If you enjoy a luxurious lifestyle, the chances are that that involves a spot of five-star travel; after all, there’s nothing better than taking a little bit of time out to jet off to a beautiful destination, where you are guaranteed to be waited on hand and foot and have your every need and want met with a smile.
Choosing the perfect accommodation for such getaways should be easy, but the well-travelled will know only too well that not all five-star hotels are created equal. So, what do you do to take the stress out of arranging your next trip, allowing you to relax safe in the knowledge that impeccable standards are guaranteed?
Enter, Grand Luxury Hotels – a family owned business focused on providing unique travel experiences to discerning clients all over the world. Catering to everyone from individuals travelling for leisure to corporate executive jetsetters for business, they have all bases covered, stopping at nothing to set you up with your perfect match.
A hand-picked collection featuring 450 of the world’s very finest hotels, each Grand Luxury Hotel guarantees to provide an exceptional experience from start to finish. And, with a dedicated Guest Experience Manager allocated to you upon booking to ensure everything runs smoothly, expect a bespoke touch and impeccable service as standard.
Set up back in 2007 by brothers, Ivan and Rouslan Lartisien – who, at the time worked in marketing and finance respectively – the luxury brand was born when the duo saw a gap in the market and the opportunity to do something that nobody else yet was.
“At Grand Luxury Hotels, our motto is that excellence goes further than service, technology and elegance,” explains Rouslan. “In the world’s best hotels, these are a given. Instead, excellence is when these elements combine to create a unique and deeply personal experience, from which you walk away with the kind of wonderful memories that will last you a lifetime.”
It’s to be expected, then, that when it comes to making the cut, bearing five stars is simply not enough.
“All of our hotels are hand-picked, and must meet the core standards of a five-star deluxe hotel,” adds Rouslan. “But from our perspective, there must also be a unique feeling – a special je ne sais quoi – that makes you feel like you are entering into a business relationship with a one-of-a-kind property. If not, a hotel simply won’t make the cut.”
Experienced in the luxury hotel space worldwide, Ivan and Rouslan – who had developed a love for it travelling the globe with family as children – aimed to develop an understanding of the key trends in the luxury travel sector to ensure that they were always one step ahead of the competition; when the needs and expectations of upscale clientele changed, they would be ready.
And ready, they have been.
When the luxury hotel venture first came about, the growing demand for such levels of luxury had yet to be cottoned onto by the competition. Nowadays, though, it’s fair to say that many others have tried to emulate their success – although try as they might, none have yet managed to reach their lofty height.
Even so, the brothers insist that the market hasn’t changed all that much since that fateful day almost twelve years ago, when Grand Luxury Hotels was born, as Rouslan explains.
“The desire for a highly personalised, five-star service delivered at some of the world’s most exclusive hotels is something that continues to grow, and this is something we will always ai to cater to, forever seeking to excel and outdo ourselves at every opportunity to ensure we continue to provide the very best for our customers.
“What has changed in the market, however, is the quest for more experiential travel, and we are now seeing a growing desire to experience a destination as a local would – a trend we are moving with the times to embrace.”
So what is it about the brand that has propelled it into the position it enjoys today – where it is seen as the first port of call for luxury travellers looking for an experience that is quite simply a cut above the rest?
Perhaps, some might say, it is its flair for finding the rare gems, or the passion and expertise of its dedicated team. Or maybe it’s its bespoke approach to service, which guarantees a flawless and tailor-made experience.
Or maybe, it’s about all of these things, and more.
“Our dedicated Guest Experience Managers (GEMs) are certainly one of our aces,” says Ivan. “Available 24/7, they are knowledgeable of their clients’ preferences, offer expert advice during booking and will organise every aspect of their trips so that our guests don’t have to.
“But many of our loyal customers have also told us that what they like most about Grand Luxury Hotels is our ability to surprise and inspire. We’re all about the unexpected, though always in the best of ways.”
One thing is for certain; Ivan and Rouslan’s standards certainly haven’t slipped, no matter how successful their brand becomes. Both still based in GLH’s Parisian office, they continue to be involved in every aspect of the company, visiting hotels across the collection to ensure that they meet a rigorous set of criteria – and that they continue to do so, no matter what.
“We employ only the most dedicated of luxury travel experts, all 100 of whom come from the best luxury hotels in the world, and work closely with our teams in Paris, Manila, London, New York, Florence, Dubai and Mauritius,” says Ivan. “Our brand is based on excellence, and it is something that we take seriously in every sense.”
If you’re looking to up the ante on luxury when it comes to your next getaway, Grand Luxury Hotels is the obvious choice. But be warned; this level of opulence can be addictive, and is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.
