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Hotels with History X Financial Times Weekend

Richard E. Grant and Julia Perowne on the Secrets, Service, and Smart-Light Struggles of Historic Hotels

At FT Weekend Live, the actor and travel advisory founder joined editor Tom Robbins to unpack the timeless lure of heritage hospitality and why high-tech switches are ruining the mood.

The allure of a historic hotel rarely lies in its thread count alone. It lives in the floorboards that creaked under the weight of literary giants, the dimly lit corner booths where political coups were quietly plotted, and the invisible architecture of old-world charm that no modern, steel-and-glass tower can replicate.

Taking the stage at Financial Times Weekend Live, actor and avid globe-trotter Richard E. Grant joined Julia Perowne, founder of elite luxury travel consultancy Perowne International, for a wide-ranging panel hosted by FT Travel Editor Tom Robbins. Together, they peeled back the velvet curtains of the world’s most storied grand dames, swapping personal anecdotes, industry secrets, and a shared skepticism of modern room tech.

For both Grant and Perowne, the greatest hotels are less about physical real estate and more about living history. Grant, whose career has taken him from Hollywood soundstages to remote corners of the globe, spoke passionately about the distinct character of properties that have weathered centuries.

Perowne offered an insider’s perspective on the delicate tightrope hoteliers walk today: invisible modernization. The challenge isn’t simply keeping the lights on; it is updating plumbing, Wi-Fi, and structural integrity without stripping away the precise patina and historic soul that drew guests in the first place. The properties that succeed are those that embrace their eccentricities rather than polishing them away.

The conversation shifted from architecture to atmosphere—specifically, the contrast between exceptional human service and unnecessary technological “upgrades.”

• Intuitive Hospitality: Perowne and Grant agreed that true luxury service is an art of intuition and discretion. The standout moments in historic hotels rarely come from grand, theatrical gestures. Instead, they stem from career concierges and long-serving staff who possess an innate sense of timing, remembering a guest’s preferred corner table or how they take their morning tea.
• The 2 AM Tech Battle: Drawing roaring laughter from the audience, Grant recounted the absurd reality of the modern “smart” hotel room. The panel bonded over the universal frustration of over-engineered bedside panels, touchscreens, and motion sensors. Instead of adding comfort, these hyper-digital systems frequently leave jet-lagged guests trapped in a battle against automated mood-lighting just to turn off a reading lamp in the middle of the night.

In an increasingly homogenized world, the grand historic hotel remains a sanctuary of storytelling, where human connection and a sense of place will always trump the latest high-tech trend.

Twenty years after founder Ignacio Masías began hosting friends in the Sacred Valley, luxury hospitality and travel brand Andean is celebrating two decades of shaping how travellers experience Peru. What started as a modest collection of private homes has evolved into a world-renowned portfolio of boutique hotels, private residences, and curated journeys. From pioneering remote luxury with the 2007 opening of Titilaka on Lake Titicaca to establishing urban sanctuaries like Atemporal and Fausto in Lima, Andean has continuously expanded its footprint into lesser-travelled corners of the country, including CIRQA in Arequipa, PUQIO in the Colca Valley, and the newly launched Tinajani in the Canyon of the Guardians.

Throughout its 20-year history, Andean’s ethos has remained rooted in slow, meaningful travel that fosters deep connections with Peru’s diverse landscapes, rich traditions, and local communities. By encouraging guests to look beyond conventional tourist routes and travel at a more personal, immersive pace, the group has fundamentally redefined Peruvian hospitality. As Andean marks this milestone anniversary, the brand continues to pave the way for the future of luxury travel in South America, with new journeys and experiences set to unfold in its next chapter.

Explora Journeys has officially ushered in a new era of ocean travel with the launch of EXPLORA III. Following her naming ceremony in Barcelona, this extraordinary floating boutique hotel has set sail on her Maiden Voyage to Lisbon before charting a course through the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Greenland, the Caribbean, and Alaska. As the fleet’s first LNG-powered vessel equipped with dual-fuel engines, EXPLORA III blends modern decarbonization technology with refined luxury, featuring an expanded length of 19.2 meters (63 ft) to offer more open-air deck space and an impressive 19.5 square meters (210 sq ft) of public space per guest.

Onboard, spatial freedom and design take center stage across 461 ocean-front suites, penthouses, and residences. A standout highlight is the addition of a second Owner’s Residence—a 315-square-meter (3,391 sq ft) sanctuary crafted by world-renowned designer Patricia Urquiola, complete with a private marble steam room, outdoor whirlpool, and custom Italian furnishings. Beyond the private living quarters, guests can gather in the re-envisioned double-height Lobby atrium with cascading Venini chandeliers, or unwind beneath the retractable glass roof at The Conservatory Pool & Bar.

The journey continues through a reimagined array of dining, wellness, and family amenities. EXPLORA III introduces three new culinary concepts—including Shore Club on 11 and The Chef’s Table—alongside an outdoor cigar lounge and high-end retail partnerships with Cartier and Chopard. Dedicated to total restoration, the expanded 726-square-meter (7,815 sq ft) Ocean Wellness sanctuary pairs hydrotherapy and the new low-frequency Sava Sound Pod with active spaces like a full-size padel court and Reform Pilates studio, while tailored Nautilus Clubs ensure younger travelers are welcomed without compromising the ship’s serene atmosphere.

Celebrating four decades as a global leader in tailor-made travel, luxury tour operator Scott Dunn has marked its 40th anniversary with the launch of its new ‘Full Circle’ collection—a series of curated itineraries that revisit the iconic backpacker routes of Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the US Southwest, and Latin America. Designed for seasoned travellers returning to the formative destinations of their youth, these journeys reimagine the classic 1980s and 90s gap year experience.

The collection deliberately moves beyond simple hotel upgrades, focusing instead on deeper cultural immersion, seamless execution, and a more considered pace. Guests can trade overnight buses and roadside motels for vintage Vespa street food tours in Hanoi, private longtail boat rides through Bangkok’s canals, luxury canvas camps beneath the stars in Utah, and fine dining paired with condensed Inca Trail hikes in Peru. Across every destination, the classic sights are elevated through exclusive, local-led access, from private storytelling sessions with a US Marine Corps Navajo Code Talker to crowd-free sunrise breakfasts at Laos’s Kuang Si Waterfalls and private Ganga Puja rituals along the Ganges in Varanasi.

As Scott Dunn looks to the future, this anniversary collection reflects the brand’s enduring commitment to genuine destination expertise, meticulous planning, and intuitive personal service. By contrasting the chaotic spontaneity of youthful travel with today’s desire for slow, responsible, and meaningful discovery, the ‘Full Circle’ itineraries offer a fresh lens on familiar landscapes. In Southeast Asia, ethical elephant encounters in Chiang Mai replace commercial tourism; in Nepal, intense mountain treks give way to reflective journeys through the Annapurna foothills focused on community engagement; and in Bolivia, basic high-altitude lodgings are traded for luxury Airstream campers positioned on the Uyuni Salt Flats for world-class stargazing. Whether exploring the hidden artisan workshops of Hoi An or connecting with Aymara communities on Lake Titicaca, Scott Dunn’s latest portfolio invites travellers to revisit the places that first sparked their passion for exploration—backed by forty years of travel expertise and round-the-clock global support.

Hotels with History officially kicked off Season Two last night with an intimate celebration at The Lowell on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The host, Richard, entertained the room with his signature humor and storytelling, keeping guests partying late into the evening. The launch marks the release of the season opener on the Waldorf Astoria, tracing the iconic hotel’s origins from a bitter Gilded Age family feud to its rise as the unofficial palace of New York high society.

What began as a niche concept has quickly built a massive audience, with Season One surpassing 100,000 listeners and the new release following the same rapid trajectory. The new eight-episode season takes listeners on a global tour of historic luxury, stopping at legendary properties like Eden Rock in St. Barths, Mount Nelson in Cape Town, Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, The Breakers in Palm Beach, The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, and The Adlon in Berlin.

Special thanks go out to the team at The Lowell for hosting a memorable evening and to everyone who came out to mark the milestone. Listeners can catch up on all available episodes of Season Two by visiting hotelswithhistory.com or tuning in on major podcast platforms.

The performative era of luxury travel is officially over, giving way to a new paradigm defined by substance, discretion, and effortless ease. According to Perowne International’s latest Mid-Year Trend Report, high-net-worth travelers are actively rejecting social media posturing, algorithmic recommendations, and logistical friction. Instead, artificial intelligence has sparked a massive resurgence in human Super Agents tasked with curating hyper-personalized escapes, while crowded trophy destinations are losing ground to well-connected secondary cities that offer seamless, stress-free travel. At the same time, top-tier hospitality brands are rewriting the rules of creator partnerships, favoring quiet cultural relevance and guest discretion over mass reach and staged photos.

This shift toward tangible value is also transforming wellness and luxury accommodation. After years dominated by invisible stats like sleep scores and cell metrics, the wellness pendulum is swinging back to medical-grade, visible aesthetic results that guests can instantly see and feel. Meanwhile, the ocean has become the new frontier for land-based service, highlighted by pioneer brands like Explora Journeys and heavyweights like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Aman, and Orient Express launching hotel-branded superyachts. These floating hotel rooms allow loyalists to wake up to a new destination every morning without airport queues or repacking, proving that the ultimate luxury isn’t about flexing on a feed, it’s about depth, seamless design, and unmatched convenience.