EHL Innovation Rewind: Bernhard Bohnenberger on Mindful Luxury and the Invisible Power of Technology
Our conversation with Bernhard Bohnenberger, CEO and Co-founder of Discover Collection, took place during the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne. We spoke with him about the role of technology in luxury hospitality, how guest expectations are evolving, and why emotional connection should remain central to high-end travel. Drawing on his background with Six Senses and now the Discover Collection, Bernhard shared his vision for what he calls 'Mindful Luxury' and how technology should support, never replace, the human experience.
Which technology or innovation do you think will most reshape the hospitality industry over the next 5 to 10 years?
AI and technology are exploding, and nobody can ignore that. In the luxury end of hospitality, we would not send a robot to serve guests, but technology can help us as an amazing army of assistants or a source of information. It can be used in the background to personally serve our guests better. True hospitality still means human interaction and emotional intelligence, especially when you pay thousands of dollars a night. Machines should help our teams serve better, but they should operate by stealth. Like a ninja, if it is invisible, that is great.
Do you think there is a big misconception about what AI in hospitality can actually do, especially in luxury?
Yes. Especially in luxury, AI could be the backbone of operations. At the very high end, it is key that the emotional side and the human interaction stay. If a guest pays thousands of dollars a night, they do not want to be looking at a machine. But the machine can work behind the scenes to support the team. In lower-end, more functional hotels, a lot can be taken over technologically. The higher you go in the luxury chain, the more the human touch matters.
Do you think we need to reevaluate what we think luxury is?
Yes. At the Discover Collection, we call it 'Mindful Luxury.' In the past, people associated luxury with chandeliers, gold leaf, champagne and opulence. That may still appeal to some, especially newer money. But as people mature and wealth moves through generations, they want a very different experience. They want something that transforms them - physically, mentally, or through learning something new. Why would you want Wagyu beef flown in from Japan when you are staying at a resort in Oman? The luxury traveller today wants more depth, more meaning, and more connection to the destination.
Do you think luxury brands today are ready to deliver meaning, or do they even understand that they need to start delivering meaning?
With Six Senses, we revolutionized and disrupted the industry by creating experiences. With the Discover Collection, I want to go even further, into exploration. I want our guests to participate in the activities of our team, of the local community, and to engage with people in a deep and meaningful way. If you do something groundbreaking, others will follow. I have seen it happen before, when what we created was copied. Hopefully this new approach will trickle down through the industry and have a positive influence.
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