This content was created in partnership with Grand America Hotel and SkiftX, Skift’s branded content studio.
There is no universal definition of “luxury” in hotels and conference spaces, but attendees will realize it when they experience it. Despite challenges such as rising costs and staff shortages, planners must create a unique experience that makes attendees feel like VIPs, fosters long-term loyalty and improves their performance after the event.
Achieving these goals remains possible, but current definitions may need to be reconsidered. First, primary services can be found on the secondary market at more affordable prices. According to statistics, the vast majority of attendees—82% Freeman Trend Report – Prefer in-person experiences to digital programming, so you have the chance to leave a lasting impression. Additionally, 80% of Freeman respondents said first-hand accounts from attendees are their most trusted source of event information. Success begets success, especially when it comes to delivering luxury experiences.
Skift Meetings partnered with Salt Lake City’s premier hotel, the Grand American Hotel, to produce this report that highlights strategies for achieving a truly luxurious experience.
1. Create a unique feeling
When the Financial Times asked research participants to choose from a list of words most associated with luxury goods, “unique” emerged as the most common choice. With this in mind, it’s crucial to redefine the luxury experience as something that can’t be replicated elsewhere. This goes beyond the amenities a hotel provides to include how the hotel staff takes care of the hotel and its guests. For example, the Grand American Hotel devotes significant resources to its annual spring tulip display, which includes nearly 10 acres of more than 40,000 bulbs in bloom, and a holiday celebration featuring a life-size gingerbread house. This effort does not go unnoticed and has become a way of life in America’s great hotels, which shines by transforming meeting spaces into unforgettable environments.
2. Let the screen take a back seat
With the rise of contactless check-in and robots handling guest service duties, there is a desire for full service, with hotel staff staying in touch with attendees and providing white-glove service from the moment they arrive. Great American Hotels accomplishes this goal by setting high standards, focusing first on filling vacancies and keeping team members with the company long-term. Employee satisfaction directly enhances guests’ on-site experience.
3. Create an immersive experience
While the importance of in-person meetings and personal contact cannot be overstated, the ability to connect with attendees who are unable to travel is also critical. Grand America prides itself on its in-house audiovisual team with decades of experience serving planners’ needs. Having experts on-site can provide an immersive experience for hotel attendees and remote audiences.
4. Pay attention to catering
Nothing is more personal at a conference than the dining experience. Each participant has their own preferences, and many have special diets that must be considered. At the Grand American Hotel, meals are served in a manner worthy of Instagram, but the beauty goes beyond the surface. Local produce and reducing waste are key elements of a sustainable kitchen, but the most important aspect is being able to cater for everyone’s needs.
5. Celebrate art
Attendees should have a clear sense that they are walking into a luxurious environment. From this perspective, art is not merely decorative. The right piece will set a tone that carries throughout the entire experience, from the paintings on the walls to the memorable flooring choices. The Grand American Hotel offers museum-quality art and tours that allow guests to immerse themselves in their surroundings, including extraordinary tapestries, paintings and more.
In this guide you’ll find:
- It’s important to partner with a hotel that’s committed to helping attendees immerse themselves in the moment and the destination.
- Personalized service can customize and humanize the hotel experience, especially given the industry’s continued shift to technology-driven operating models.
- Tenured faculty can make a difference in every experience, from
- Room service to audio visual services.
- Changing attendees’ attitudes towards culinary sustainability requires a culture of fine dining that focuses on rewarding and respecting the people who make it possible.
- The role art, history and culture play in luxury experiences, and how art inspires the exchange of ideas at meetings and events.
This content was created in partnership with Grand America Hotel and SkiftX, Skift’s branded content studio.
Photo Credit: Salt City Event Co. and Laura-Kinser
