For Tina Edmundson, touring for work is her bread and butter. As president of Luxurious at Marriott Worldwide—a task wherein she oversees Marriott’s full portfolio of luxurious manufacturers, together with Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Lodges & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxurious Assortment, and lots of extra—she sometimes takes over 15 enterprise journeys a yr, hopping between continents to fulfill along with her groups on the bottom, expertise newly opened inns 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 a very good night time’s sleep courtesy of resort blackout curtains.
What was the aim of the journey?
I stayed over in London for a mannequin room evaluate—we’re opening a St. Regis in London and I needed to see the plan for what the rooms will appear like. I additionally had an opportunity to take a look at among the competitors, too. Then I went to Madrid to have a look at some new inns 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 evaluate to see what else was on the [luxury hotel] market. The final time I used to be in Madrid was in all probability 2018. It was fascinating to see that in 5 years, the 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 inns. The W Budapest simply opened—on the time that I used to be there, it had solely been open per week. After which we’ve got a Luxurious Assortment resort known as the Matild Palace that has been open for a yr and a half.
Did you purchase something on the airport?
I nearly did. However they did not have my precise measurement. It was a Moncler jacket. I have been on the lookout for one for some time, and I needed a white one, and so they 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 find it irresistible as a result of it’s straightforward—however I am additionally very particular. I like each side to have the web and the zipper, which is basically vital. If in case you have them solely on one aspect, once you open it, it is simply…it is a mess, proper? I feel the important mannequin has the zipper on each side, in order that’s my favourite. And I all the time put—and, once more, that is from my expertise—an AirTag in each single bag I’ve. I am perhaps over controlling, however I wish to know the place my stuff is.