How Do You Choose Between Visiting Greenland or Iceland?
How Do You Choose Between Visiting Greenland or Iceland?
Mumemories/Shutterstock
https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/greenland-vs-iceland-which-destination-is-right-for-your-trip
Trying to choose between Greenland and Iceland? Here’s how they compare for adventure, crowds, culture, road trips, and travel style.
Some people believe that Greenland is simply a less-crowded version of Iceland. That’s an easy assumption to make, given that the countries are only two hours apart and have many similarities.
Significant portions of the neighboring islands are covered in ice; both are great places to see the northern lights or experience the midnight sun, and each is teeming with whales, birds, and other wildlife.
Iceland’s stunning waterfalls, ubiquitous hot springs, volcanic hikes, and wildlife—from puffins to whales—draw me to the country again and again. My love for Iceland runs so deep that I traveled there three times in the last year alone. This year, however, I decided to visit Greenland instead and was surprised by how different the island-nations are from one another.
Here’s how to decide which one is right for you.
PHOTO: MURAT4ART/ISTOCK
1 OF 11
Greenland Is Better for Remote Exploration
Greenland isn’t far from Iceland, but up until recently, it was much harder to reach. In 2024, a new international airport opened in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, and in recent years, expedition cruise lines started offering more sailings to the country.
Still, Greenland feels more remote. Compared to Iceland, the country “remains less crowded and more of a true expedition destination,” explains Karin Strand, vice president of expeditions development at HX Expedition, which sails to both Greenland and Iceland, and executive committee chair of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators.
During my trip, I was left with the feeling that this is the golden age of Greenland travel. The country receives enough visitors each year that there are sufficient flights, cruises, hotels, restaurants, and tours to make travel at different price points and activity levels not only possible, but comfortable. Yet, Greenland still feels unexplored and wild compared to Iceland. In Greenland, it’s still possible to spend a day or more without seeing any other visitors, which is something I haven’t experienced anywhere else in the world.
Anyone after a quieter environment with a true expedition feeling should choose Greenland. Exploring Greenland felt novel and new, in a way that’s hard to replicate anywhere else. If you have ever wistfully thought about what it would have been like to visit a destination before it became popular, plan a trip to Greenland before it’s too late.
PHOTO: MIKAEL SVENSSON/ISTOCK
2 OF 11
Greenland Is a Must for Adventure Seekers
Although a persistent belief is that Iceland is green and Greenland is icy, that isn’t quite true. Depending on the time of year you visit and where you go, it’s possible to find ice-covered peaks and green fields in both countries. However, it is true that 90% of Greenland is covered in ice compared with Iceland’s 11%. That makes ice one of Greenland’s main attractions in the best possible way.
Greenland’s vast ice sheet, the largest in the world outside of Antarctica, creates vast fjord systems and some of the world’s largest icebergs, Strand explains.
“Places like Ilulissat Icefjord offer towering ice, which is something you simply do not experience in Iceland in the same way,” she explains.
In Greenland, I hiked for hours on the Russel Glacier and walked on the Greenland Ice Sheet, parts of which are believed to be over a million years old. I also saw massive icebergs on hikes and boat rides, experiences which were more like those I had in Antarctica than anywhere else in Europe, including Iceland.
From camping on the ice cap to dog sledding and sailing through glacier-lined fjords on an ice breaker, opportunities for adventure are endless in Greenland. Moreover, many of these adventures are hard to replicate anywhere else on earth, especially in the same place. Albatros Arctic Circle has experience planning adventures throughout Greenland.
PHOTO: MURATART/SHUTTERSTOCK
3 OF 11
Greenland Is Better for Slow Travel
Greenland is a perfect destination for those seeking slow travel. No roads connect Greenland’s towns, so visitors must fly on a small plane with Air Greenland, sail, or take a helicopter to get from place to place. Other than northern-lights hunting followed by a glass of Greenlandic Coffee spiked with Grand Marnier or watching the midnight sun, there isn’t much of a nightlife in most Greenlandic towns.
The lack of developed infrastructure and a still-new tourism industry make travel in Greenland feel slower, more immersive, and more intentional by default.
PHOTO: MADS PIHL - VISIT GREENLAND
4 OF 11
Greenland Has a Wealth of Indigenous Culture
Unlike Iceland, Greenland’s original settlers were not Norse Vikings. Instead, they were Inuit who traveled over a frozen land bridge from Canada.
“Culturally, Greenland remains deeply connected to Inuit traditions, where hunting and fishing are still an essential part of everyday life,” Strand says. “In many communities, these practices are not just cultural heritage but a way of sustaining families and preserving knowledge passed down through generations.”
During my trip to Greenland, I enjoyed learning about Inuit traditions, such as never whistling under the northern lights lest you attract the attention of the spirits, exploring a UNESCO-protected site where the Inuit once lived near the sea, and hunting Musk Ox for survival. I also traveled to a remote modern-day settlement where descendants of Greenland’s original settlers live today, blending old and new traditions.
“Greenland offers a unique blend of Inuit heritage, Norse history, and contemporary Arctic life, which together shape a living culture that is both diverse and deeply rooted in place,” explains Ann Sophie Dorph Andersen, a spokesperson for Visit Greenland who has Greenlandic heritage.
PHOTO: MURAT4ART/ISTOCK
5 OF 11
How to Get to Greenland
Travel to Greenland is now easier than ever. Icelandair offers several flights a week to Nuuk. Air Greenland offers flights to Greenland from Copenhagen. United Airlines offers seasonal flights from New York to Nuuk. Because traveling around the country can be difficult, an expedition cruise, such as one offered by HX Expedition, is a good choice. HX offers several options, including one that leaves from New York.
PHOTO: HAUKUR SIGURDSSON
6 OF 11
Iceland Is Better for Road Trips and Solo Exploring
Many travelers to Iceland enjoy traversing the country on their own. Unlike Greenland, where visitors are prohibited from renting cars in some towns due to dangerous road conditions, Iceland is the perfect choice for travelers who want to explore the country independently.
Iceland’s Golden Circle and Ring Road are both popular routes. The Golden Circle is a one-day drive featuring several of Iceland’s most popular sites, including a national park, a massive waterfall, and a geyser. The Ring Road is a longer highway that circumnavigates the country, taking visitors past waterfalls, black-sand beaches, volcanoes, fjords, and small towns. Other visitors rent a car or campervan for a day or weeks at a time to create custom itineraries.
Iceland is the better choice for independent travelers who want to traverse the country on their own terms.
PHOTO: BASICZTO/ISTOCK
7 OF 11
Iceland Is Better for Spontaneous Travel
Iceland’s well-developed tourism industry also means it’s easier to be spontaneous. In Iceland, getting from place to place requires less planning. Moreover, because Iceland’s tourism industry is firmly established and the country has more inhabitants than Greenland, it’s easier to book hotels and tours at the last minute.
Although we still recommend booking as much as possible in advance, it’s far easier to be spontaneous in Iceland than in Greenland. Travelers who prefer to follow their whims rather than create a detailed itinerary will likely have a better time in Iceland.
PHOTO: SUMMIT ART CREATIONS/SHUTTERSTOCK
8 OF 11
You Can’t Beat Iceland’s Hot Springs
One of my favorite parts about visiting Iceland is spending time in the country’s natural hot springs and thermal pools. Several places in Iceland, such as the Sky Lagoon, incorporate naturally occurring hot springs into wellness experiences that include saunas and cold plunges. Other geothermal hot springs, such as the Blue Lagoon, offer add-ons such as massages or meditation.
Iceland’s naturally warm waters are created by volcanic activity and shifting tectonic plates, which are not present in Greenland. Although I enjoyed my visit to Greenland very much, I missed soaking in hot springs, especially after a long day of hiking. Anyone hoping to visit hot springs or experience a Nordic wellness ritual should choose Iceland.
PHOTO: GALYNA LUNINA/ISTOCK
9 OF 11
Iceland Has Better Geographic Diversity
Because nearly all of Greenland is covered in ice, it lacks the geographic diversity of Iceland. Greenland has some geographical features aside from ice, including a few waterfalls and meadows, but not on the same scale as Iceland.
In Iceland, it’s possible to hike on glaciers and visit ice caves. However, the country also has an abundance of massive waterfalls, volcanoes, national parks, and geothermal hot springs. Travelers seeking a more varied experience will likely prefer Iceland.
PHOTO: MURATART/SHUTTERSTOCK
10 OF 11
Iceland Has More Nightlife and cultural activities
Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, is a lively European city. Although small, Reykjavik has an abundance of cafes and restaurants and a thriving nightlife. The city’s bars include an upscale speakeasy, a traditional British pub, and one that pays homage to the cult-classic movie The Big Lebowski. Elsewhere in the country, local restaurants and hotel bars serve as a hub for nightlife, although it’s not quite as lively as in Reykjavik.
Reykjavik also has a surprising number of museums, including several art museums, a museum dedicated to telling the story of Iceland’s original settlers, and quirky options, such as a phallic museum, a punk rock museum, and a museum where all exhibits are made from synthetic hair.
Although Greenland has some small bars and museums, the nightlife and culture don’t come close to what I experienced in Iceland. Travelers who want a robust nightlife and the ability to museum-hop will likely be happier in Iceland.
PHOTO: WENILIOU/ISTOCK
11 OF 11
How to Get to Iceland
The easiest way to get to Iceland is to fly Icelandair, which operates from over 20 airports in the United States.
If you still can’t decide whether Greenland or Iceland is right for you, consider a trip that takes you to both countries.
Combine a trip by taking an expedition cruise that sails to Iceland and Greenland. Or take advantage of Icelandair’s stopover program and spend up to a week in Iceland en route to Greenland.
Hotel execs delve into strategy pivots to adapt to changing conditions
Lower World Cup demand, new AI opportunities require action to stay on top
Larry Cuculic (right) of BWH Hotels speaks about adapting sales strategies for World Cup travel demand alongside Aimbridge Hospitality's Craig Smith at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum. (Bryan Wroten)
https://www.costar.com/article/768896750/hotel-execs-delve-into-strategy-pivots-to-adapt-to-changing-conditions?
By Bryan Wroten
NEW YORK — The hospitality industry must constantly contend with changing conditions, good or bad, to try to end up with the best possible results.
During a leadership panel at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum, hotel company executives spoke about how their respective organizations have evolved their strategies in the face of significant changes.
World Cup realities
With consumer confidence low, hoteliers have to adapt their strategies accordingly, said Larry Cuculic, president and CEO of BWH Hotels. That can require atypical revenue management, which in this instance may mean not looking at 2025 to figure out this year. There will be things happening this year that didn’t last year, namely World Cup matches.
“We have 200-plus hotels within 25 miles of a venue, and you can’t just assume people will come,” he said. “You have the pressure of consumer confidence, but then you also have to really consider what the World Cup is all about, because it is an anomaly with regard to revenue management."
Hotel companies with a presence in the markets where the five teams favored to win are playing can probably revenue-manage a bit more aggressively, Cuculic said. Even so, the cost pressures travelers face, especially when factoring in the cost of a World Cup ticket on its own, mean hoteliers need to adapt their strategies.
BWH Hotels launched two promotions concurrently, something the company hasn’t done before, he said. One is a value play, and the other is aimed at boosting consumer confidence to gain 1,000 loyalty points for a stay with the chance for 50 people to win 250,000 points leading into the America 250 events.
“We're adapting our strategies to what we're seeing in the economy,” Cuculic said. “We're being very, very thoughtful with regard to revenue management because of what we're witnessing.”
With international tourists weighing whether to visit the U.S. for the World Cup over concerns about visas or feeling uncomfortable with what's going on in the U.S., the American Hotel & Lodging Association has been meeting with members of Congress to address these issues, Aimbridge Hospitality CEO Craig Smith said. AHLA recently held Hotels on the Hill in which they were able to speak directly with members of Congress to talk about the issues and educate them.
“It was interesting for many of them,” he said. “They didn't really realize — we spoke to them about how we talk about an export imbalance, that every time someone comes to the United States, it's an export. They're using foreign capital for services in the United States, and how important that was.”
He said he would encourage hoteliers nationwide to not just see the problems but try to address them both on their own and through the AHLA.
Rob Smith (right), of Stonebridge Companies, speaks about his company's experiments with AI alongside Satya Anand, of Marriott International at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum. (Bryan Wroten)
The current environment isn’t all that bad, at least not when compared to what the industry has been through since Sept. 11, said Rob Smith, president and CEO of Stonebridge Companies. Stonebridge had a strong first quarter with top line up about 6.5%. April performance softened a little because of the Easter and Passover holidays, but May looked great, and June and July are going to be about the World Cup matches.
Stonebridge is in eight World Cup markets with close to 40 hotels expected to feel the impact, he said. The company made moves ahead of time to try to fill in with domestic demand, what had been expected for international inbound.
“International — that cake is baked,” Rob Smith said. “If they’re not on the books today, they’re not coming. They won’t be able to get the necessary paperwork to come through.”
Stonebridge is cautiously optimistic for the year based on how FIFA comes through, “but hopefully there's not another shoe to drop,” he said.
Transformation through AI
The most exciting thing happening in the hotel industry today is artificial intelligence, Craig Smith said. Twenty-five years ago, many hoteliers were still taking reservations on a piece of paper over a phone call. Those who remember that have been through the digital transformation, which everyone at the time thought was the biggest thing to happen to the industry.
“AI is not a shiny penny,” he said. “It’s the next and much bigger thing that’s happening, and it’s going to transform the industry.”
AI will change how people search and book their trips, he said. It will change everything in the middle of a profit-and-loss statement. Accounting will become easier, and forecasting will be easier and more accurate.
Aimbridge is doing a lot of work with AI, and to accomplish that, it’s reinvesting in its systems because data is important, he said.
“You can’t do anything on the AI side unless you have all your data stored correctly in the warehouse,” he said.
Stonebridge is at the beginning of its AI journey, and it’s doing so with an in-house team, Rob Smith said. Stonebridge is able to break even with this approach, and it has been involved in AI for almost two years with its team. All of its data is stored in one space, and that includes financial reviews and different industry reports.
“I can now go into Copilot and pick out one hotel and less than 30 seconds know everything that's happening, not only that month, but the last six months, in the future six months,” he said.
Stonebridge also started a lab in November in its corporate office, he said. The company uses ChatGPT and Claude as well, but it rolled out Copilot to its property general managers, directors of sales and directors of finance.
“All the innovation doesn't happen at the corporate office,” he said. “We're not the ones that think about it. It happens in the field.”
Stonebridge instructed its hotel leadership teams to use Copilot over a six-month period and then report back what they used it for, he said. Corporate then takes that information back to the lab to examine it.
People tend to portray AI as something to fear or a challenge because it means they have to change, said Satya Anand, group president of U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean and Latin America for Marriott International. It is a challenge, but it’s also a large opportunity.
On the customer side, AI will bring about the fastest changes, he said. In response, Marriott is introducing technology to make it easier for guests to use and search. In regard to the customer journey and personalization, AI will allow Marriott to accomplish this in a better scale and deeper content level.
Anand agreed that there are great ideas coming out of the field from Marriott's hotel associates. Marriott has used an incubator for AI to solicit ideas from property teams and combined that with what they are working on in corporate offices.
One example is on the revenue management and sales side, he said. Hotels can take in large numbers of group business leads, and that can take a significant amount of time for the respective teams to go through them and respond.
“Many of the times, the smaller group leads depend on how quickly you respond, and the faster you respond, the greater the chance of you getting the business,” Anand said. “Now, it’s a manual process, a difficult process. We are using agentic AI to be able to filter those leads and respond at a much faster pace.”
Cuculic said he likes the concept of experience management software with AI. It’s not just for what guests are saying about a hotel, but what hotel teams need to do and provide advice to the general manager.
For example, it can tell a team to respond to an issue in a specific room because guests have complained multiple times about the HVAC system, he said.
“It’s an integration through the use of AI of all the data that you have,” Cuculic said.
Hoteliers should also be able to turn to AI to make sure their websites turn up in search results when guests use AI to plan a trip, he said.
“You've got to use AI to curate content and then make sure that your hotels are going to be the answer to the question,” Cuculic said.
How Mandarin Oriental’s CEO is scaling boutique luxury
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-mandarin-orientals-ceo-is-scaling-boutique-luxury
Laurent Kleitman is the CEO of Mandarin Oriental. Alex Sawaya is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Hong Kong office.
Two years into a strategic reset, CEO Laurent Kleitman outlines how the brand plans to expand its luxury hotel offerings both geographically and conceptually—without losing its quality of service.
Can a luxury brand double its size without diluting its value? That’s the aspiration behind Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s strategic reset, two years in the making under the leadership of CEO Laurent Kleitman.
In a sector dominated by giants, Mandarin Oriental is still relatively small—just over 40 hotels, a dozen branded residences, and a growing collection of “exceptional homes” in destinations ranging from Bali to Umbria. But in a recent take-private deal with parent company Jardine Matheson, the brand was valued at $4.2 billion, and its reputation rivals players many times its size. Kleitman’s goal is to double the portfolio by 2033 while maintaining what he calls the brand’s “extreme empathy.”
Kleitman recently spoke with McKinsey Senior Partner Alex Sawaya at the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia in Paris, discussing the hotel group’s global expansion, the role of talent in sustaining service excellence, and what today’s luxury travelers value.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Alex Sawaya: When you joined Mandarin Oriental two years ago, you set out an ambitious new strategy for the group. How did your vision differ from what was already in place for the hotels?
Laurent Kleitman: When I became CEO, Mandarin Oriental was already a formidable brand with strong fundamentals and financials. But we focused on reestablishing the strength of the brand’s desirability, awareness, and reputation, and each of those points are core elements of the new strategy. We also needed to be totally guest-centric, where all guests’ needs are addressed. Being brand-led and guest-centric is the starting point of the strategy.
From there, we decided to double the size of the company—reaching new destinations while building our existing portfolio of branded residences and “exceptional homes”.1 Together, this would accelerate the physical presence of the brand around the world.
Innovation was also at the heart of the strategy. We asked ourselves, “How can we ensure that we address the latest trends in food and beverage, wellness, and so on?” A key element of being able to innovate comes from increasing our operational efficiency. That meant building a more resilient foundation to support the brand, one that gives us the freedom to invest in people, craft, and long-term desirability. We strengthened pricing and demand forecasting, delivering double-digit RevPAR [revenue per available room] growth across all regions. On costs, we accelerated our asset-light strategy, while retaining long-term management contracts. This allows us to reinvest capital in high-impact areas like digital capability and portfolio enhancement. As a result, we’ve maintained strong EBITDA growth and operational resilience, even in a volatile global environment.
Scaling the brand while protecting service
Alex Sawaya: How did you know that the Mandarin Oriental brand was already a strong brand when you joined the company?
Laurent Kleitman: I knew it long before I joined the company, because I experienced it as a guest. About 20 years ago, I was having dinner with my family at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok. During the meal, my young son stained his shirt with ketchup and we placed it over the back of a chair. Without a word, a colleague discreetly removed it. By the end of dinner, it was returned to us, cleaned and pressed. That moment stayed with me. It was pure attentiveness, delivered with humility and care.
When I later looked at the brand more formally, the data simply confirmed what that experience had already told me. Our reputation and awareness were on par with brands many times our size. People were often surprised to learn how focused our portfolio was, because the brand already carried global recognition and trust. Our responsibility now is to leverage that awareness and reputation to grow our footprint, while honoring the emotional connection that makes Mandarin Oriental so special in the first place.
Maintaining the luxury experience while scaling
Alex Sawaya: We’re speaking today at the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia in Paris, which is celebrating its 115th anniversary. How does this property reflect Mandarin Oriental’s vision for luxury hospitality?
Laurent Kleitman: Lutetia is an iconic part of the culture and history of Paris. It was built to echo [French department store] Le Bon Marché, which is just in front of the hotel. World War II plays an important role in the history of this building,2 and in the postwar era, Lutetia became an icon of the renewal of artistic life in Paris. It is also the only palace on the Left Bank of Paris, and it represents what hospitality looks like at Mandarin Oriental—a place that is well rooted in the surrounding community and where you can experience extraordinary, exceptional service.
Alex Sawaya: When you look across the luxury hospitality space, everyone is trying to deliver higher-quality service and experiences. What makes Mandarin Oriental’s value proposition distinct from other luxury hotel groups?
Laurent Kleitman: Our “dual Asian” origin makes us extremely special in the hospitality landscape. On one hand, we opened The Mandarin, our first hotel, in Hong Kong in 1963. At the time, it was the tallest building in Hong Kong, had the fastest elevators in Hong Kong, and was the first to have bathtubs in every guest room. On the other hand, we had The Oriental in Bangkok—celebrating its 150th anniversary this year—which rooted us authentically in Thai culture, with an emphasis on graceful, empathetic service. Both sides—innovation from Hong Kong and grace from Thailand—are what define us. In each of our hotels today, we strive to find this balance.
Service, which to us is human, emotional, and intuitive, is the living craft. Design, architecture, and art create the stage on which that craft comes to life. At our Qianmen property in Beijing, we completely restored not just one building, but the entire hutong3 area of the city, which included about 50 buildings, while still preserving 90 percent of the original structures. You experience the community there: You open the door of your hutong and you’re in the streets with your neighbors next to you. To blend the experience of a luxury hotel and the life of a neighborhood is extremely rare in luxury hospitality.
At one of our newest projects in Mexico, which is expected to open in 2028, the Mexican sculptor Bosco Sodi will be the curator of the property. Rather than thinking of hotel art as an afterthought, we are creating an environment where art will be naturally present throughout the property, which brings the luxury experience to life. This is one of the key pillars of the brand.
Alex Sawaya: You’ve set a goal of doubling your footprint to 100 hotels worldwide. How will you maintain the luxury experience as you scale?
Laurent Kleitman: If you think about our size, we are fewer than 10,000 keys.4 Even if we were to double our size, we’d still remain a relatively small player in terms of the number of keys and the number of destinations where our guests travel.
Our expansion addresses holes we had on our global map, where we weren’t in capital cities, for example. In the next few years, we are going to enter Rome. In 2025, we opened in Vienna. We are going to become more present in North America. These are obvious destinations we need to be in.
As we grow, our strategy remains uncompromisingly brand-led and guest-centric. Expansion never comes at the expense of attentiveness. Preserving our legendary service and craftsmanship that define Mandarin Oriental is a personal obsession for me. It can only be sustained through the caliber of our people, and also by how we recruit, nurture, and invest in those who bring the brand to life every day.
The talent imperative
Alex Sawaya: Talent, as you noted, is critical to sustaining that level of service. How are you attracting, developing, and retaining Mandarin Oriental employees?
Laurent Kleitman: Our Rising Fan management training program, which is designed for emerging talent and early-career colleagues, is probably one of the best in the business. Frankly, if I could qualify to do it today, I would. As part of this program, you spend 18 months working in all the professions found in a hotel, be it in food and beverage, room service, the front desk, and so on. It’s very helpful for the young graduates who join the program to discover the breadth and the complexity of hotel operations, while also familiarizing themselves with the brand at every single touchpoint.
The program is highly selective and attracts a remarkable level of interest. But more importantly, it’s formative. While graduates do not become hotel managers immediately, they gain the essential grounding that allows them to step into leadership roles with credibility when the time is right.
Talent and securing the best colleagues—whether they come from hospitality schools, another school, or our Rising Fan program—is the number one priority, since ensuring services are delivered well is the number one issue we all face in the hospitality profession. To be honest, hospitality has not been very innovative in the way it attracts, retains, and grows talent. We want to address flexible scheduling, mental health issues, and all issues related to professional growth and creating a career path. There is more work to be done to secure the best talent, which is why it’s the top priority for me as CEO.
Innovation initiatives
Alex Sawaya: In what other ways can luxury hotels do more to innovate? Does the hospitality playbook need to be reimagined?
Innovating the luxury hotel playbook
Laurent Kleitman: It looks like a playbook but is not a playbook. We pride ourselves on our authentic, human service style. It looks easy, but it is probably the most difficult element to replicate from property to property.
Because of this difficulty, the way we approach service is unique. We empower teams to do whatever it takes to satisfy guests, and we promote what we call “unscripted moments”—gestures that cannot be lifted from a playbook. We, of course, have standards of service. But what matters most is how those standards are delivered: with extreme empathy and genuine attention. That balance is what transforms a stay into an experience and, over time, turns guests into genuine fans of the brand.
This is what happened to me 20 years ago. I was on the Chao Phraya River in Thailand with my family at a Mandarin Oriental for the first time. I wasn’t even a guest at the hotel; we were just having dinner on the terrace. But the care that my family and I experienced that evening stayed with me. That was not something outlined in a guest service playbook, and this is what we believe luxury hospitality is. For me, these are the touchpoints that our teams are addressing every day, and what creates the strength of and attachment to a brand.
Alex Sawaya: Marquee food-and-beverage programs and curated spas are among the top offerings luxury hotel travelers seek out. In what ways is Mandarin Oriental improving its offerings in these areas?
Laurent Kleitman: Product delivery—whether that’s in food and beverage or wellness experiences—is due for innovation and in some cases, disruption. Think about The Pizza Bar on 38th, in our Tokyo hotel. You might not connect pizza with Tokyo, but our pizza has been voted as the best pizza in Asia and the second-best pizza in the world for several years in a row now. We took what makes pizza attractive and blended it with an incredible omakase experience, which is rooted in Japanese culture. So, there is a lot of room for innovation in food and beverage.
The same goes for wellness. We invented the modern hotel wellness program in 1993 with the first-ever hotel spa in a luxury hotel in Bangkok. Since then, we have continued innovating so that wellness covers more than just the spa, focusing on holistic well-being and reaching areas like longevity, for example. Our approach to wellness is made up of three core pillars: physical, spiritual (which includes mindfulness and restorative rituals to support emotional resilience and mental clarity), and medical-aligned wellness (science-informed, preventative-health elements).
But it’s also about breaking codes. We pioneered fine dining in Bangkok in the ’50s and the jazz bar concept in Thailand in the ’60s. There is always a need, when it comes to luxury travel, to push the boundaries and to innovate.
The role of AI in luxury hospitality
Alex Sawaya: What role do you see AI playing in luxury hospitality?
Laurent Kleitman: I see technology and AI as an opportunity, though it is a bit paradoxical: The more technology we use, the more we can free up time for human interaction. By allowing AI and automation to address the routine elements of travel, we free our teams to focus on what truly adds value: one-on-one human interaction. There’s far more meaning in a conversation about what to discover around the Lutetia than there is in confirming your [taxi] pickup time, for example.
The launch of our mobile app in 2025 is another way we are using technology to improve the guest experience. The app, which has been downloaded more than 50,000 times since launch, gives all guests a tool to preplan their trip, to use during their travel, and then to use again post-travel. For example, guests continue using the app between stays to stay connected with the brand, especially for restaurants, bars, and spa visits, which now count toward their Fans of M.O. recognition status.
Expanding the luxury experience beyond the hotel
Alex Sawaya: Many hospitality groups are branching into cruises, jets, or private clubs. Do those trends fit into your growth strategy?
Laurent Kleitman: We are looking carefully at these extensions, but our conviction remains with the core of hospitality. There is still enormous potential in hotels, resorts, and branded residences, particularly as more guests want to live within—not just stay at—a Mandarin Oriental. Our exceptional homes offering responds to another powerful shift: privacy as a form of luxury. It allows us to deliver our service culture with complete discretion, in homes and villas around the world.
Alex Sawaya: You’ve touched on an interesting point about the evolving needs of your core customers. How do you balance the needs of your long-standing, older guests with those of emerging luxury travelers, who may have new or differing expectations?
Laurent Kleitman: Today, multigenerational travel is increasingly common, with families often spanning three generations, sometimes more, choosing to travel together. This requires us to think differently about space and experience. How do we create enough diversity of experiences and ensure service expectations are met for both younger and older generations? How do we create the right entertainment program in our resorts? We do that by focusing on curating products. In our Emirates Palace resort in Abu Dhabi and our Costa Navarino resort in Greece, for example, we’ve improved our kids’ club concepts for small children through teenagers. Equally important is how we connect families to the destination itself, through culture, food, and experiences that can be shared across generations.
Appealing to a multigenerational consumer base
Lessons from a luxury leader
Alex Sawaya: Before you joined Mandarin Oriental, you were the CEO of Parfums Christian Dior at LVMH. Given your unique vantage point, where do you think luxury goods and experiences are heading? What learnings can luxury hospitality draw from the luxury goods market?
Laurent Kleitman: There seems to be a shift in consumer demand from goods to experiences. Luxury goods aren’t over, but it’s true that when you have 15 handbags already, the 16th handbag probably provides a lesser thrill than the first 15. It’s not the same with luxury hospitality, however, because what we sell is time. We never have enough time with our loved ones, so creating moments where you can engage with them is almost a never-ending need for our target audience. The future of luxury hospitality is bright because we can address the scarcity of time through exceptional experiences for our guests. They are the same people who buy luxury goods, of course, but increasingly, their appetite for goods is slightly less than their appetite for experiences.
Alex Sawaya: Has there been a moment in your career so far that has shaped your leadership style?
Laurent Kleitman: I have worked and lived across several countries, which taught me to respect different perspectives and engage with people and cultures in meaningful ways. It shaped how I lead and make decisions. I have also learned from my mistakes; each one offered a different lesson. Over time, I have come to believe that being open about failure is just as important as celebrating success. It is less comfortable, but it is essential to learning, and something I continue to value deeply.
DUHC&S | Strategic Hospitality Consulting & Advisory
We transform hospitality and tourism businesses through strategic solutions, operational efficiency, and comprehensive renovation. With over 40 years of experience working with brands like Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton, and Sonesta, we enhance asset value and profitability through:
*Operational excellence and brand standards (GSI +90%)
*Market penetration and commercial strategies
*Key partnerships and disruptive innovation
*Hotel openings and repositioning
Proven results :
✅ 48% GOP |
✅ +120% asset valuation growth
✅ Successful projects across 6 Latin American countries
🔹 Let's connect :
📩 Email: diurugeles@gmail.com
📱 WhatsApp: +57 3153259968
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diur_2000/
https://viajes-noticias-duhospitality.blogspot.com
https://viajes-duhospitality.blogspot.com
https://travel-duhospitality.blogspot.com
Disclaimer
DUHC&S shares this information for educational and informational purposes only. The news articles reproduced here are sourced from public and recognized media outlets. We are not the original authors of this content but rather its distributors. All credits go to the original sources cited in each article. If you are the legitimate owner of any material and wish to have it modified or removed, please contact us immediately at diurugeles@gmail.com, and we will address your request promptly.
Comments
Post a Comment