We established a task force, including a team of leading medical and infectious disease experts, who have been working tirelessly on a comprehensive reopening strategy, then partnered with Mount Sinai to review our procedures. Which are the Covid-19 measures you have been implementing? How important is the training of your staff so that all these measures are conveyed in an effortless manner, without transforming the hotel into a hospital? We view this partnership with our neighborhood as the key to the city’s revival. As New York’s newest neighbourhood, Hudson Yards has emerged as an oasis and Equinox Hotel has positioned itself as an urban resort attracting luxury leisure travellers and staycationers while remaining connected with large open air areas, walkable green spaces, and world class retail. New York has always been a story told through the voice of its neighbourhoods. Recovery of a major global luxury destination such as New York city depends on a concerted effort by all luxury sectors.
For example, when some iconic luxury hotels were removing the mini-bar due to Covid-19, we decided to not only keep the amenity but add items such as immunity building kits. Covid has forced hoteliers to re-examine their interpretation of luxury. Both an increased reliance on technology and Covid-19 have accelerated the departure from traditional luxury norms such as white glove service. In our case well-being, sustainability and a performance mindset are part of that mission. Today modern luxury consumers are buying in to brands for different reasons, prioritizing alignment around their own core values. What is your take? Has the perception of luxury changed? (If in any way)
With lower occupancies, we are also using this time to refine our approach to data and personalization. Interest in Equinox Hotels’ unique positioning around well-being has never been so great. In the mid-term we predict an increase in distressed inventory and therefore more opportunities in the market to convert hotels, both domestically and internationally.
Which are the opportunities you anticipate in the mid-term? The biggest obstacle I foresee is one that doesn’t actually impact us and that is the challenge of scaling cleanliness and staffing standards and protocols for a large chain or portfolio of hotels. People trust great brands so we felt a great sense of responsibility to deliver on a flawless guest experience and to deliver on our brand promise despite the restrictions of Covid-19. Our biggest challenge was making sure that we could ensure that we met the individual needs of our guests by providing multiple solutions. What are the biggest challenges you have been facing with re-opening? Are there new obstacles in ensuring and providing consistently high service standards?
#EQUINOX HOTELS NYC FREE#
Fortunately, when we built our first Equinox Hotel we didn’t just focus on a new build hotel but also building g new ideas for our industry from a hospital grade air filtration system to virtually paperless and clutter free rooms. It was this same mindset that enabled us to be the first hotel in New York to empower a fully contactless stay. Once we felt that we could ensure the safety of our guests, support the broader re-opening efforts of our neighbours in Hudson Yards and deliver an un-compromised lifestyle experience, we did. Our aim was to be the healthiest hotel in the world so we didn’t just want to re-open in New York, we wanted to lead the way.įrom your very early feedback, to what extent Covid-19 safety & hygiene measures are a primary criteria when booking your property? In this respect, is the fact that your hotel is newly built, a competitive advantage?Įquinox has always been known for the strictest cleanliness protocols in the industry, our guests and members have come to expect those exceptionally high standards. We chose to open when we felt the time was right, based on local government guidelines, and knew that we would not open any sooner. How important has it been to open your property as early as possible? (considering many luxury hotels in NYC have not reopened) Norton is one of the most respected visionary luxury hotelier in the world. Previously, he had several senior executive positions including President, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. CPP-LUXURY.COM has recently interviewed Christopher Norton, CEO of Equinox Hotels.
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