Hotel Renovations: Why Changing What Works Alienates Loyal Guests

In a Monocle column, Tyler Brûlé critiques the trend of hotel renovations that prioritize innovation over tradition, arguing that many guests prefer consistency. He recounts a recent stay in Hong Kong where a landmark property's new room design resembled a mashup of Ladurée, a Geneva dental clinic, and The White Lotus. Brûlé also describes a disappointing lunch at a long-favorite Swiss hotel in St. Moritz, where the menu had been modernized with dishes like beef carpaccio with raspberry, replacing classics such as steak tartare and rösti with salmon. He notes that the clientele, mostly over 75, seemed unimpressed. Brûlé questions why hotels catering to older, loyal guests chase younger influencers and suggests that some businesses thrive by not surprising but comforting.