When Horst Schulze, former president of Ritz Carlton. retired at the age of 62, he found he wasn’t ready to retire. Though intimately familiar with running a typical luxury hotel, he was intrigued by a question: how to create a hotel to appeal to ultra-luxury clients. Out of that challenge, the concept of Capella came into being.
In an ultra-luxury hotel, the surroundings would of course be beautiful, but ultra-luxury guests want something more — specifically, a highly individualized stay. He conceived Capella hotels to be boutique properties with 50-100 guest rooms. With no formal check-in, guests would go straight to their rooms on arrival. Although these hotels would be small, they would provide the full range of spa, dining, and exercise facilities that far larger luxury properties offer.
Capella is found in diverse destinations around the world:
all photos courtesy of Capella Hotels
Capella Ubud — a new luxurious tented camp in the forested areas outside of Ubud, the artistic center of Bali. Each accommodation includes its own terrace and salt-water plunge pool. Each couple or family enjoys 1,862 square feet of private space. Some tents offer views of the rice paddies and rainforest, but most desired are those overlooking the winding Wos River. Best for active travelers, the hillside location does also mean there are some stairs are involved in getting around. A weekly schedule of complimentary excursions is also provided. Complimentary laundry services (four pieces per guest per day), and guests enjoy the 24/7 services of a personal assistant.
Capella Düsseldorf, the Breidenbach Hof, has been voted the #1 hotel in Germany three years running. The reason to stay here — the hotel’s strategic location. Stepping out the front door, you’ll find the iconic Königsallee, the 5th Avenue shopping hub of modern Düsseldorf. Stepping out the back door you’ll find entry to the cobblestoned streets of the old town.
Capella Shanghai — set apart from the corporate feel of Pudong or the hectic pedestrian traffic on the Bund, Capella is a retreat nestled under the leafy Plane Trees of the French Concession. A row of Shikumen townhouses have been transformed into one, two and three bedroom villas. Historic exteriors have been preserved, while the interiors of these unique buildings are graced by newly designed contemporary residential space. All of this surrounds a peaceful central courtyard, a quiet and restful urban retreat in the heart of a city of 24 million.
Capella Singapore — Singapore is a vibrant, modern city with world-class food and shopping. Visitors seeking a quiet place to renew after a day shopping or an evening enjoying the downtown nightlife find that on Sentosa Island. A 15 minute taxi ride away from downtown, Capella is set on 30 acres of landscaped grounds overlooking the sea. Two colonial bungalows from the 1880’s create the resort’s sense of place and history. The recent summit between President Trump and Leader Kim Jon-un was held at Capella.
Capella Bangkok — Opening in 2019, this Capella is located on the Chao Phraya River. Adjacent to the elevated train station, guests can hop a quick ride into central Bangkok to shop or dine, totally avoiding the crowded rush hour traffic. Guests in one of Capella’s river villas will enjoy their own private boat on which to explore the river, while all guests have access to regular river transportation by the hotel’s boat, by far the quickest way to reach the Imperial Palace.
And, now, Capella has a new investor and a new injection of cash that will see this collection grow further. The Maldives (opening in 2020) and Sydney (opening in 2021) are on the horizon and we hear there will be more announcements soon for other Asia-Pacific developments – stay tuned!
With Capella’s renewed investments in their hotel’s they also have renewed energy in developing strong relationships. Jessica and I were delighted to have an opportunity to reconnect with our friends at Capella during the 2018 Virtuoso Travel Week and we are confident we will be able to work with Capella to deliver high levels of extra attention and VIP recognition for our clients.
