On the counter table, the cutlery is installed. At less than two meters, the leader activates alongside his brigade. Between two instructions, he stops, serves the couple and answers their questions. Immersed in this open space, these guests – that evening – will have the chance to enjoy a meal in the heart of the effervescence of a kitchen of a large restaurant in full fire. Earlier in the day, they will have visited a quinta and shared the daily life of the cellar master and the winegrowers for a Port wine tasting. Not to mention an introduction to these wines, the day before, by the expert Cristiano Van Zeller.
Housed in a 19th-century building overlooking terraced vineyards, the Six Senses Hotel in Portugal’s Douro Valley immerses guests in local culture through exclusive activities.
Explore a city or a country differently
The immersive and tailor-made experience: this is today the new axis of development of the luxury hotel industry. To go further than “classic” services and concierge services, Lartisien – which lists the most beautiful hotels in the world (Maison Villeroy in Paris, Dataï in Langkawi, Jumeirah Al Nassen in Dubai…) – has launched the “Immersion” program in 2019. The concept? “We offer customers the opportunity to discover and meet enthusiasts who tell the destination in a different way, with a insider which is not a guide”, explains Ivan Lartisien.
In Dubai, meet Mohamed Aissaoui, CEO of MyFarm.
© / PDS
The difference ? The choice of personalities. And to cite a few examples: “In Dubai, we invite our guests to meet Mohamed Aissaoui, CEO of MyFarm, who created a farm in the middle of the desert. In New York, they will discover a mother and her daughter who created a gospel school in the Bronx to reintegrate, through music, young people in the process of sinking.” Objective: to explore a city or a country differently.
Offering iconic experiences is also the ambition of Thibaud Elzière and Robin Michel through Iconic House, a collection of luxury properties available for rental. Beyond a refined, warm decoration, and an exceptional, discreet and personalized service, the two brothers deploy four offers per house around nature, local and well-being: surf lessons with Marc Lacoma on the shores of the lake in Hossegor, ski touring with a professional mountaineer at 1550 in Courchevel, introduction to blacksmithing at Etoile des Baux, etc. A way to create the difference… and unforgettable memories.