Elegant Hotel Collection has entered the luxury soft brand market, launching with 25 luxury hotels, targeting 50 properties globally by summer 2024.
The independently-owned flag will expand on a curated, invitation-only basis, creating a luxury community where individual hotels receive tailored service.
Elegant identified a gap in the luxury market and is designed to reflect a renewed perspective on high-end travel. All Elegant properties have been selected to embody the five elements of the Elegant brand - Hospitality, Authenticity, Inclusivity, Innovation, and Sustainability - echoing the demands of today’s luxury travellers.
Elegant will take a dynamic approach to luxury distribution combining bespoke personalised service and global consumer and trade marketing. The group will operate on a commercial model biased toward results rather than high fixed fees to ensure a quantifiable return.
Pennyhill Park & Spa: A founding member of Elegant Hotel Collection
As part of an elite community of hoteliers, Elegant member hotels will have access to an array of benefits that equip them to thrive in the global competitive landscape utilising the latest technology to adapt to target demographic buying behaviour.
Catt McLeod, Vice President Brand Development, Elegant Hotel Collection said: “We are thrilled to be launching the Elegant Hotel Collection and raising the profile of these exceptional hotels.
“Elegant Hotel Collection offers a compelling alternative to traditional legacy brands, delivering a fresh, dynamic and comprehensive approach to luxury representation. The Elegant Hotel Collection is underpinned by a full suite of global partnerships and marketing solutions along with best-in-class technology.”
Founding members of Elegant Hotel Collection include some of the most highly awarded and regarded properties, featuring: Home House, London; Rosselli AX Privilege, Malta; the Exclusive Collection (Pennyhill Park, South Lodge, Lainston House, The Manor House, Royal Berkshire and Fanhams Hall), Sunborn Hotel Gibraltar; Paresa Resort Phuket, Thailand; La Sultana Oualidia, Morocco; Cresta Palace Hotel, St Moritz; and Stapleford Park
Stephanie Hall, Group Director of Sales & Marketing at Exclusive Collection, said: “We are thrilled to be a part of this community at a time when consumers are looking for brands that align not only with their values but in their quest to find new and memorable experiences that can be uniquely delivered from great boutique hotels and brands.”
McLeod continued: “Many independent luxury properties have been questioning the return on investment from their current representation and have been left behind in the race to find meaningful routes to market. We will enable them to find their own voice and thrive, providing personalised support, global distribution, and critically both incremental growth with a positive financial return. The key to this is enhancing the unique identities and awareness of these wonderful hotels.
“The leadership team at Elegant Hotel Collection brings with it decades of experience in the hotel sector. We pride ourselves on offering creative revenue generating initiatives alongside a programme of marketing, distribution and sales which will ensure that sales channels are optimised and driving measurable returns.”
Elegant has selected HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts to manage its member distribution. McLeod said: “HotelREZ is the obvious choice for Elegant, allowing us to leverage its global strength while we focus on developing within the soft brand market, the partnership brings together the best of all worlds.”
Mark Lewis, CEO & Founder, HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts stated: “In the digital age, technology is a driving force behind the commercial success of any hotel – when used properly. Elegant Hotel Collection has rightly selected a global leader in distribution to support its growth.
“Elegant’s luxury properties will capitalise on best-in-class distribution, worldwide partnerships, market leading personalised support, benefiting from a diversified distribution landscape. Our innovative solutions are designed to optimise Elegant Hotel Collection’s global reach and ensure that its handpicked, curated portfolio of unique world class hotels remain both competitive and profitable in an ever-evolving landscape. A model which focuses on performance, not high fixed costs is a refreshing change within the soft brand sector.”
Elegant Hotel Collection will deliver a comprehensive brand marketing and channel distribution strategy including Booking Engine, a full suite of Web Services, GDS, OTA; multi-media and content management; RFPs; commission processing; along with a tailored account management plan detailing sales activities and marketing initiatives including social media and worldwide travel trade and consumer brand marketing through global agency representation and partnerships – of course with a fresh take on how technology can be leveraged to also drive direct business of the right customer set.
