Farms Resort in the Hudson Valley of New York , a collection of 65 freestanding cabins and cottages that blend the outside with the inside . The property is owned by a young Brooklyn couple ; naturally , products are locally sourced , like bath linens from Hudson , N . Y . -based MINNA .
Reid said that the more familiar , informal Auberge type of luxury is seeping down and even inserting itself into some of the more traditional , buttoned-up U . S . institutions . Without giving away the name , Reid recounted one large U . S . bank that chose two Auberge properties — Wildflower and Stanly Ranch , in Napa Valley , to hold meetings . “ The CEO wanted to connect with the younger partners ,” Reid said . “ He wanted to come across as relatable . And he ’ s not showing up wearing a tie .”
A DIFFERENT APPROACH This is a collection of hotels that happen to be run by Auberge , not the other way around . In that sense , Auberge works extremely closely with its owners . Consider its newest addition , Bowie House , in Fort Worth , Texas . Historically , Auberge properties have been more resort-centric , located outside cityscapes in more remote areas . Bowie House , while not downtown Dallas , is an urban retreat , whose owner , a horse breeder , wanted a “ nice ” place to stay when she would go to the local horse arena . ( Naturally , she is good friends with Taylor Sheridan , the creator of the hit show “ Yellowstone ” and its multiple spin-offs .)
Since individuality is a hallmark of Auberge , it spills over into its service culture . Beyond the high-thread-count sheets and silky-sweet pillows , it ’ s people that deliver the experience . They are not , however , ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen . If the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton are the New York Yankees , Auberge could be the Boston Red Sox , winners , too , but less stringent in presentation . Auberge , if anything else , promotes expression . “ We are not conformists ,” Reid said . Consider facial hair and body art : “ In my former brand , the idea of beards and tattoos was uncomfortable ,” he said , encouraging the hirsute to apply . “ For us , that ’ s the modern world .” He alludes to his daughter , an artist . “ Imagine buying art from someone who didn ’ t have tattoos ,” he said .
Over time , brand houses , from Hilton to Marriott , IHG to Hyatt , have sallied forth into the so-named “ soft brand ” space , incorporating independent hotels into collections that harness the power of the brand , the promise of the best of both worlds . Reid doesn ’ t buy it . “ They provide a marketing platform for someone else ’ s product ,” he said . He notes that 70 % of Auberge ’ s properties are either ground-up developments or conversions . “ We literally go in there with our creative team ; we are selecting the stone , the drapes , the woods ,” he said . “ It ’ s a craft and it ’ s a bit more expensive , but the customer can tell .”
At 27 hotels now and counting , Reid said Auberge is on a trajectory to reach 40 properties in the midterm . This is a hotel company that has grown out of the West
Grace Hotel , in Santorini , Greece , is a cliff-top property perched above the Aegean Sea .
Coast , reaching East Coast markets and now is going international . This year , it will open the 82-room Collegio alla Querce , in Florence , Italy . It wasn ’ t an easy deal . A former colleague of Reid ’ s introduced him to the investor who was building the hotel and his first question to Reid was : ‘ Why would I hire you hear when you don ’ t have a European presence ?’ Reid responded firmly : The minute you open , we ’ ll put a presence . More persuasive , Reid noted that the number-one customer in Florence is the American and all the other companies the investor was looking at were European . “ He bet on us ,” Reid said .
Auberge is also starting to inch closer into downtown locations . It ’ s scheduled to open The Knox , in Dallas , in 2026 .
The playbook is rather simple to Reid . Sticking to it not only grows loyalty , it grows revenue . “ RevPAR is a byproduct of customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction is a byproduct of great service ,” he said . “ You must inspire people to deliver excellence , to command a profitable premium . Ultimately , the recipe is very simple .”
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