The just-released 2014 Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection directory features a first-ever “Off-The-Beaten-Path” section showcasing 28 unique properties located in some of the world’s most attractive travel destinations, Ensemble says.
From luxury camps and regal palaces to intriguing caves and intimate settings, this new chapter is published in conjunction with a select group of Ensemble On Location partners operating in unique areas around the globe.
Examples include the A&K Exclusive Desert Tented Camp in Erg Chebbi, Morocco; the Kayakapi Premium Caves in Cappadocia, Turkey; the Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur, India; the nature-inspired Mukul Beach near Managua, Nicaragua; and the idyllic Finca Cortesin in Coastal del Sol, Spain.
“This collection of lesser-known hotel ‘jewels’ will appeal to members’ clients clearly seeking unusual accommodations as part of their experiential travel adventure. This new portfolio truly showcases an agent’s product expertise and supplier connections, said Suzanne Hall, senior director, Ensemble Hotel & Resort Collection/land supplier partnerships.
“In a survey of Ensemble agency owners, the value of our overall hotel and resort program to a member’s bottom line is significant as nearly 70 percent of respondents said it enhanced their value with their customers. One of the reasons why the program is so effective is its relevance to today’s consumer, and a perfect example of this is the new ‘Off-The-Beaten-Path’ section," Hall said.
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The program has also expanded its global reach. For instance, the 2014 “The Art of Luxury” directory features nearly 100 new properties from around the world. Among the additions to the program: Banyan Tree Seychelles, Montage Beverly Hills and Laguna Beach, Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, Ritz Carlton Aruba, and Shangri-La Hotel Paris.
In addition, Ensemble notes major growth among brands was especially strong with Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, now with 16 properties in the program, and all three Maybourne Group Properties in London: The Berkeley, Claridge’s, and The Connaught.
The guide was mailed last month to approximately 200,000 households, Ensemble says. In addition to the print version of The Art of Luxury, the four- and five-star properties are accessible through the organization’s digital version that is embedded on members’ websites and used to meet the growing needs of consumers’ electronic-delivery preferences.