For decades, luxury hospitality was measured by familiar markers: five-star ratings, lavish amenities and impeccable service. While those elements still matter, they are no longer enough on their own. Today’s luxury traveller evaluates a stay as a complete experience, weighing factors such as wellbeing, dining, personalisation and sense of place alongside the quality of the accommodation.
Deloitte reports that 68% of luxury travel advisors are seeing growing demand for highly customised itineraries tailored to individual interests and lifestyles. At the same time, the Global Wellness Institute projects the wellness tourism market will grow to US$1.4 trillion by 2027, reflecting the increasing importance of wellbeing, personal enrichment and restorative travel opportunities in destination selection.
This shift is reshaping luxury hospitality globally. Rather than focusing solely on accommodation and traditional luxury markers, leading hotels are creating more holistic guest stays that combine personalised service, wellbeing, dining, cultural connection and a strong sense of place.
International groups such as Aman Resorts, Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton have placed greater emphasis on personalised service, wellbeing and destination-led offerings as key differentiators. Luxury hospitality is becoming less about standardised amenities and more about creating stays that feel distinctive to a particular place.
In South Africa, brands such as The Royal Portfolio and Babylonstoren have similarly built their reputations around offerings that extend beyond accommodation. Whether through art, culture, conservation, wellness, food and wine, or immersive farm and nature encounters, these destinations demonstrate how luxury hospitality is evolving from a place to stay into a destination in its own right.
According to Jessica Louw, Marketing Manager of Hospitality at Steenberg Farm, this reflects a broader evolution in how travellers define value. “Guests still expect beautiful accommodation and exceptional service, but they are increasingly judging a stay on everything that surrounds the room itself,” she says. “They want experiences that feel considered, seamless and connected to a genuine sense of place.”
This is particularly evident in the growing demand for personalisation. While technology has made it easier for hotels to understand guest preferences, travellers are responding strongly to hospitality that feels thoughtful rather than transactional.
“Meaningful personalisation is often quite simple,” says Louw. “It is about understanding the purpose of a guest’s visit, remembering their preferences or recognising what matters to them. The best hospitality feels natural and intuitive.”
Wellbeing is also playing a larger role in holiday planning, with many guests looking for opportunities to slow down and recharge during their stay. For Louw, this reflects a growing desire for balance. “People are looking for moments of restoration. Sometimes that comes through a spa treatment, but it can just as easily come from spending time in nature, enjoying an unhurried meal or simply having space to disconnect from everyday demands.”
That desire for more meaningful and enriching moments extends beyond wellness alone. Food and wine have become important drivers of destination choice, with guests seeking memorable dining encounters as part of the overall stay. Research cited by JLL’s 2025 Hotel Restaurant Report found that 60% of luxury travellers prioritise staying at hotels with great restaurants, highlighting the rising influence of dining on booking decisions.
“Food has an incredible ability to create memories,” says Louw. “Often it is the meal, the setting or the people around the table that guests remember long after a trip has ended.”
This shift is changing the role hotels play within the overall guest journey. At destinations such as Steenberg, guests can move between the hotel, spa, vineyards and restaurants, shaping their stay around wellness, food and wine, nature or exploration.
“A strong sense of place is also emerging as one of the most valuable aspects of luxury hospitality,” says Louw. “Guests can find beautiful hotels almost anywhere in the world. What stands out is a destination’s history, landscape, people and character.”
As luxury travel continues to evolve, the industry’s most successful properties are likely to be those that offer more than comfort alone. Luxury is now being defined less by how much a hotel offers and more by how thoughtfully accommodation, dining, wellbeing, service and hospitality touchpoints come together to create a memorable stay.
“The hotels people remember are the ones that create a genuine sense of connection,” says Louw. “Ultimately, that is what keeps guests coming back.”
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