Substance With Style: Redefining Luxury Hospitality

In today's episode of the Skift Ideas Podcast, Colin is joined by Christopher Norton, CEO of Equinox Hotels, a brand that is aiming to redefine luxury hospitality as the ultimate in experience.

Christopher has been designing premiere guest experiences with holistic health in mind throughout his 30-year career, and is currently responsible for overseeing all facets of Equinox Hotels and executing a future growth strategy.

Join us as we explore Christopher's take on what luxury hospitality really means, and examine how wellness and hospitality now go hand-in-hand when it comes to catering to today's modern traveler.

Colin Nagy: Today, I'm very excited to be joined by Christopher Norton, Chief Executive Officer at Equinox Hotels. Chris has been designing premier guest experiences with holitic health in mind throughout his 30 year career in the hospitality industry.

Raised in Zurich, Chris’ first taste of the industry was visiting a friend’s family-run hotel and restaurant business located on the outskirts of the picturesque Swiss city. Not long after, he became an apprentice at the famed Baur au Lac and his passion later led him to study at the prestigious EHL at Lausanne in Switzerland, where he currently resides as an active board member.

Following stints at the Watergate Hotel, Boca Raton Resort & Club, and Ritz-Carlton New York, Chris began a long tenure at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts as President and Chief Operating Officer.

After Four Seasons, Chris brought his keen sense of style and design, commitment to a healthy lifestyle and dedication to the people that he works with to launch Equinox’s first-ever luxury lifestyle and hospitality brand.

Christopher Norton: Well, first of all, I'm thrilled to be here and thank you for for having me on your podcast, I'm very excited. I fell in love with the business when I was 15, 16 through a friend of mine whose dad owned a bunch of luxury boutique hotels and restaurants in Zurich, Switzerland, and I was infected by the atmosphere and everything that went on not only in front of the house but in the kitchens and back. And I just thought this whole environment was very, very stimulating. 

And so I did an apprenticeship at the very famous hotel in Missouri called the Baur au Lac when I was 16 and ended up in hotel school in Lausanne and graduated and started my career in the U.