This Paris Hotel Survey Shows Luxury Guests Want Authenticity Over Loyalty Points
Findings from Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris highlight a shift away from cookie-cutter design and loyalty programs.
Photo: Courtesy of Fauchon L’Hotel Paris
Fauchon L’Hôtel Paris has released the findings of a new survey conducted among luxury travel advisors, offering a window into what their clients value most when choosing a hotel. The results reveal how expectations are shifting away from standardized luxury and toward experiences that feel rooted in place.
At the top of the list is authenticity. Advisors unanimously reported that their clients want properties that reflect the character of a destination rather than “cookie-cutter brand design.” It’s a marked departure from the days when predictability was prized across global hotel chains. For hoteliers, the finding reinforces how much weight guests place on design, culinary offerings, and cultural immersion. Fauchon’s own model—a boutique property on the Place de la Madeleine with a Gourmet Bar and individually designed décor—illustrates how authenticity can be expressed on-site.
Advisors also emphasized the primacy of service. While 97.5% cited location as a key factor at booking, their clients’ post-trip feedback tells a different story. Six in 10 travelers remarked most on the warmth and attentiveness of the staff, while far fewer singled out the location. That contrast suggests service, rather than geography, often shapes how luxury travelers evaluate value once the trip concludes.
Promotions were another area of focus. Seventy percent of advisors surveyed said a complimentary night remains the most appealing offer for their clients, closely followed by added VIP amenities. By contrast, percentage discounts carried less influence, pointing again to the importance of value framed in experiential terms.
The survey also questioned assumptions about the influence of digital media. Only 30% of advisors said clients definitively request a property after seeing it on social media, though some noted the trend is growing. Loyalty programs, long considered a driver of repeat stays, were found to be less decisive: Only just over 1% of clients specifically requested them, while more than a third did not request them at all.
The findings are already shaping new offerings for Fauchon. The property is building its festive season packages around destination-oriented experiences and preparing to debut enhanced spa programs. More broadly, the results give hotels a roadmap: craft environments that feel unique to their setting, cultivate service cultures that leave lasting impressions, and reframe added value beyond traditional discounting and loyalty schemes.
As advisor feedback shows, luxury travel today is being defined less by tangibles and more by the sense of place and connection that travelers take home with them.
