Villa de France, a villa at the Cheval Blanc hotel, rarely appears on booking apps so few people know about its existence.
Many rooms at some accommodations around the world are intentionally hidden, with one thing in common: they rarely or never appear on booking apps or hotel websites. People only know about their existence when a few savvy guests book a room and post photos on their personal pages. To book or find out about room rates, visitors can only call the front desk directly.
Villa de France is a five-room villa at the Cheval Blanc hotel in St Barts, a French-speaking Caribbean island. The suite is described as “reclusive yet majestic, discreetly tucked away in the resort and almost impossible to spot when visiting”. It is barely advertised online.
Many people, after learning about the existence of Villa de France, have tried to "dig up" websites to find out more. What they know more is that this place has its own spa in the villa and two infinity pools. Even when calling to book a room, visitors are not sure if they can book this 30,000 euro per night villa or if it is already occupied.
Christelle Hilpron, general manager of Cheval Blanc in St Barts, explains the reason for keeping the villa a secret is “to keep it completely private”. The villa has its own chef, dining table for 10, private gym and spa, and direct access to Flamands beach. The seclusion means guests can avoid contact with other guests at the resort.
The Newt Hotel in Somerset, England, is home to a collection of rooms decorated with Georgian antiques, crackling log fires, and oversized bathtubs. The most exclusive part of the hotel is Gate Lodge, a two-bedroom country house that was quietly added to the 1,000-acre estate in 2022. The property has plenty of amenities, but its secrecy is what makes it so appealing. The $2,600-a-night property is barely mentioned on the hotel’s website, and guests can only book by calling the number directly, and few people know about it.
Jack Ezon, founder of travel company Embark Beyond, says the rooms are appealing because they are “virtually unknown.” They are especially special in an age where everything is photographed and reposted online. The anonymity is seen as “something irresistible,” even if you’re not a celebrity and need to avoid the paparazzi.
“More and more customers want something special,” Ezon said. Many of today’s wealthy customers are interested in places that “no one has ever heard of” or “have never been featured online.”
The Broadmoor, a picturesque resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is next on our list of hotels with secret rooms. Cloud Camp is a cluster of rooms located on a mountaintop with 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape, about a 20-minute drive from the Broadmoor's main building. Prices start at nearly $1,200 a night and are mostly reserved by phone.
Andy Hogg, a luxury safari operator in Zambia, is renovating two old shipping containers into en-suite accommodation with spacious living areas and large windows in 2022. The container homes, located at the entrance to South Luangwa National Park, are private destinations. Andy says not heavily promoting the new accommodation has allowed his team to “refine the offering, test how guests use the space and continue to innovate.”
Still, not publicizing rooms isn’t always the best strategy. The Mandarin Oriental in New York has a 3,000-square-foot luxury room that hasn’t been mentioned in a while. Since it was added to the hotel’s website, bookings for the room have increased 31% compared to 2019. Danielle Choi, the hotel’s director of marketing and commercial, said most of the bookings were made by guests calling in directly.
Contacting hotels directly to book, rather than through a third party, is a favorite of Amanda Zaslow, a villa owner in Saugerties. None of the rooms she manages are bookable without a direct call or email. She even lets guests think the website is down, forcing them to contact her directly. “A lot of guests think it’s great that they have to go through a little extra work to find us. Contacting us directly also gives us the opportunity to create more memorable stays for our guests,” she says.
According to vnexpress.net
Source link
Comment (0)