We can say good-bye soon to Almenara Hotel at Sotogrande. The Sotogrande SA has agreed with Accor’s luxury, lifestyle brand SO/ Hotels & Resorts to launch the brand’s 1st hotel in Spain.
This will be the 8th SO/ hotel in the world. The new hotel will be open to guests from Spring 2021.
SO/ Sotogrande Resort & Spa will reflect the brand’s rebellious luxury. It will blend exclusivity with the brand’s commitment to dynamic gastronomy and upbeat vibrant well-being.
The new luxury hotel will feature 151 stylish rooms with 24 suites. They also promise setting new standards for true luxury hospitality within the destination.
SO/ Sotogrande will also feature extensive landscaped gardens with views of the sea, Gibraltar and the Andalusian countryside.
Some cool facts of Sotogrande:
- 5 swimming pools,
- 9 dining spaces,
- more than 2,000 square meters of spa and fitness facilities,
- and nearly 1000 square meters of conference and meeting space, including an outdoor auditorium.
Luxury hospitality in 2020
Now let’s see what luxury hospitality means in 2020.
- High-speed Wifi and best possible viewing experience are no longer a “perk” – it is the basic requirement. Provide easy access to both live television and over-the-top (OTT) media services with their own equipment and technology.
- Don’t forget to invest in onscreen experience for guests!
- Entertainment is a very important part of the guest experience. It will help you to achieve better results on review sites. I am telling you in brackets that it would be better for SO/ if they would give a detailed, informative description of their in-room experience.
- A new breed of luxury traveler is rising: the so-called “Purposeful Luxurian” who wants to improve his/her physical and mental wellbeing + looking for rare, real and personal experiences. This tells me that we must create defining, memorable moments + memories for our guests.
- Going green – sustainability must be a priority. SO/’s competitors are focusing on eliminating single-use shower toiletry bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel in the clubhouse and in the guest rooms too. Mandarin Oriental has said it will cut all single-use plastics from its luxury hotels by March 2021.
- Follow the needs of Millennials and Generation Z (born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s). It seems to me that SO/ is good at serving such guest types/segments.
- Investing in employee experience. It is the best way to retain your best talents and to achieve exceptional customer experience.