Industry Perspectives: Ultra Luxury
Everyone is talking about ultra luxury, but how exactly do we define it? And what sort of travel products are part of it? LuxuryWise posed the question to various agencies across the world. Here's how industry leaders define it.
Stefano Bajona, Onirikos
"From my perspective, ultra-luxury travel begins with individuals who have a liquidity asset base of at least €30 million. This level of financial flexibility allows for seamless investment in exclusive experiences, with a comfortable spending capacity of approximately €2,500 per person per night. At this threshold, clients prioritize privacy, exclusivity, and truly bespoke services rather than just premium accommodations or first-class flights. Ultra-luxury travel encompasses a diverse range of highly exclusive, tailored experiences that go beyond conventional high-end tourism. These include: fully serviced private residences, villas, and estates in the world’s most sought-after locations, remote exploration and expeditions, elite safari experiences, and completely customized private travel experiences designed to deliver one-of-a-kind moments. Ultimately, ultra-luxury travel is not just about price – it's about unparalleled personalization, exclusivity, and access to experiences that money alone cannot buy."
Tyler Branco, Luxefarer | Valerie Wilson
"Ultra-luxury isn’t guaranteed by how much you spend, but rather where and what you spend it on. It’s not about excess for its own sake – in travel more so, it’s about intention, refinement, and access to experiences that are rare, deeply personal, and thoughtfully designed. Ultraluxe travel is often about what money alone cannot buy – but what the right relationships can unlock. Access is everything. Our clients come to us as their travel advisors because they understand that true luxury isn’t just about booking the best – it’s about being recognized, prioritized, and ensured experiences that go beyond expectations. We dedicate time to cultivating relationships with the most exclusive properties, guides, and service providers, ensuring that our clients are never just another guest, but someone for whom doors open and details are anticipated before a request is ever made. This level of travel is defined by precision, intuition, and exclusivity."
Mario Del Duca, Nuba
"Ultra-luxury is about access, exclusivity, and the ability to turn the most extraordinary dreams into reality. It’s the privilege of chartering a private yacht or jet at a moment’s notice, but also the adventurous spirit to land on a glacier in Antarctica with White Desert, journey to space with Virgin Galactic, or soon, soar to the North Pole aboard a 21st-century airship. True ultra-luxury is about pushing boundaries – whether it’s in comfort, experience, or the sheer audacity of where you can go next."
Steve Edo, Pure Entertainment Group
"Ultra-luxury embodies the pinnacle of sophistication and exclusivity; it is characterized by rarity, meticulous attention to detail, personalized customization, seamless privacy and discretion, extraordinary bespoke experiences, and unparalleled craftsmanship. It is the epitome of luxury, designed exclusively for high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. A Richard Mille watch is an example of an ultra-luxury product, crafted from the finest materials and designed for a select few. Private jets, luxury yachts, exclusive and remote private islands, bespoke travel experiences, estates in prestigious locations or designed by world-renowned architects, luxury Royal or Presidential suites in top-tier hotels, high-profile experts and guides for private visits also epitomize ultra-luxury."
Ed Farrelly, Ellidore
"I think ultra-luxury is not defined by a figure but more by the highest level of personalization, exclusivity and service that is completely frictionless. It's money no object but that doesn't mean that everything has a crazy price tag attached to it. In terms of travel products there are the obvious things like super yachts, private jets, unbelievable rental homes etc. but oftentimes it is also more in the intangibles, for example the way components have been connected together. It is about being completely product agnostic and picking from every possible option exactly what is right for that client on that trip."
Angela Hughes, Trips and Ships
"Ultra-luxury is about exclusivity, personalization, and transformative experiences. I’m seeing this growth primarily among clients who are tech company owners, high-level sellers, and private equity executives. It’s the seamless anticipation of every need, private access to extraordinary moments, and the highest level of service. I’m seeing a shift toward more yachts, private villas, and exclusive experiences in the ultra-luxury space. Travelers are prioritizing privacy, personalization, and curated moments over traditional five-star hotels. It’s no longer just about opulence; it’s about exclusivity and unparalleled access."
Blane Kieng, Ultre
"Ultra-luxury isn’t defined by a price tag – it’s about absolute exclusivity, personalization, and access to the extraordinary. It begins where money alone is no longer the key, but rather relationships, cultural capital, and bespoke curation. In travel, this means private-use palaces, after-hours museum experiences, and tailor-made itineraries crafted with surgical precision. It’s not just about indulgence – it’s about experiencing the world in a way that’s entirely one’s own."
Rebecca Masri, Little Emperors
"Ultra-luxury is a philosophy, an uncompromising dedication to exclusivity, craftsmanship, and personalization. It’s about curating experiences that are truly unique, reserved for those with the means to access the extraordinary. Luxury is not about excess but about distinction – the rare, the bespoke, the impossible made real. Travel itself is redefined. This is a world where every journey is not just exclusive but entirely singular, crafted to exist beyond the limits of conventional luxury."
Norbert Pokorny, Art of Travel
"For me, 'ultra-luxury' is generally defined by the entire process of a client's journey, from the initial inquiry through to implementation, accompanied by discreet yet intensive support. The client journey is characterized by impeccable service and the highest level of attention. In my view, ultra-luxury not only describes products that are curated and tailored down to the smallest detail, but also reflects a way of life that is characterized by access to the rarest and highest-quality goods and experiences. In terms of psychological or social aspects, I think that 'ultra-luxury' is not only an expression of wealth, but above all is perceived as a status symbol. Ultra-luxurious products or experiences therefore unconsciously or consciously signal membership of an elite. They are therefore also an emotional and social recognition in the circles to which the ultra-luxury client feels or wants to feel a sense of belonging."
Roxy Robinson, Roxstar Group
"At this level, clients are not just purchasing high-end products and services; they are securing privacy, status, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are meticulously curated to their tastes. Ultra-Luxury starts at $100M+ net worth. At this level, clients enter the ultra-luxury market, indulging in high-end travel, bespoke experiences, and exclusive services. At the $500M+ and billionaire level, this is where true "money-is-no-object" luxury happens. Clients expect complete discretion, VIP treatment everywhere, and the ability to influence their experiences at every level – from closing down entire resorts to commissioning private space travel. The key to ultra-luxury is that it’s not about spending the most – it’s about experiencing the rarest, most personalized, and most inaccessible moments in life. At the highest level, ultra-luxury is about having the power to shape reality to your exact vision, anywhere in the world."
Kamaya Sandgodkar, The Pravasi Traveller
"Ultra luxury is about exclusivity, personalization, and access to the extraordinary. While I feel some might define it by net worth thresholds, I believe it truly begins where experiences become so rare and bespoke that they can transcend traditional luxury – private islands untouched by commercial tourism (Kisawa Sanctuary), hyper-personalized cultural immersions, and seamless, anticipatory service that feels almost intuitive. Ultra-luxury travel isn’t just about where you go, but how you experience it – whether it’s an extraordinary shopping experience in Jaipur with a luxury personal shopper who grants after-hours access to India’s finest handloom and block-print ateliers, or a curated sunset champagne soirée with hors d’oeuvres at a historic fort requiring private access. It’s also about curating rare collaborations with bespoke fashion experiences with celebrated fashion designers, heritage fabric artisans, renowned jewelry designers, exclusive art experiences with private viewings and discussions with esteemed gallery owners, or immersive cooking sessions with Michelin-starred chefs, culminating in private venues inaccessible to the general traveler. Of course, it extends to where you stay. Iconic properties like SUJÁN Rajmahal Palace in Jaipur, Raffles Udaipur, or Six Senses Fort Barwara, are where heritage, privacy, and indulgence seamlessly intertwine."
Adriana Sladovnikova, Faveo Concierge
"Ultra-luxury starts where necessity stops. These are rare experiences, high-end products, and services that are meant to signal a lifestyle or identity that UHNWI aspire to achieve or desire. Exclusivity, complete discretion, quality, unparalleled service, and status are a given at this level. Clients look more for emotional inspiration, the emotions you evoke. They seek unique or once-in-a-lifetime experiences and connections that reflect their identity and enhance their status in a meaningful way. One must know their clients beyond preferences, to know their most intimate values and desires to create experiences and emotions that stand out above 'luxury.' Ultra-luxury can’t be associated only with specific price ranges, since it's focused on emotional value over logic, and that is highly subjective. Whether it's ultra rare wine, a private suborbital flight, or perhaps a Lunar mission, it’s about life-defining moments for the individual and their legacy of unforgettable memories. The unreachable, the inaccessible is where ultra-luxury magic begins."
In a Nutshell
It seems unanimous – ultra-luxury is about what's unattainable for almost everyone else, even within "luxury." As "normal" luxury has become more accessible to more people, that also means that it's losing its elite status. Ultra-luxury can be places and experiences that are simply inaccessible and are possible only through a luxury travel advisor's exclusive high-end network. It's almost a given that, whatever the plan might be, the price of ultra-luxury will be prohibitively expensive for anyone else, and perhaps that's exactly the point. While money might be no object, what that really means is that ultra-luxury is defined more by one's imagination, creativity, boldness, and increasingly: clout. Just how far can you push the limit? The answer to that question is up to you, dear readers.