Dinosaurs have long captivated our collective psyche. From childhood exposure to their fossilized remains, we are enthralled by their sheer size and ferocity.

But does the hospitality industry have a dinosaur of its own? A relic which, instead of sporting teeth the size of steak knives and claws sharper than Oscar Wilde’s wit, has an anatomy consisting of ostentatious marble foyers, gold-plated bathroom taps and those remote-control lighting fixtures no one knows how to operate?

One could argue that dinosaur is luxury.

We have long recognized that the proverbial asteroid has already laid waste to the old order of traditional luxury and its trappings, heralding a post-luxury philosophy in destination experience and design.

But before diving deeper into post-luxury perspectives, let us consider the term ‘luxury’ itself.

The original meaning of the word had distinctly negative connotations. The Latin “luxuria” was associated with excess and extravagance, and related to behaviors considered wasteful, immoral, or sinful. It was only over time that this meaning evolved to encompass positive aspects of comfort, opulence, and the enjoyment of the finer things in life.

It is in this positive sense that the hospitality industry traditionally used the term. From grand lobbies to gilded fixtures and fittings, luxury (in the sense of opulence), was the True North that guided establishments in their offerings, services, and ethos.

But the definition was neither static nor monolithic. It continued to evolve, reflecting societal shifts, technological advances, and a deepening understanding of human desires.

This is evidenced in a contemporary hospitality landscape that champions the environment, sustainability and human-centricity. For some time now, old epitomes of grandeur have been superseded by offerings that exist as harmonious extensions of their surroundings. At destinations like Asilia Jabali Ridge in Ruaha, Tanzania, where the roof of each room is graced with shade-casting branches and interiors are decorated with furniture and linens featuring patterns inspired by indigenous plants, luxury is not just about physical opulence but the ability to immerse oneself in, and connect with, cultural and natural contexts.

Dining, a cornerstone of the hospitality experience, also underwent a profound metamorphosis. The once-undisputed realm of Michelin and gourmet cuisine, while still revered, now shares the stage with a new protagonist: Authenticity. Hearth at Heckfield Place in Hampshire is not about the theatrics of a seven-course meal but the story behind each dish, and how ingredients are sourced from the property’s agricultural land, culinary garden, fruit-bearing groves, and livestock.

Accommodation, too, has been reimagined. Gone are the days when square footage and thread counts were the only barometers that gauged the quality of a destination. Uniqueness is now paramount, with the chance to stay in a historic French chateaux or Balinese villa more appealing to the enlightened traveler than some cavernous lobby. One need only look at Aman Venice, which finds its home within a painstakingly restored 16th-century palazzo, offering breathtaking views of the Grand Canal and extending an irresistible invitation for guests to commune with the rich tapestry of Venetian heritage.

Add to this the fact that the digital era has triggered a yearning for tangible, real-world experiences (a desire Casa Bonay has addressed by being a nucleus for Barcelona’s artistic community, showcasing art exhibitions, musical performances and collaborations with local businesses), and it soon becomes apparent that a paradigm shift within the hospitality industry was inevitable.

In this post-luxury space, hospitality is more than a mere transaction of amenities.

It is an alchemy of experiences, ensuring every journey, every stay, is not just about the physicality of a place but about its soul, its stories, and its capacity to touch, move, and enrich us. Just as modernism, with its strict confines and objective interpretations, gave way to post-modernism’s celebration of relativism and the blurring of boundaries, post-luxury, too, has freed itself from once rigid structures and embraced a more fluid, experience-driven reality.

The dinosaur has adapted.

Luxury is no longer the 10-ton, armored beast that makes the ground quake with every step. It has evolved into something far more delicate. Post-luxury is the bird whose feathers, as ethereal as air, invite us to liberate ourselves from the ground, and interact with the world from an entirely new perspective.