What’s better than a stay at the world’s finest hotels?
For today’s multigenerational luxury travellers, the answer is private, fully serviced luxury residences. As families increasingly travel across three – or even four – generations, the definition of luxury is maturing. Seeking the freedom to create meaningful moments together, UHNW guests ask to gather effortlessly under one roof.
Research from Lexden Luxe helps luxury hotel residences provide the ideal blend of home-like intimacy and five-star service. By applying our M.E.P.A. framework, they deliver what UHNWIs value: space to breathe, time to connect, and places to belong.
M- Managing hospitality expectations
Unlike traditional suites, which once symbolised exclusivity, luxury residences are now setting the benchmark. By aligning with the real expectations of today’s UHNWI families, they offer privacy, comfort, and emotional connection. These residences allow multiple generations to be together, without compromising on comfort or personal space.
At One&Only Mandarina in Mexico, cliff-top villas offer Pacific views and personal chefs, while children’s activities are arranged by a dedicated butler. Every detail is pre-empted, from dietary preferences to mobility needs, ensuring a flawless stay for each generation. This is customer experience design at its most considered: managing complexity without making it visible.
E- Extraordinary home-like experiences
The appeal of hotel residences lies not just in their design, but in the lifestyle they unlock. Kitchens become gathering spots after a day of exploration. Private pools host sunset swims with grandchildren. In-residence spa treatments allow grandparents to relax while teenagers learn to cook with local chefs.
At Six Senses Zighy Bay, each multi-bedroom villa comes with a dedicated Guest Experience Maker who curates bespoke moments. Among these, dhow cruises, movie nights on the beach and mountain hikes tailored to the dynamics of the family. Rooted in emotional connection and intergenerational relevance, such experiences become the essence of the guest experience strategy.
P- Post-purchase care for legacy and celebration
These residences are not just for holidays. They are settings for milestones: birthdays, reunions, and first-time adventures. Brands that invest in every touchpoint turn one-time guests into lifelong advocates. Welcoming families back with favourite staff, remembering how each guest likes their coffee, or suggesting new destinations based on past trips are paramount.
For instance, at Mandarin Oriental Bodrum, guests can blend remote work with wellness rituals and local discovery. By providing a home-away-from-home experience with tailored facilities, residences are ideal for family reunions and longer stays. This sense of belonging and continuity sustains loyalty because it’s the post-purchase care that builds legacy.
A- Achieving time savings
Today’s UHNWIs seek frictionless, efficient luxury. They don’t want to repeat preferences or wait for service. The rise of Experience Agents is the perfect showcase of time-saving luxury client management innovation. Single point of contact with the guests (or their luxury travel advisor), they manage the journey from pre-arrival through to post-departure. By identifying moments for delight along the guest journey, they quietly elevate the stay without disruption.
Whether it’s arranging an impromptu family lunch in-suite, or reconfiguring a residence for a celebration, these detail-driven roles are becoming the gold standard.
More than a stay: a new experience strategy for luxury hospitality
The success of luxury residences lies in the way they translate brand values into lived, shareable experiences. As one of the fastest-growing segments in UHNW travel, luxury residential tourism is here to stay.
Hotel groups embracing this shift will lead the next chapter in ultra-luxury.
For those seeking to make their mark, the key lies in understanding what matters most to customers from the experience. Research by Lexden Luxe founder Professor Dr. Phil Klaus highlights four key trends referred to as the M.E.P.A. drivers of customer choice.
“What was a key learning from the research into over 300 UHNWI clients is that the luxury companies that serve them do not know what really matters to them. This is not only a problem to meet their current needs, but a missed opportunity for growth and future differentiation.”
– Joint founder of Lexden Luxe, Christopher Brooks
To learn more about M.E.P.A. and how applying it to your organisation creates commercial advantage through unforgettable experience management, contact rebecca.gabbi@lexdengroup.com.
