Have you heard about the ‘quiet luxury’ trend? Maybe you missed those four riveting seasons of Succession, the HBO drama in which the wealthy Roy siblings jet-set around the world in neutral palettes of Loro Piana, The Row, and Brunello Cucinelli. Not one episode shows them clad in colorful, overly embellished logo-adorned clothes like Gucci or Versace.
Whether you’ve seen Succession or not, the quiet luxury trend is evident everywhere, from clothing to wellness to dining to service. Key elements of quiet luxury include minimalism and simplicity with clean lines, understated designs, and minimalistic aesthetics. It embraces high-quality materials like cashmere, silk, fine wool, and top-grade leather. The quality of the materials speaks for itself, without the need for oversized logos or branding. Quiet luxury is timeless rather than trend-driven.
In the luxury travel industry, ‘quiet luxury’ refers to a refined and understated approach to high-end travel experiences. It highlights brands that emphasize exclusivity, bespoke service, and authenticity over ostentatious displays of wealth. For example, travelers who value quiet luxury tend to choose Aman Resorts over the Atlantis or Belmond over Bvlgari. CIRE president, Eric Hrubant, just returned from a trip to London where he stayed at a brand new luxury hotel that epitomizes quiet luxury, The Emory. “The Emory in the heart of London is a true sanctuary. With just 60 suites, it feels like a private residence. There is minimal signage and branding throughout the hotel, even the main entrance is unassuming.”
Quiet luxury travel often involves exclusive and secluded destinations that are off the beaten path and offer complete privacy. They appease luxury vacationers seeking highly personalized service and attentive yet discreet staff, ensuring guests’ needs are met without being intrusive. Quiet luxury travel focuses on authentic experiences that connect travelers with local culture and invite them to participate in the property’s sustainability practices.
Is Quiet Luxury Your Travel Style?
Do you prefer quiet luxury in travel? Take our quiz to discover if you prefer understatement or full-on bells and whistles. The answer may be somewhere in between.
Quiz: Do You Prefer Quiet Luxury in Travel?
1. When choosing accommodations, what is most important to you?
a) Privacy, seclusion, refined elegance, and access to personalized sleep, longevity, or immunity-boosting health programs.
b) Opulent gem-toned decor, large spaces, and flashy spa treatments like 24-karat gold facials.
2. How do you prefer to travel to your destination?
a) By private car or van with discreet, nearly invisible service.
b) By private jet, stretch limousine, or Maserati SUV.
3. What kind of dining experience do you enjoy most while traveling?
a) Gourmet meals in an intimate, unique setting featuring seasonal ingredients grown on the property.
b) Dining at trendy, extravagant restaurants with at least one Michelin star.
4. How do you prefer to explore a new destination?
a) With private, tailored tours led by experts who live in the area and know the best local haunts, authentic dining spots, and things to do.
b) Visit popular tourist spots and dine with a large group and tour guide.
5. When it comes to wellness and relaxation, what appeals to you more?
a) Personalized wellness programs that include cold plunges and sound baths in a tranquil nature-based environment.
b) Over-the-top wellness treatments like a full-body wine wrap or eight-handed massage in marble and gold-adorned surroundings.
6. What kind of shopping experience do you enjoy while traveling?
a) Browsing boutiques and artisan shops for unique, high-quality items that are hand-crafted in the area.
b) Shopping sprees at high-end designer stores and outlets with personal shoppers.
7. How do you like your travel accommodations to be decorated?
a) With minimalist, elegant, and high-quality furnishings sourced from the destination.
b) With bold, extravagant décor and standout features that may or may not have been imported from afar.
8. What type of service do you appreciate most while traveling?
a) Attentive service that anticipates needs. For instance, having energy bars and bottles of water on hand for hikes or a waiter who remembers coffee preferences each morning.
b) High-profile, overly-doting service, like champagne bottles with sparklers presented in front of a crowd.
9. What kind of social activities do you enjoy on vacation?
a) Quiet, immersive gatherings or cultural events, such as wine or honey tastings, botanical baking, cooking classes, or painting workshops.
b) VIP access to nightclubs, beach parties, and high-profile social scenes.
10. What kind of overall travel experience are you seeking?
a) A one-of-a-kind, intimate, rewarding, and personal experience.
b) A glamorous, brag-worthy, and highly visible experience to make friends and family at home jealous.
Results:
- Mostly A’s: Hooray! You prefer quiet luxury in travel! You appreciate subtle elegance, personalized service, and high-quality, discreet experiences emphasizing privacy and authenticity. Congratulations! You have great taste.
- Mostly B’s: Also, hooray! You likely prefer more overt luxury when traveling. And although you enjoy high-profile activities and bold, impressive amenities that make a statement, you also have wonderful taste. Bravo!
Brands That Best Encompass the Principles of Quiet Luxury
Quiet luxury in travel is about creating a seamless, bespoke experience that feels exclusive and special while remaining understated and refined. Here are a few of our favorite brands that embody these principles.
Aman Resorts is known for its secluded and often unconventional locations, exceptional service, and minimalist design that takes advantage of the terrain. It has properties in far-flung places like Bhutan, Indonesia, Cambodia, and North American locations in Utah, Wyoming, and New York. With the ‘no-lobby’ check-in model and often signless properties, Aman may have been one of the first luxury hotel brands to take understatement to such dazzling heights.
At Aman, curated experiences are par for the course. At Amangiri in Utah, guests can observe Horseshoe Bend and the desert landscape from above in a state-of-the-art helicopter. At Amansara in Cambodia, visitors can dine on homemade food in a traditional Cambodian home and have meaningful conversations with local monks.
Six Senses Hotels & Resorts offers luxury wellness-centric retreats worldwide. The brand encourages visitors to reconnect and reinvigorate their senses in places of incredible natural beauty. Empathetic hospitality, sustainable practices, and pioneering wellness treatments are woven into the fabric of Six Senses. The most interesting mind and body offerings include Tibetan medicine, sleep therapy, and immunity-boosting techniques. With intriguing locations in Fiji, Oman, Thailand, and Turkey, Six Senses offers quiet luxury opportunities for everyone.
Belmond is passionate about connecting discerning travelers with remarkable properties, destinations, and journeys. The Belmond brand curates unparalleled hotel, train, river cruise, and safari experiences for their guests. Their properties are on five continents, each emphasizing elegance and comfort. Belmond’s most coveted and unique adventures are its train journeys, like Europe’s Venice Simplon Orient Express and South America’s Andean Explorer.
Auberge Resorts is an ever-growing collection of 28 properties throughout the United States, Europe, and Mexico. Each location is a refined, sophisticated, and understated gem with its own distinct personality. Wildflower Farms, in upstate New York, allows guests to immerse themselves in nature, bake botanical focaccia, and paint the landscape in watercolors that evoke the 19th century Hudson River artists. At California’s Stanly Ranch, guests can fish on the Napa River, take a hawk walk, or spend an evening gazing at the stars. Auberge properties evoke quiet luxury for truly discerning travelers who expect the highest levels of service and aesthetics.
The Quiet Luxury Trend—IYKYK
The quiet luxury trend in travel is about creating meaningful and memorable experiences. It prioritizes quality, authenticity, and a sense of understated elegance above all else. Are you on a mission to walk in the intrepid and fashionable footsteps of Shiv Roy? Or, are you searching for a little more glamor and glitz for your next luxury vacation? The team at CIRE is always on hand to help you plan your travel experience, whether quiet, opulent, or somewhere between the two.
Jamie Edwards is an avid traveler, travel writer, and photographer. After 25 years of living and traveling around the globe, she launched I am Lost and Found, her adventure/luxury travel website. Jamie’s goal is simple: to inspire travel.
CIRE Travel is a full-service travel agency headquartered in New York, NY. Our expert corporate travel planners, honeymoon travel agents, and luxury travel planners support clients across the country and around the world.
Where in the World Do You Want to Go?
Inspired to plan your next weekend getaway, vacation or trip of a lifetime? See that form below? That’s all it takes to begin your next epic travel story.