Remarkable Luxury

It was Fall of 2011, but I still remember the moment I walked into the lobby. Being a nerd, it was almost intimidating, it was so cool. There were these huge columns with LCD screens lit up like buildings in Times Square and iPads built into the marble check-in desk. It was only a few minutes after check-in that I had my first “I have to tell…” moment. David Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes was playing the elevator. I thought it was an unconventional choice, and it was a song my husband and I sing all the time so I couldn’t wait to tell him.

Redefining Luxury

I was attending a social business conference at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which at the time had been open for less than year. John Unwin, the hotel’s CEO, spoke at the event about redefining luxury. As I recall, he said that younger generations of travelers were not as interested in shopping for high-end souvenirs at couture stores. Of course the Las Vegas strip also already had lots of competition for high-end accommodations. Today, millennials are more likely to have travelled for business in the last two years versus employees of earlier generations. Millennials will soon be 50% of the hospitality market. To differentiate and appeal to modern travelers the end result was a hotel designed to make all areas a remarkable experience.

How Do You Know What’s Remarkable

On more than one occasion I’ve heard marketing exec, Jeremy Epstein, talk about being remarkable. How do you know if someone or something is remarkable? Jeremy reminds you it’s in the word. If someone chooses to make a remark – that’s remarkable. The Cosmopolitan delivered on its remarkable experience vision. Beyond that first thought in the elevator I’ve mentioned details of this stay over and over again. I’ve shared everything from the 2 million crystal beads in the Chandelier lounge to practical matters like flawless Wi-Fi connectivity for over a thousand plus social media professionals who were simultaneously live tweeting the event.

Today’s Travelers

Glitz, glamour, and coolness aside, hotel managers today are worried about keeping pace with consumer technology expectations. Even leisure travelers are expecting more connectivity with 45% of guests carrying more than one device and 40% carrying three or more. According to a Hospitality Technology study, “[Hotels] must master how to provide personalized and customized service on small screens and across devices in a consistent, convenient and user-friendly manner.” How will you make sure you deliver a remarkable guest experience?