Camille Oostwegel: meaningful luxury

Luxury has an image problem. Too often it is still associated with clichés like gold taps, lobster and caviar and marble floors. But let's face it-that definition of luxury is out of date. The question is no longer how much comes to the table, but where it comes from and what impact it has.

Guests have changed. The new generation seeks an experience with meaning. Luxury that goes beyond the surface. Not just another champagne bar, but a wine made from grapes that really say something about their terroir. Not the far-flung show of produce from around the world, but cuisine that embraces its own region and seasons.

Yet there are still opportunities here for many hotels and restaurants. Tomorrow's guest will pierce right through it if sustainability is just an outward seal of approval for the screens. What really matters is taking responsibility and making conscious choices for the long term. 

At Oostwegel Collection, we have consciously embraced this transition. Not because it is trendy, but because we believe that true hospitality serves not only the guest, but also the environment and the people who work there. That means making choices. Ingredients from our own vegetable garden instead of flown-in exotics. A personnel policy in which employees grow rather than burn out. Heritage that is not only kept beautiful, but also future-proofed.

For 45 years, we have been convinced that hospitality and gastronomy at the highest level are perfectly compatible with sustainability and social commitment. 'Meaningful luxury' is what we call it. With this, we have embarked on a journey towards redefining the concept of luxury.

Is that easy? Certainly not. Sometimes it means taking two steps forward, only to have to take another step back. Sometimes it means making short-term concessions just to create more long-term value. Luxury is changing, and if you don't move with it, you fall behind. The question we need to ask ourselves as an industry is not whether we make this transition, but how fast.

The great thing is: this approach is not reserved for historic castles in our beautiful Limburg hill country. The principles are universally applicable. Whether you run a boutique hotel in the city centre, or a resort on the coast: the challenge lies in finding your own interpretation of meaningful luxury. What makes your location unique? How can you involve local partners? What impact do you want to make on your surroundings? What impact do you want to make with your guests? 

The future of luxury in the hotel industry lies in creating experiences that extend beyond the stay itself. Experiences that are valuable not only to the guest, but to everyone involved. Now that is true luxury.