The Luxury Institute released its 2016 Global Hotels Luxury Brand Status Index, which provides rankings and ratings of 40 global luxury hotel brands by affluent consumers from the world's richest countries.
The New York-based Luxury Institute surveyed 3,900 consumers from seven countries who met the following income thresholds in local currencies: United States ($150,000); United Kingdom (£60,000); France, Germany, Italy (EUR50,000); China (1 million CNY); and Japan (¥150 million).
Respondents rated each hotel brand on quality, exclusivity, social status, and self-enhancement. In addition, affluent travelers weighed in on whether they are willing to recommend specific brands to other travelers. They also indicated whether hotel brands are worth premium prices.
Luxury Brand Status Index scores range from 0-10, and are an average of respondents' degree of agreement with each of the following four statements:
- "This hotel delivers consistently superior quality."
- "This hotel is truly unique and exclusive."
- "This hotel is visited by people who are admired and respected."
- "This hotel makes guests feel special across the full customer experience."
Earning top honors among the 40 hotels considered for the 2016 Luxury Brand Status Index is U.K.-based Maybourne Hotels, receiving an overall LBSI score of 8.16, and the highest ranking on each of the four key metrics. Despite Mayfair's strong showing, it is not a well-known name.
The top five worldwide hotel brands with which affluent are most familiar, and most likely to have visited, are Four Seasons, The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Grand Hyatt, and InterContinental.
Other highly ranked brands are Aman Resorts (8.02), operator of serene resorts in Utah, Turks & Caicos, the Philippines, and Indonesia, the Ritz-Carlton (8.02), and Small Luxury Hotels of the World (8.01).
On a country-specific basis, the luxury hotels with the highest LBSI scores are as follows.
- U.S.: Aman Resorts (8.49).
- U.K.: The Peninsula Hotels (7.86).
- France: Banyan Tree (8.00).
- Germany: The Ritz-Carlton (8.23).
- Italy: Mandarin Oriental (8.50).
- Japan: Aman Resorts (7.78).
- China: Waldorf Astoria (8.54).
Worldwide, Aman Resorts and the Ritz-Carlton are the hotel brands most likely to be viewed as worthy of a price premium. Aman Resorts and Small Luxury Hotels of the World are the hotel brands that affluent consumers are most willing to recommend to others. Most likely to be considered by affluent customers for a reservation are JW Marriott, the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and InterContinental.
"Hotel brands are only as good as the reputation they enjoy with their guests," says Luxury Institute CEO Milton Pedraza. "Using the Luxury Brand Status Index as a gauge of how well their brands resonate with customers, management is better able to make smart investments that serve to enhance brand value."
The complete 2016 Global Luxury Hotel Luxury Brand Status Index is available for purchase. For complete rankings and ratings with additional insights, visit the Luxury Institute’s website.
