EarthCheck

Vacationing in crafted luxury

by Chan Seet Fun, Today Online 

Sipping champagne at a posh resort that is perched on a cliff, while gazing out to sea at the sunset, sounds like the stuff that the well-heeled traveller might demand. And it is. But a picturesque setting is just the beginning. Luxury resorts that want to be noticed need to offer that extra something.

According to Mr Mark Edleson, president of Alila Hotels and Resorts - which manages nine properties in the region and has 22 more under development in places like Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Oman and Vietnam - "luxury" is shorthand for a whole host of things.

"When we evaluate potential sites, firstly, the destination has to be interesting," he says, in terms of the environment or the culture. It must also support the brand's values. "We are a design-driven brand that's sensitive to the physical environment and to the communities where we operate ... The architecture has to match the locale and it has to be comfortable, intimate and relaxing."

Since its opening in 2009, for instance, Alila Villas Uluwatu has won various design awards, including the Royal Institute of British Architects International Award 2011. The resort sits on a clifftop plateau facing the Indian Ocean and has 84 villas, each with its own pool. Some of the largest three-bedroom villas occupy up to 3,000 sq m each. The sprawling, open-plan villas feature contemporary interiors with Balinese accents, indoor-outdoor rain and jet showers and, of course, views to die for.

It is no wonder that Alila Villas Uluwatu was also voted the "World's Best Holiday Building" at the World Architecture Festival Awards 2010 and named the winner of the "Best Hotel Design - Resort" award at the Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality and Design 2010.

Mr Edleson believes that "good design is important" to today's luxury travellers, who have a strong design sensibility and a "more refined taste level". Hence, Alila relies on the "old-world concept" of "crafted luxury" when designing its resorts - a lot of what goes into the resort is handmade and, where possible, made from materials that are sourced locally.

Not only does this approach add to the uniqueness of each resort, the drive to be sustainable also appeals to the increasingly eco-conscious luxury traveller, who would be glad to know that several Alila properties have been certified by EarthCheck, the travel industry's benchmarking, certification and environmental management programme.

When it comes to spending on luxury holidays, the affluent middle classes in countries like India and China are a force to reckon with. He says: "Five years ago, Chinese tourists didn't make the Top 10 list of Bali arrivals. Now, they are No 2."

In India and China, sheer population size also means that domestic travel is a segment not to be ignored. "Even if you've never heard of the destination before, there'll be millions of locals within two hours of the destination who would visit it. And now, there are many more budget carriers to take them there." This is why Alila Yingde in Guangdong is likely to be the next Alila property to open its doors, probably in end-2013.

The first Alila property to open was a city hotel in Jakarta, launched in 2001. Today, Alila manages properties in Jakarta, Bali, Goa, Bangalore and Siem Reap. Mr Edleson explains: "Our strategy has been to grow in concentric circles from our headquarters in Singapore. Our hotels and resorts are all within a seven-hour flight radius from here. We want to concentrate on these areas first and not expand too far, too fast."

In addition to locale considerations and getting all the hardware just right, Alila has had to make sure that the software screamed luxury too. "We deliver unique experiences, offer accessibility to local venues and provide 'moments' and interactions with people. These are genuine emotional memories that are worth more than material things like souvenirs," he says.

This means that, on top of the basics like a personal concierge, getting to choose the kind of pillows you want and spelling out your dietary requirements and spa treatment preferences, you can also have special trips and activities arranged: Perhaps a cooking class, a mountain bike trip, a walk through a padi field.

If you stay at Alila Ubud, for example, you can take a two-hour guided walk through the villages and stop at someone's house, where the owner will play host and talk to you about his crops. Lunch could be a cosy affair under a thatched roof and, if the local cuisine is too challenging for your stomach, a more international spread can be arranged.