What the No. 1 Restaurant in the World Can Teach Luxury Travel Advisors
At Virtuoso Travel Week, Will Guidara revealed how “unreasonable hospitality” made Eleven Madison Park the world’s best—and how it can help advisors build lasting client loyalty.
Photo: Courtesy of Virtuoso
The keynote stage at Virtuoso Travel Week is reserved for the voices that can shift how the luxury travel industry thinks, sells, and serves. This year, one of those voices belonged to Will Guidara, the former co-owner of New York’s Eleven Madison Park and author of Unreasonable Hospitality.
Guidara’s restaurant journey—from “middling” Manhattan brasserie to the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list—hinged on a simple but radical shift: becoming as relentless about making people feel seen as other restaurants were about their product. For an audience of 4,800 luxury travel professionals, his message landed with crystal clarity: In an industry where excellence is expected, emotional connection is the true differentiator.
Here are the core principles from Guidara’s keynote that advisors can put into practice right now:
Excellence Is the Baseline, Not the Differentiator
Guidara acknowledged that technical excellence—perfect food, flawless service—is non-negotiable. In travel, that translates to curated itineraries, seamless logistics, and insider access. But he warned the Virtuoso audience that “eventually, someone will build a better product.” The edge that lasts is the trust and emotional connection you create over time.
Advisor takeaway: Deliver flawless trips, yes—but also deliver moments that make clients feel deeply cared for and understood.
One Size Fits One
The hot dog story drew laughter in the Bellagio ballroom, but it also underscored a bigger point. When Guidara overheard guests regretting they hadn’t tried a New York street hot dog before their flight home, he left the restaurant, bought one, and served it plated like a fine-dining dish. Cost: a few dollars. Impact: unforgettable.
Advisor takeaway: The most powerful gestures are personal, not expensive. Listen actively to clients, during planning and while they’re traveling, then tailor surprises to their unique desires and milestones.
Invest in Hospitality Like You Invest in Product
Even after adopting “unreasonable hospitality” as a mantra, Guidara’s team struggled to deliver more than a few standout moments per night. His solution? Hire a “Dreamweaver”—someone with no operational duties except to bring personal touches to life, from sourcing sleds for children to creating a couple’s “first dance” in the dining room.
Advisor takeaway: Dedicate time, budget, and people to client care. If you’re too busy managing bookings, enlist colleagues, independent contractors, or in-destination partners to execute thoughtful extras.
Anticipate Recurring Moments
Guidara encouraged advisors to identify situations that happen regularly—like engagements, milestone birthdays, or honeymoons—and pre-plan extraordinary responses. At Eleven Madison Park, newly engaged couples received Champagne in Tiffany & Co. flutes they could take home.
Advisor takeaway: Build a “signature gesture” for common client celebrations so you can deliver something extraordinary without scrambling in the moment.
Be Present and Lighten Up
Two of Guidara’s rules drew nods from the Virtuoso crowd: Be fully present with the person in front of you, and don’t let self-imposed formality block you from doing what will truly delight them, even if it’s unconventional.
Advisor takeaway: On calls, at events, or on fam trips, give clients your full attention. And if a playful or unexpected gesture could elevate their experience, don’t overthink it, just make it happen.
Relationships Are the Only Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Guidara closed by telling advisors that brand strength and product quality will always face competition. But relationships, if built intentionally, generously, and creatively, are much harder to replicate.
“Hospitality is being creative and intentional in pursuit of relationships,” he said. “Give clients that sense of belonging, make them feel seen, make them feel welcome—and you’ll not only meet your goals, you’ll make everyone around you feel really, really good.”
