By Rachel Clacher, Co-Founder of Coertze + Clacher
For years, luxury travel has largely been defined by what we could see. It has been all about those “wow” moments; bigger hotels, dramatic entrances, infinity pools melting into the horizon. Luxury has become synonymous with spectacle; spaces designed to impress instantly and photograph beautifully.
Whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with beautiful things, I think something much more interesting is happening now. The places people are truly falling in love with are those that make them breathe differently the moment they arrive. They are not always the grandest, but they are the ones that make us feel calmer, lighter, healthier and somehow more ourselves.
Over the last few years, through my work in design-led property and time spent living between Mallorca and the UK, I’ve become fascinated by how profoundly environments shape the way we feel.
This isn’t something new in my career. Long before I moved into property, when building Moneypenny, the global communications business I co-founded, we became slightly obsessed with how workplaces affected people emotionally. Even on very small budgets in those early years, we focused on light, flow, atmosphere and creating environments where people genuinely felt good. And the result was that we saw first-hand how thoughtfully designed spaces could influence confidence, creativity, connection and wellbeing.
That same philosophy naturally carries into homes.
The way morning light moves through a room, a terrace that naturally draws people together at sunset, the softness of natural materials underfoot, a bedroom that is genuinely dark and peaceful enough for deep sleep or, simply, the feeling of doors being open to fresh air rather than sealed behind air conditioning.
Individually, these things may sound small, but collectively they can change how we live in a space. They are often overlooked because they are difficult to quantify, yet they have an enormous impact on wellbeing, shaping how we sleep, think, unwind and connect with the people around us.
I think this is why luxury travel, and luxury living in general, is evolving so noticeably. After years of constant stimulation, packed itineraries and performative luxury, people are craving places that feel restorative rather than overwhelming.
And increasingly, that mindset is influencing second-home ownership too. People are no longer simply looking for somewhere impressive to visit for a few weeks a year. They want homes that genuinely support the way they want to live; places that encourage a slower rhythm, deeper connection and a stronger sense of wellbeing.
That shift is one reason design-led villas and private homes are becoming so appealing. They offer something more personal and emotionally grounding than traditional hospitality often can; allowing people to settle into a gentler pace of life, connect more deeply with their surroundings and experience a genuine sense of ease.
In Mediterranean destinations particularly, there is a natural opportunity to design around wellbeing. The climate encourages outdoor living, natural ventilation and a softer pace of life. The most thoughtful spaces work with the landscape rather than competing against it, creating an atmosphere that feels restorative almost instinctively.
For me, materials and craftsmanship play a huge role in that feeling too. There is something deeply comforting about spaces created using local stone, natural woods and centuries-old artisan techniques that feel connected to their environment rather than imposed upon it. These details bring warmth, texture and authenticity in a way that purely decorative luxury often cannot.
What’s emerging is a new understanding of luxury; one rooted less in excess and more in experience. Today’s most exceptional homes and escapes are designed around how people want to feel when they are there and, perhaps even more importantly, how they want to feel when they leave.
The future of luxury travel lies in this idea of emotional architecture: spaces designed not just to look beautiful, but to create calm, clarity and connection resulting in homes and retreats that prioritise wellbeing, sustainability and a genuine sense of place.
And for me, that’s a far more meaningful kind of luxury, that increasingly rare feeling of being completely at ease in the world around you.
Coertze + Clacher is a design and build practice based in Mallorca, for further information please visit coertzeclacher.com
