Why operational agility is crucial to guest experience in the luxury hotel market
As the CEO of RBH Hospitality Management, David Hart is leading one of the UK’s largest independent hotel management companies through a defining moment for the luxury sector. In 2026, the rules of high-end hospitality are being rewritten: traditional formality is giving way to personality-led service, brand frameworks are flexing to accommodate local character, and owners are increasingly turning to specialist operators to unlock performance and long-term value.
Against a backdrop of rapid expansion across global collection brands and independent properties alike, David offers a candid perspective on how the meaning of luxury has evolved — and what that means in practice for hotel teams, operating models and guest expectations. From empowering colleagues to create genuine human connection, to balancing brand consistency with the individuality of boutique assets, he explores how management companies can deliver both reassurance and distinctiveness at scale.
In this interview with Hotel Magazine, David shares how RBH’s growing luxury portfolio reflects broader shifts in franchising, ownership and service design — and why the future of luxury will be defined not by opulence alone, but by hyper-personalisation, effortless experiences, local authenticity and sustainability as standard.
In 2026, luxury hospitality is moving away from traditional formality toward more personality-led experiences. From a management perspective, what does this shift look like in practice, and how is it changing the way hotels are run day to day?
The definition of luxury has evolved significantly over the last few years, and that evolution is continuing to shape how we think about our operations at every level. Led by our Managing Director Louisa Green, we’ve been focused on ensuring our culture and service approach reflect what luxury means to today’s guest.
Luxury now is less about formality and more about genuine human connection. Guests want to feel like their experience with a luxury hotel is unique. This shift means that it is crucial to really understand who the modern luxury traveller is, what motivates them, what they value, and what kind of special experiences will make their stay feel truly personal.
It’s no longer enough to just deliver great service. Hotel teams need the skills and confidence to create emotional connections and deliver authentic experiences. That requires a deep understanding of the guest and an ability to recognise what will make their stay memorable. This means investing in developing emotional intelligence, cultural awareness and active listening so our teams can recognise those moments of opportunity.
Operationally, it means reducing unnecessary processes and giving colleagues more time to be guest-facing, as well as giving teams more autonomy. When teams are empowered and equipped with the insight and training they need, they can shape stays that go beyond guest expectations, creating those personalised experiences that define modern luxury.
How do management companies like RBH strike the balance between delivering the consistency expected from global brands while still preserving the individuality and heritage of boutique and independent luxury properties?
It starts with recognising that consistency and individuality aren’t opposites, they complement each other to deliver high-quality hospitality.
Our brand partners begin by providing a strong framework: brand standards, systems and reliability that guests expect from the world’s leading brands, and within that there’s always significant room for local expression, which is actively encouraged by our partners.
At RBH, we also take a ‘brand-plus-identity’ approach, which means ensuring core standards are impeccably delivered as well as working closely with our partners, owners and on-property teams to hone in on what makes their specific hotel unique.
This means having a deep understanding of the hotel’s history, its design, its F&B personality and particularly when we’re talking about individuality, bringing in local influences from the area.
We encourage teams to bring those elements forward, so the hotel feels distinctive and reflective of its location, while still delivering the consistency that drives trust and loyalty. This approach works particularly well in luxury. Guests feel the value of the reassurance of a strong brand alongside a unique local experience that the hotels bring to life and which the brand can’t define on its own.
RBH has recently expanded its luxury portfolio, from Marriott collection properties in Edinburgh to boutique and independent hotels. What has driven this growth, and what does it reveal about where the luxury market is heading?
The luxury hotel market is continuing to shift. Historically, the major franchisors tended to refrain from permitting franchising of their luxury brands and instead retained management themselves. Over the last few years, this requirement has been relaxed and, in order to aid their own growth, franchisors have opened up their luxury brands to franchising, which has in turn allowed third-party operators such as ourselves to expand into this area.
Our focus as a business has always been to manage a diverse range of hotel brands, so this shift has enabled us to expand our presence into the luxury market and to grow our portfolio across the hotel chain scale.
Luxury is becoming a very widely-defined segment encompassing a variety of brands, offerings and audiences, so it seems inevitable that operating models will become more flexible and develop over time to align with this shift.
We’re seeing more independent operators being appointed to manage high-profile collection brands as well as unbranded luxury hotels. Why do you think owners are increasingly choosing specialist management companies for these types of properties?
Specialist management companies are focused primarily on the sustainable performance and asset value of a hotel, which is aligned with the objectives of hotel owners. For example, management companies’ fee income tends to be correlated to revenue and profitability of the hotel (with some even going further and connecting to asset value returns). In addition, specialist operators with scale can employ specialists in all areas of hotel operation as well as develop extensive and efficient systems and processes, all of which can be expensive for an owner to employ themselves.
As a result, management companies can often be of interest for owners because brands themselves can naturally be conflicted, as they have to be focused on the performance of the brand itself rather than the specific hotel. Owner operators also often do not have the scale to be able to have the best expertise available to operate a hotel in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
How are service models evolving to meet the expectations of the modern luxury guest, and what do you think will define a truly “luxury” experience over the next few years?
I’ve spoken a bit already on the importance of personalisation and delivering authentic experiences that go deeper than material indulgence. This really is key when we’re talking about modern luxury. Guests want an experience that feels personal, relevant and effortless.
Service models are evolving to meet the needs of the modern traveller. High-touch hospitality is being blended with technology that is allowing teams to focus on what matters – having meaningful interactions with guests.
The definition of luxury means something different to everyone but there are four key areas that will define the segment over the next few years:
- Hyper‑personalisation: Luxury starts with really understanding the guest as an individual. It’s about combining insight, intuition and genuine curiosity to shape experiences that feel uniquely theirs, not something that could be given to just anyone.
- Effortless experiences: Luxury should feel easy. The best service removes the noise behind the scenes, so the guest simply feels calm and there is a seamless flow from check-in to check-out. Technology also plays a big part here, giving teams more time and space for human connection.
- Local relevance: Guests increasingly want to feel connected to where they are. This means creating moments that reflect the culture and character of the destination in a way that feels thoughtful and authentic, rather than manufactured.
- Sustainability as standard: Responsible operations are now expected, not optional. It is something reflected in the everyday choices we make in how our hotels are run.
Ultimately, the luxury hotels that stand out will be those that make guests feel understood as individuals, where service feels natural rather than scripted, and where touchpoints reflect both brand excellence and a sense that you’re truly part of the place you are visiting.