When Horst Schulze, former president of Ritz Carlton, retired at the age of 62, he found he wasn’t ready to retire. Though intimately familiar with running a typical luxury hotel, he was intrigued by a question: how to create a hotel that would appeal to ultra-luxury clients. Out of that challenge, the concept of Capella came into being.
Of course, the surroundings of an ultra-luxury hotel would be beautiful, but ultra-luxury guests want something more—specifically, a highly individualized stay. He conceived Capella hotels as boutique properties with 50-100 guest rooms. With no formal check-in, guests would go straight to their rooms on arrival. Although these hotels would be small, they would provide the full range of spa, dining, and exercise facilities far larger than other luxury properties offer.
Capella is found in diverse destinations around the world:
Capella Ubud — a new luxurious tented camp in the forested areas outside of Ubud, the artistic center of Bali. Each accommodation includes its own terrace and salt-water plunge pool. Each couple or family enjoys 1,862 square feet of private space. Some tents offer rice paddies and rainforest views, but most desired are those overlooking the winding Wos River. The hillside location is best for active travelers, which also means some stairs are involved in getting around. A weekly schedule of complimentary excursions is also provided. Complimentary laundry services (four pieces per guest per day), and guests enjoy the 24/7 services of a personal assistant.
Capella Düsseldorf, the Breidenbach Hof, has been voted the #1 hotel in Germany for three consecutive years. The reason to stay here is the hotel’s strategic location. Stepping out the front door, you’ll find the iconic Königsallee, the 5th Avenue shopping hub of modern Düsseldorf. Stepping out the back door, you’ll find entry to the cobblestoned streets of the old town.
Capella Shanghai—Set apart from the corporate feel of Pudong or the hectic pedestrian traffic on the Bund, Capella is a retreat nestled under the leafy Plane Trees of the French Concession. A row of Shikumen townhouses has been transformed into one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas. Historic exteriors have been preserved, while the interiors of these unique buildings are graced by newly designed contemporary residential space. All of this surrounds a peaceful central courtyard, a quiet and restful urban retreat in the heart of a city of 24 million.
Capella Singapore — Singapore is a vibrant, modern city with world-class food and shopping. Visitors seeking a quiet place to renew after a day shopping or an evening enjoying the downtown nightlife find that on Sentosa Island. A 15-minute taxi ride from downtown, Capella is set on 30 acres of landscaped grounds overlooking the sea. Two colonial bungalows from the 1880s create the resort’s sense of place and history.
Capella Bangkok — Opening in 2019, this Capella is located on the Chao Phraya River. Adjacent to the elevated train station, guests can hop quickly into central Bangkok to shop or dine, avoiding the crowded rush hour traffic. Guests in one of Capella’s river villas will enjoy their own private boat on which to explore the river. In contrast, all guests have access to regular river transportation by the hotel’s boat, which is by far the quickest way to reach the Imperial Palace.
Now, Capella has a new investor and a new injection of cash that will allow this collection to grow further. The Maldives and Sydney are on the horizon, and we hear there will be more announcements soon about other Asia-Pacific developments. Stay tuned!
With Capella’s renewed investments in its hotels, it also has renewed energy in developing strong relationships. Jessica and I were delighted to reconnect with our friends at Capella during the 2018 Virtuoso Travel Week, and we are confident we will be able to work with Capella to deliver high levels of extra attention and VIP recognition for our clients.
