Are There No-Frills Luxury Brands?
Can luxury be no-frills or is that the ultimate contradiction in terms? After all, luxury is defined as, “showing obvious signs of wealth and comfort.” The expression no thrills means providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious. This term goes back to the 1870’s when it referred to clothing “without extra flourishes or ornamentation”.
I’ve discovered enterprises that are both no-frills and deluxe. They save consumers money while not compromising value or experience. In my view, no-frills luxury brands have figured out what can be taken away to make the experience accessible and affordable but still splendid and memorable.
Let’s start with The Hoxton, a boutique hospitality player pursuing an “open-house” strategy. In the dictionary, open-house is described as “ready and usually informal hospitality or entertainment for all comers”. The Hoxton’s concept blends the best of private rental, hostel and hotel formats and targets not just visiting guests (tripsters) but locals in the neighborhood (townsters). Vogue has succinctly called it, The Anti-Hotel.
The Hoxton offers, “A series of open-house hotels inspired by the diversity and originality of the streets and scenes that surround us.” The guest rooms are not the focus. They are petite and decently appointed but best suited for sleeping only. The lobbies are the big draw. The chain wants you to mix and mingle in this space, “Our lobbies are the beating heart of our hotels. Open round the clock, with comfy seats, cosy corners, and food and drink on tap, they’re spaces where guests can hang out alongside the locals, and immerse themselves in the neighbourhood.”
The effort and investment saved on opulent and over-serviced rooms is redirected to fantastic common spaces along with creative food and drink, “From rooftop taquerias and panoramic seafood restaurants to discrete cocktail bars and speakeasys, our bars and restaurants are neighbourhood favourites.” The concept is all about making the property a hang for travelers and locals alike.
There are four Hoxton’s in London and you can book in Amsterdam, Paris, Williamsburg, Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, Rome, Barcelona, Berlin, and Brussels. Recent searches revealed a range of pricing. A stay in Berlin was reasonable at less than 200 Euros a night while Chicago was not so cheap at US$400 per night. Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush hotel in London opened recently. It’s Snug Room is well named. For about 200 Euros you get a bed that basically touches three walls.
If this seems unattractive, consider the Shepherd Bush’s location review in The Independent, “Smart, stylish and reasonably no-frills. The Hoxton is affordable because it doesn’t throw the budget at extras like living room areas in rooms or silver-plated room service: instead, it has a reliably buzzy lobby with a sceney restaurant. As you walk in, you’ll spy twenty- and thirtysomething professionals talking shop over drinks, tapping away on laptops or simply decompressing with a cocktail. But don’t mistake low-frills for low spend: the interiors here are gorgeous, with vintage references, plush velvet on seating and art on the walls. For affordable style in a local-vibes neighbourhood, you can’t beat The Hoxton, complete with a ‘Thai diner’ and built-in buzz.”
Each Hoxton is uniquely located. These are not tiny dives on dark side streets. The Brussels location is the former European headquarters of IBM and boasts 198 rooms, a lofty double height lobby, funky bar and restaurant and a rooftop terrace with terrific views. The L.A. hotel is a mix of beachy California and old school Hollywood glamour. There are different amenities to be experienced at each hotel including DJ evenings, WeWork-like meeting spaces, private dining options, wrap-around bars, rooftop lounges and pools.
The Hoxton proves there can be luxury in simplicity. That holds true in no-frills luxury dining. New high-end restaurants eliminate all formalities, focusing only on the food. Many have no host, don’t take reservations and are open all day. They skip the tablecloths, the flowers and the bread and use cheaper silverware and plates. Some seat people only at a bar or at communal tables. A few have no waiters, the chefs bring out the food when they’ve finished cooking it.
Chef Joël Robuchon came out of a seven-year retirement in 2003 to open L’Atelier in Tokyo and Paris, where customers eat quail stuffed with foie gras but at a bar. The experience is social, fun, cheaper, quicker and more popular than anything he’d done before. Chef Robuchon received two Michelin stars for the Paris L’Atelier, and one each for the branches in Las Vegas, London, New York City and Tokyo. L’Atelier guests don’t want to make the meal the whole evening so they order one dish and one dessert and leave in a half-hour, or take three hours and eat the tasting menu.
David Chang’s Momofuku empire is built in a similar fashion. He once said he loves fine food but hates the fine dining experience as too drawn-out, pretentious, and manipulative. Chef Chang compares no-frills fine dining to what happened to retail clothing, when department stores were destroyed by boutiques. His Momofuku Noodle Bar in the Time Warner Center in New York is understated to say the least. The value is in the caviar chicken buns and smoked pork ramen.
Spencer is a neighborhood restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It opened in 2015 and is still going strong. That is significant given it faced the pandemic and battles changing tastes. The food is superb while everything else is egalitarian. It has just two long communal tables. Orders are placed at the counter in the back, you then take an order number flag stand, grab a seat, and the kitchen staff delivers your food.
It changes the menu monthly and offers just two choices. One recent option was marinated olives with tarragon and citrus; French radishes with butter, salt and baguette; chicken liver mousse with violet mustard and grilled bread; roasted potatoes with truffle aioli and pickled ramps; carrots in crème fraiche, chervil, and croutons; and orange duck confit with North African spices, orange blossoms, and a mache salad. The price is $US65 which is not bad considering a Big Mac Meal is approaching US$20 bucks.
When it comes to fitness facilities the quality of experience ranges. Facilities can be tired, unclean, employees pushy on membership, and the business deceptive in practice. Or they can be spa-like with the latest equipment, plush towels, steams and whirlpools, private classes, restaurants and juice bars. Some have specific focuses like Curves, F45 Training and Orangetheory.
From personal experience, Anytime Fitness has impressed as a no-frills luxury experience. They cut back on the unnecessary while delivering a superior product at a reasonable price. Given its name, each of its 5,000 locations is open 24 hours a day, 365 days out of the year. Members have secure access to all facilities including during unstaffed hours with a computerized key fob. Each club has a security system of cameras, recorded card swipes, and the ability to notify a security company if a patron is injured or feels unsafe.
Cleanliness is paramount to the chain. Staffing is kept to a minimum but you would never know given how the facility is maintained. Each location offers individual change and shower rooms that are top-notch, secure and private. Bright, well-lit open concepts are pleasing and comforting to get a sweat on. Anytime Fitness requires each franchisee to redo the space and replace all equipment every three years. The range of equipment is impressive as are the quantities and quality. My location has decent traffic but I’ve never waited for a treadmill or freeweight.
Staffing is kept low which is a huge savings. High-risk, low volume restaurants and juice bars are not in the business plan. Towel service is nil and low-margin merchandise is kept to the bare minimum. My location has no classes or trainers which has been amazing. This cuts down on an overly testosterone-driven environment and distracting noise. All of which results in a low-cost, flexible monthly membership with fair cancellation policies. After thirty days, members can visit any location in the world at no extra cost. I pay less than CDN$60 a month and am averaging twelve visits or five bucks a pop.
What has impressed is the adherence of members to the very few rules. Anytime Fitness asks that members have a dedicated pair of sneakers for inside and that they leave street shoes at the door. I have never so consistently seen people wipe down the equipment and return it properly. It is a private club experience at regular gym pricing.
These examples are different from what is called affordable luxury. Kate Spade and Michael Kors may cost less than other fashion brands but they are hardly no-frills. Glamping is glorified camping often at astronomical prices so, it too, fails to fit the no-frills luxury definition.
No-frills luxury brands take away the unnecessary to make the experience accessible and affordable but still splendid and memorable. The Hoxton emphasizes the common spaces, vibe, location, and dining over expansive, over-serviced rooms. No-frills fine dining has left off the linens and precious dishware to surprise with amazing food. Anytime Fitness makes members feel like owners in a private club. Apparently no-frills and luxury are not mutually exclusive.
