What do we mean by ‘luxury’ in serviced apartments?

I often make the claim that my serviced apartments are luxurious – offering those fabulous extras that can make a trip even better. And I’m not alone; in the tourism industry, ‘luxury’ is probably an over-used word. But I wanted to explain just what I mean by luxury when talking about Craven House Serviced Apartments; because we really do go the extra mile to make every detail special.

It’s more than ‘nice’
If we’re talking about luxury, I think we need to make a distinction from ‘nice’. Hotels will often describe a comfy bed as luxurious, but I don’t think that cuts it. To me, luxury is about providing an extra level of quality that takes your guests by surprise.
My serviced apartments come with Orla Kiely toiletries, for example. There are many other options I could have chosen, many of which would probably be much cheaper to provide. But I chose Orla Kiely because their products have a genuinely premium feel that give guests the sense that they’re being spoilt. That, in a nutshell, is luxury – that lovely feeling of being pampered.

It means providing too much, not too little
We’ve been praised in the past for our habit of providing a plentiful supply of everything – whether it’s kitchen cutlery, extra lamps or bedroom storage.
This too, I believe, is a hallmark of luxury. When you’re in a chain hotel, you expect to be provided with everything you need, but nothing more. That’s just the nature of staying in a hotel. But I want my guests to never be wishing for anything more.
Craven House is all about abundance, and we’re famed for catering for every possible need. And if we do happen to miss something, guests just call me and I supply it anyway!

It means updating the look and feel of your accommodation
Luxury, just like everything else in life, dates. Design tastes change quickly, and to deliver luxury, your accommodation has to be up to date.
So, in 2015, despite the fact that our furniture and fittings were in fine condition, we updated everything. From accessories and furniture to store cupboards and lighting, we modernised the style of our apartments, without compromising the heritage of the Georgian design of the building.
No doubt, when tastes and styles change again, we’ll be updating our accommodation once more. That’s what a commitment to luxury is all about.

It means style, not just decadence
Luxury isn’t simply about offering expensive things. It’s about providing a feeling of exceptional comfort and elegance. And that means that style matters.
I’m proud to say that Craven House is renowned for its stylish design, inside and out. We choose a cosy, rustic interior, and use a selection of greens, oranges, coppers and aubergine to reflect the changing seasons on view through the huge Georgian windows. The furniture has a grandness to it that’s in-keeping with the adjacent Hampton Court Palace. But each apartment varies in style slightly according to its location; the basement apartments, for example, contain plenty of wool and brighter colour palettes to add extra warmth and cosiness. They are ultimately more contemporary in style, which suits their setting.

Overall, each apartment is packed with stylish detail that might appear arbitrary but is in fact carefully selected to complement everything else: the building, the view, the interior space. I’m passion ate about interior design, and I believe that true luxury means style too – style that makes a guest feel excited to stay.
It’s often said that the mark of truly spectacular accommodation is when guests are so inspired by what they see, they take some of that inspiration into their own homes. That’s what I am for at Craven House: a home away from home, with a style you’ll want to take with you.
To find out more about my luxury apartments and to experience some of it for yourself, head here.
Best Wishes