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What makes a great hotel? Tatler spoke with Laurent Gardinier, president of Relais & Châteaux, to find out
Laurent Gardinier has excellent taste. After all, one would have to as the president of Relais & Châteaux. Over the last 70 years, the association has crafted a portfolio of hundreds of independently-owned restaurants and hotels around the world.
And while no two properties are the same, they share a common thread (or three)—exceptional service, a commitment to creating a unique sense of place, and the kind of authenticity that money just can't buy.
Gardinier, who is also co-owner of boutique hotel Domaine Les Crayères in Champagne and restaurant Le Taillevent in Paris, knows what it takes to be the among the best. So we caught up with the Relais & Châteaux president to talk about how the brand has evolved over seven decades, how he defines "real luxury" and what makes a great hotel.
Above Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Albernoa, Portugal (Photo: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova)
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Albernoa, Portugal (Photo: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova)
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How has Relais & Châteaux evolved over the last 70 years?
You know, 70 years is quite a long time, especially in the hospitality industry. It was created in France in 1954 when eight individual properties between Paris and Nice came together to form an organisation. They said, this is the main idea—this family spirit. All of the members shared the same values of welcoming guests as if they were at home. Globally, that same feeling of belonging is still what defines a hotel or restaurant that is part of Relais & Châteaux.
We’ve gone from eight members in the beginning to 580 properties operating in 65 countries today. But the feeling, the DNA of the association, is still there.
With so many properties in so many countries, how do you maintain a level of quality and a sense of intimacy?
We are an organisation of small hotels—our organisation is big, but the hotels are small. The average number of rooms at a Relais & Châteaux property is 35, so very intimate. And then there’s the team behind a property—we call the general managers of Relais & Châteaux hotels maîtres de maison, as there is a particular atmosphere they must create. Finally, we focus very much on local gastronomy. Dining is very much a way for people to feel at home and at ease.
It’s a lot of elements that create that experience of feeling intimate and exclusive, and we have about 500 different points of analysis, monitored by 15 anonymous inspectors.
Above Vermelho Melides, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Melides, Portugal (Photo: Vermelho Melides)
Vermelho Melides, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Melides, Portugal (Photo: Vermelho Melides)
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What are some of those key points of analysis?
They're looking at all of the details—the signage of the hotel, the gardens, common areas, the way you are welcomed by staff, how was your booking made? How is the room organised? Every detail.
But what we ask [of our inspectors] is to not have the same answers to the same questions. We are locally oriented, and we know that to be welcomed in a beautiful ryokan in Japan won’t be the same as being welcomed in a bed and breakfast in North America.
What is an often overlooked detail in hotels?
It’s not very romantic, but bathrooms. So many times, you will check into a beautiful hotel room only to have an awful experience because of the bathroom. It’s an intimate space where people spend a lot of time—doing their skincare, getting ready for a night out, they like to have a nice long bath—these things must be thought about.
I never inspect a hotel, but when I look at the quality of a hotel I’m staying in, I very often look at the bathroom.
Agreed. Especially in many newer hotels, the bathroom often feels like an afterthought.
Yes. There will be beautiful common areas, like a grand lobby full of marble when you arrive—this is the “wow” effect. But when you go to the room, you realise [the bathroom] is underwhelming.
Above Beniya Mukayu, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Ishikawa, Japan (Photo: Beniya Mukayu)
Beniya Mukayu, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Ishikawa, Japan (Photo: Beniya Mukayu)
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What trends, in your opinion, will define luxury travel in the next few years?
I think it depends on the way people want to travel but—at least for me—luxury travel means being able to take your time and really connect with a destination, enabling you to discover other cultures. At Relais & Châteaux, we try to find hotels that offer a glimpse into the way of life in their respective communities. We try to find the hotels that best represent the local essence, from the geography, architecture, food, culture, design—everything. It’s something very specific.
Can you share which Relais & Châteaux properties made you feel that connection, that feeling of being immersed in a destination?
Longueville Manor is a very nice family-run hotel in Jersey, it’s a very old small manor managed by a wonderful man. In California, I stayed in a beautiful property called Auberge du Soleil, wonderfully managed and you really feel that you are completely immersed in the Napa Valley atmosphere.
Last year in Japan, I stayed in a ryokan called Beniya Mukayu. Surrounded by mother nature, it was an excellent onsen experience.
Above Auberge du Soleil, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Napa Valley, California, United States (Photo: Auberge du Soleil)
Auberge du Soleil, a Relais & Châteaux hotel in Napa Valley, California, United States (Photo: Auberge du Soleil)
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You’ve said in a previous interview that you are “passionate about promoting excellence”. As the president of a company that essentially verifies excellence, what does this mean to you?
Excellence is the quest for detail; it’s a never-ending story. Of course no one is perfect—but it’s how you achieve everything that you do, by doing it in the best way it can be done.
It also has nothing to do with luxury. Excellence can be very simple. It could be the perfect bread with the perfect oil, sitting under a beautiful oak tree in a beautiful landscape in Tuscany. You don’t need gold or extravagance/ It has to do with thinking, feeling, it’s something that is deeply felt in your personality. This is the best way to experience a moment, to experience life.
I appreciate what you said about excellence having nothing to do with luxury. A lot of people associate Relais & Châteaux with ultra high-end luxury, but that isn’t always the case…
Absolutely not. With the exception of some of our smaller hotels—when you don’t have many rooms and you are providing a high level of service, sometimes that, of course, comes at a price. But you know, we have some beautiful Relais & Chateaux properties that are not overly expensive. Ultimately, it has very little to do with the price and more about the experience and the feeling created by these properties.
Coco Marett is a writer and editor who grew up between Hong Kong and Melbourne. She currently heads the travel section for Tatler Asia, and manages the Tatler Travel account on Instagram. She is known for her features on unique, under-the-radar properties and destinations. She's also known for her in-depth interviews that paint a refreshingly candid portrait of influential figures across various industries —from artists to political figures, CEOs to celebrity chefs. Follow her on Instagram @cocomarett
