“Contemplating the teeming life of the shore, we have an uneasy sense of the communication of some universal truth that lies just beyond our grasp… the ultimate mystery of Life itself.” - Rachel Carson: Meditation on the Ocean and the Meaning of Life. The mystery and magic of our world comes alive through the lens of the photographer. Cape Town, often referred to as the Mother City, is a photographer's paradise. Dazzling...
What is Luxury?
Posted on Thu July 18, 2024.
Our team met over some good coffee and decided to collectively rethink, re-evaluate and redefine our assumptions about what our guests view as luxury. We soon arrived at a place where we realised that we need your voice to be a part of this conversation, and so a competition came to life.
In our Instagram competition, we ask YOU to tell us how you define luxury. The winner will get to experience Icon Villas hospitality firsthand in the form of a two-night stay for themselves and three of their fellow travellers.
We also approached some travel experts for their opinions. Read on to see what they had to say:
Janie van der Spuy (Founder of FIVESTAR PR): ‘High-quality accommodation and cuisine, and the comforts of lavish amenities and service excellence have always been the cornerstones of ‘luxury travel’. The concept has however evolved since the pandemic and for many, luxury is now centred around authenticity and having time, space and privacy to share unique and personal experiences with family or close friends. This trend has greatly contributed to the increased demand we see for private villa rentals all over the world’.
Phezulu - Villa in Higgovale
For Daniela Bonanno (Founder & Travel Designer at D-Side Travel), luxury is something different for everyone. She says, ‘for some of my clients, luxury is to stay in the most opulent hotel or safari lodge and have a staff catering to their every need, for others it is the exclusivity and luxury of “space and silence” which they cannot put a price on, that’s why they come to Africa’.
Suzanne Bayley (Classic Portfolio) says: ‘The new luxury is less about acquiring material possessions and more about experiences that offer personal fulfilment, emotional connection, and well-being. It emphasizes time, space, and moments that allow for deeper connections with oneself, loved ones, and nature. It values quality of life over quantity of things.'
Symphony of Light- Bishopscourt
According to Matthew, The Safari Golfer: ‘It’s no longer about excessive indulgence or material extravagance; it’s about carefully curated, transformative experiences that touch the soul, foster deep connections, and provide a sense of exclusivity that money can’t buy.’
Susan Huxter, (ex-owner Le Quartier Francais, co-owner Cartology Travel) says: ‘simple and genuine is the key to luxury - it all has to be real.’
The entries are pouring in, and we are delighted and enlightened as it were, by all the different definitions of luxury. It is Heritage Month in South Africa, celebrated as a public holiday on the 24th, and on this day we also reflect on the luxury to have freedom of expression.
Until we meet again.
The Icon Villas Team.
Further Reading
Click Click Cape Town: A Photographer's Guide
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Women Who Travel
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In their famous letters to each other, Vita Sackville-West once wrote to Virginia Woolf: ‘An amphitheater of mountains encloses one’s horizons and one’s footsteps. Today I climbed up to the eternal snows, and there found bright yellow poppies braving alike the glacier and the storm; and was ashamed before their courage… This is how one ought to feel, I am convinced’. To travel is to explore not only this world but also...
The Art of Slow Travel: Embrace the Journey
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Slow travel or slow tourism, as some calls it, has gained popularity due to its alignment with the changing values and priorities of modern travellers. It is an approach where the traveller is deliberate in their planning, unhurried in their meanders and authentic with their intentions. It asks of you to embark on a journey where you stay a little longer, get to know the local culture and embrace a more sustainable,...
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