For Tina Edmundson, touring for work is her bread and butter. As president of Luxurious at Marriott Worldwide—a job by which she oversees Marriott’s full portfolio of luxurious manufacturers, together with Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Accommodations & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxurious Assortment, and lots of extra—she usually takes over 15 enterprise journeys a 12 months, hopping between continents to fulfill along with her groups on the bottom, expertise newly opened resorts first hand, and take a look at the competitors. (Her subsequent cease? China.)
We sat down with Tina, who’s additionally a member of Condé Nast Traveler‘s advisory board, to seek out out about her latest multi-stop journey throughout Europe, the place she spent her time reacquainting herself with the Madrid resort scene, squeezing in some memorable London experiences, and even getting evening’s sleep courtesy of resort blackout curtains.
What was the aim of the journey?
I stayed over in London for a mannequin room overview—we’re opening a St. Regis in London and I needed to see the plan for what the rooms will seem like. I additionally had an opportunity to take a look at a number of the competitors, too. Then I went to Madrid to have a look at some new resorts which have simply opened, just like the Version and the W. We additionally had a mannequin room for the Luxurious Assortment that I needed to see. I did the identical factor I did in London—a aggressive set overview to see what else was on the [luxury hotel] market. The final time I used to be in Madrid was most likely 2018. It was fascinating to see that in 5 years, town has modified by way of how a lot luxurious product is available on the market. In Budapest it was actually nice to see two enjoyable new resorts. The W Budapest simply opened—on the time that I used to be there, it had solely been open every week. After which we now have a Luxurious Assortment resort referred to as the Matild Palace that has been open for a 12 months and a half.
Did you purchase something on the airport?
I nearly did. However they did not have my actual dimension. It was a Moncler jacket. I have been on the lookout for one for some time, and I needed a white one, they usually had a white one. But it surely was a small, and I wanted an additional small simply because it was fairly stretchy. Anyway, I made a decision that I wasn’t going to get it. However then, in fact, I used to be sitting sitting on the gate and I used to be like, “Ugh, I ought to have gotten it!”
How—and what—do you pack?
My favourite journey model is a Rimowa. I like it as a result of it’s straightforward—however I am additionally very particular. I like either side to have the online and the zipper, which is basically essential. In case you have them solely on one facet, if you open it, it is simply…it is a mess, proper? I believe the important mannequin has the zipper on either side, in order that’s my favourite. And I at all times put—and, once more, that is from my expertise—an AirTag in each single bag I’ve. I am possibly over controlling, however I wish to know the place my stuff is.
