where golf is forbidden on Sundays so families can picnic, or just walk on the fairways. Community is crucial, and as it is in any small town, outsiders ususally have to prove themselves.

Imagine, then, in 2006 ,what the local people thought and felt when they discovered the fate of one of their historic landmarks -- Hamilton Hall, a building on the 18th hole of the St. Andrews course. This building was, for over 60 years a University of St. Andrews dormitory, and prior to that a Royal Scottish Army living quarters, and prior to that, the iconic Grand Hotel, opened in 1895. It was discovered that Wasserman Real Estate Capital, based in Providence, R.I., had purchased the building, and was planning on major renovations, so they could sell fractionalized residences for between $1.3 and $3.3Million per fraction, in a project called the St. Andrews Grand.

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The new Scottish Re-Formation: Hamilton Hall, St. Andrews and Herbert Kohler originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Design Of A Great Vacation: Quintess and the Destination Club Experience

Susan Kime — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST

As with many great ideas, the destination club idea was not born in a vacuum. Its distant ideological cousin, the timeshare, originated in the '70's in Europe. It was a simple idea, buying space for time, but because of some developers' sales techniques, the timeshare developed a less than stellar reputation. However, the idea itself remained viable, and it evolved - from owning a 1/30th share in a small apartment, to owning shares in much more substantive residences, and in the clubs themselves,. The membership deed or the fractional share all came with significant amenities: private chefs, limo drivers, dedicated destination hosts, existing only to make dinner arrangements, acquiring the best concert tickets, creating worry-free vacations on every known dimension.

The destination club idea took hold in the early 2000s. In the beginning, were the nonequity clubs, then came the equity based ones. With the former, the member did not own anything, paid a one-time membership deposit, annual dues, and vacationed in elite destinations in $2-6M homes. With the equity-based clubs, the members owned the clubs, bought the homes and had much to say in the club management.

But there was a dark side to this idea - and it was its explosive and unexpected growth. In 2003, the sales volume was a modest $513.M. In 2006, it ballooned to $2.5B.

All went well until the industry hit a major bump in July of 2006, with Tanner & Haley, the first Destination Club, to bankrupt, followed by many others. Out of the 31 functioning destination clubs extant in 2006, there are now, in 2010, five. But these five are strong,fiscally transparent, and consumer-centric, taking a lessons-learned approach from the failed clubs. The equity-based clubs, where the members own the residences, are Equity Estates, and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Clubs. The non-equity clubs, are Exclusive Resorts, oldest and largest, Ultimate Escapes, the second largest with has multi-leveled membership plans, and, Quintess arguably, one of the smaller and most boutique-like, with many architecturally significant homes, all priced at 4M and up.

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Filed under: By Design

The Design Of A Great Vacation: Quintess and the Destination Club Experience originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Evolving Definitons of Luxury: The Tryall Club, Jamaica

Susan Kime — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST

Because of the ongoing severity of the economy, the definitions and presentations of luxury appear to be evolving. What is emerging, due to the shock and awe of this recession-roller-coaster ride, is the shift in luxury awareness from mirror to window, or, from narcissism of self, involving conspicuous consumption, to window: looking from conspicuous to conscious consumption, infused with a strong measure of social awareness. Looking out the window garners new vistas, and as it does, garners divergent root systems in the meaning and awareness of the luxury experience.

A new example of this evolving definition are the new ideas put into place at the Tryall Club - a bastion of family tradition and colorful history near Montego Bay, Jamaica.

It is, and has been for the past ½ century an enclave of understated elegance, with an exceptional social history and multilayered cultural tradition. Originally a 2300 acre sugar plantation, it was transformed in the 1950s into an elite club of private oceanfront, ocean view and golf course villas. Bing Crosby ( who bought four plots of land in one morning), and friends visited there, Noel Coward, Princess Margaret, Winston Churchill all were there. It defined and still does, some of the best that money buys in terms of time, space, location and design aesthetic.

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Filed under: Estates, Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

Evolving Definitons of Luxury: The Tryall Club, Jamaica originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club members Choose their Favorite Home

Susan Kime — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST

The shared ownership industry has made huge strides since timeshares first hit the scene in the 1970s. Besides the market's continued growth even during last year, called fittingly the annus horribilis by many, there has been a noticeable shift in quality and design aesthetics of purchased residences.. Gone are the basic ski chalets with cuckoo clocks, and plastic fern-festooned condos of the early years, and in their place are exceptional high-end residences where every element, both inside and out, is designed with painstaking detail.

One reason for this re-emergence of design relevance is a growing awareness that design is found everywhere -- not only in objects, but also in a vacation experience. If an object is badly designed, no matter how much it costs, it will corrode or fail in some way. If a person has a badly designed vacation experience, the memory created will corrode, and be forgotten. Exceptional design, both with objects purchased and in the vacations experienced, fuses the practical with the aesthetic, the visceral with the cognitive, and has the ability to create a positive memorable experience, anyone's definition of a luxury legacy.

This awareness is quite apparent in the high end hospitality industry, where branded and boutique hotels, private residence and destination clubs, villa residence enclaves, and elite tour operators all strive to make the member, the owner, the guest, and the visitor simply -- happy with the vacation design experience both inside and outside the residence.

In September of 2008, Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club was launched, a new equity based, debt- free residence club with an already established brand. Abercrombie & Kent has been a luxury tour operator since 1962 and is well established worldwide as one of the few great brands in adventure travel. And, the residence club expanded the brand, offering unique travel and lodging experiences in a multiplicity of unusual and traditional destinations. Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club is an equity- based club, where members are the owners, and the club runs in a debt free mode.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments, By Design

Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club members Choose their Favorite Home originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Residences at Vallarta Gardens: Mexico's Newest Private Club

Susan Kime — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST

If lives are fueled by searches for sanctuary, contentment, and adventure, then arguably, few activities reveal as much about those dynamics as do our travels -- and the destinations and domiciles we choose. Such choices say much about lifestyle-investing preferences and it is perhaps this desire to invest - not in high yielding stocks, but in high yielding personal and family attunement time, that the private residence club concept has remained popular, even in this capricious economy. The most successful ones provide exceptional amenities (private chefs, town car services, yacht usage, dedicated concierges, maid service, pre-arrival and daily grocery shopping, etc.) as well as a deeded part ownership in the residence itself. The most successful ones also have a balanced design template where the destination combines sanctuary and adventure, and where the architectural and interior designs reflect the uniqueness of the area.

One of the newest Residence Clubs that does all this is Vallarta Gardens, near Puerto Vallarta. The Private Residence Club is part of the mixed-use resort idea, that combines fractional, and full ownership villas. There are two designs for their Club Villas: first, the Sea Breeze with 5,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space, four bedrooms, four and one-half baths, large outdoor and rooftop terraces, a private plunge pool, media room, living area with a fully-equipped kitchen. The second is the Coral residence, with 3,500 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, three and one-half baths, rooftop and ground level terraces, open living and dining area with a fully-equipped kitchen. Fractional prices, as of this writing, start for 1/13th (3 weeks guaranteed plus unlimited usage, space available) from $100,000 for the Coral and $150,000 for the Sea Star. Whole ownership villas start from $1,550,000.

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Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments, By Design

The Residences at Vallarta Gardens: Mexico's Newest Private Club originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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