2020 Luxury travel trends: creative sustainability, wellness & more

Wondering what will be shaping the luxury boutique experience this year? Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has released its 2020 Luxury Travel Trends Report. From bio-architecture and conscience-free cuisine to dispersed hotels and ultimate relaxation methods, the report was crafted from the inspiring and novel elements introduced by the luxury brand’s over 520 independent hotels. For 2020, these small and progressive hotels continue to set the standard for luxury in the ever-changing travel landscape.

“SLH has been the trailblazer for small independent hotels and we champion the imaginative and diverse voices that help shape our collective and bring inspiration to the world of wanderlust. As we celebrate three decades as the pioneer of boutique, we are delighted to share these insights and in doing so praise our hotels that continue to bring the most individual, intimate and intense travel experiences to our discerning guests.”

Jean-Francois Ferret, CEO at Small Luxury Hotels of the World

The 2020 Luxury Travel Trends Report outlines six overarching themes reinforced by the idea of uncomplicated and honest luxury. Travelers are looking to embrace pared-back extravagance by interacting with local cultures, respecting nature and participating in something that feels bigger than themselves.

1. Conscious Luxury

Examples of bio-architecture, conservation projects, widespread plastic-free initiatives and those hotels striving for carbon neutrality are the highlight. As a global company, SLH will launch a Sustainability Manifesto laying out commitments for SLH as a business as well as guidance for its member hotels.

In the meantime, the organization takes inspiration from some of its member hotels that have gone above and beyond to pave the way and create a place where guests can truly relax, find tranquility, and travel in a mindful way.

Bio-architecture

SLH hotels are renowned for their connection to the destination and immersion in the landscape. The 2020 Luxury Travel Trends Report cited examples of bio-architecture with hotels seeking alternative solutions to building techniques that can cause environmental damage via impact, waste, and pollution.

The Racha in Phuket blends in with the existing terrain of the land. The resort incorporates building materials that were selected not to cut through the land or boulders and minimize the number of trees that needed to be cut down. Many of the villas have trees coming through the terraces, and for each tree that was lost on the property, two have been planted in its place.

The walls at The Sukhothai Shanghai are made from clay, which is highly effective in air purification, humidity regulation, and sound absorption, vital for optimal health and brain function.

Gangtey Lodge in Bhutan, one of only two carbon-negative countries in the world, has been designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape. Local, recycled, and eco-friendly materials were used in construction. They also designed the building for maximum energy efficiency.

Striving to be neutral

Aleenta Resort and Spa Hua Hin in Thailand champions carbon-free cooking. Produce is grown in the resort’s organic farm which functions as a community cooperative. The remainder of the food comes from local farms, transported by bike or tuk-tuk that is powered by recycled cooking oil. Food is cooked in solar ovens and cured in solar smokehouses.

Plastic NOT fantastic

The first step for many, but not as easy as it sounds, is committing to becoming plastic-free which goes far beyond using bamboo or metal straws.

Akaryn Hotel Group, which owns and operates boutique and luxury Hotels around Asia, will become a single-use plastic-free hotel group in 2020, offering guests stainless steel water bottles, toiletry products in locally manufactured celadon containers filled with essential oil-based products, bio-degradable bin bags, and shopping bags that can be borrowed from the wardrobes.

Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima, Japan, is leading a nationwide ‘Team Zero Waste’ campaign to reduce plastic waste and educate the masses on eco-practices to learn more about the incredible nature on the island.

Lend a hand to conservation

In an effort to protect the island’s native hornbill population, Cape Kudu Hotel on the island of Koh Yao Noi in Thailand has introduced a ‘Homes for Hornbills’ initiative to construct and install nest boxes. By involving the local community, particularly local students, the resort hopes to highlight the importance of conserving their own environment and preserving the future of their forest. Their efforts paid off, with the first hornbill checking in to its new home the very next day, on a tree right beside the resort lobby.

Milaidhoo Island Maldives has implemented a coral regeneration program where guests can ‘adopt’ a reef of their own, planting it and watching it grow over the years.

2. Dispersed Hotels

Dispersed Hotels offer a new way to experience a hotel and a destination by spreading the areas out across buildings in one small town or village, naturally creating a unique micro-community for guests and locals.

Enzo Ango in Kyoto is Japan’s first-ever dispersed hotel. Blending in with the rhythm of the city, each of the five buildings, dotted around one street, has its own particular style, features, and functionality.

3. Wellness from Ahh to Zzz

Indigenous spa practices and rituals, such as hay baths, volcanic mud, and Ayurvedic therapies, are on the rise. Sleep and innovative solutions to achieve optimum rest continue to be key to overall health and well-being.

Sweet, sweet sleep

Studies continue to show that sleeping well is a vital yet often neglected part of many routines. Simply sleeping well can drastically change overall health and well-being.

Two years ago, as part of SLH’s trends report, they introduced Sleep by Design therapy at 137 Pillars Hotels in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and SLH hotels continue to take it a step further.

Mala Spa at Keemala in Phuket offers a Mindful Dreams sleep ritual aimed at enhancing sleep quality through a heightened sense of relaxation. The ritual begins with a 90-minute spa treatment with essential oils, a meditation sequence, the use of rose quartz, a sunset bath, and herbal tea before bed.

Get local with indigenous spa therapy

As everyday life continues to become more technology-driven, there is a strong desire for down-to-earth therapy and spa practices that use traditional foods, plant-based medicines, and ancient rituals.

The Fortress Resort & Spa in Sri Lanka offers traditional South Asian Ayurvedic therapies. It includes Shirodhara, a classical treatment that uses selected herbal oil and pours it in a continuous stream on the forehead. The therapy nourishes the central nervous system.

Tanjong Jara Resort in Malaysia has a spa philosophy called Sucimurni. These unique restorative Malay treatments have been handed down from generation to generation and are believed to have their origins in the convergence of Malay, Arab, Indian, and Chinese influences.

4. Upskilling Escapes

Upskilling Escapes offer real, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. They grant travelers VIP access to specialists to learn new skills or become experts themselves.

Terelj Hotel in Mongolia is a luxury country retreat surrounded by forests, lakes, and mountains in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Here, guests can meet Mongolian nomads and learn about their lives and traditions, including building gers (sturdy round tents) and tending to horses, sheep, and camels.

5. The Root Back to Real Food

For foodies, the emergence of Unexpected Herbivores, plant-based restaurants in surprising places, and the ongoing benefits of ‘going herbal’ are rising in popularity. In addition, white charcoal, or binchotan, is being incorporated into food and drink across menus worldwide to absorb impurities and release vital minerals.

Ovolo Central in Hong Kong is home to VEDA, Hong Kong’s first vegetarian hotel restaurant spearheaded by celebrated vegetarian chef Hetty McKinnon.

Keemala in Thailand celebrates the 9-day Phuket Vegetarian Festival in October each year. The idea of the event is to honor the nine emperor gods by abstaining from meats and other stimulants. The locals believe that through this, they can gain better health and peace of mind.

Elite Spring Villas, in China’s tea capital Anxi, offers tea-infused hot springs. Guests can choose the tea they wish to bathe in to help lower blood pressure and reduce stress, among others.

6. Trending Destinations for 2020

In the 2020 Luxury Travel Trends Reports, the new destinations for SLH guests include several new members opening their doors for the first time.

Gangtey Lodge in Bhutan, the only carbon-negative country in the world, lures active travelers while cultural enthusiasts appreciate its traditions unhindered by outside influences.

Nepal is gearing up to celebrate ‘Visit Nepal’ in 2020, and in December, the Lost Horizon Resort & Spa Begnas is scheduled to open near Pokhara.

Azerbaijan’s perfect combination of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern influences makes the Land of Fire a fascinating place to explore from Dinamo Hotel Baku.

Tel Aviv, Israel sees new flight routes from American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways World Club Suite. The Norman Tel Aviv is the city’s only luxury boutique hotel. It is located in the heart of the White City among the world-famous UNESCO heritage sites of historic Bauhaus architecture buildings and Rothschild Boulevard.

Despite its small size, Montenegro is full of hidden treasures and will be a new destination for SLH in 2020, with Villa Geba joining the brand.

This article focuses only on SLH member hotels in Asia. The 2020 Luxury Travel Trends report is available to view and download at www.slh.com. 

Featured image: Rooftop pool for suite guests at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences (Credit: 137 Pillars Suites & Residences)