Podcast
Episode 16: Rare and Remarkable Stays with Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels
Combining authentic adventures with property teams fueled by passion and expertise, Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels curate incredible experiences at remote destinations around the world.
Joining me at the LTI Studio in Denver, Michael Crawford, newly-appointed CEO of Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels, offered a look at his goals for the brand moving forward, his strategy on developing people within the company to surprise and delight guests, as well as what a journey through the Australian countryside looks like within the diverse portfolio of Baillie properties.
Spanning across Australia and New Zealand, plus one property on Vancouver Island in Canada, Baillie Lodges as a brand is defined by luxurious lodging with a deep connection to the surrounding landscape, culture and wildlife. Recently, the company acquired Tierra Hotels, which adds two hotels in Chile to the growing portfolio. Each property has really iconic experiences attached to it, curating bucket list destinations for travelers. The typical guest profile depends on the region, although about 40% of guests come from the United States (with Australia, Europe and Asia following). One of Mike’s goals is to expand the portfolio and look out at geosource markets to diversify, while remaining a unified brand. The company has recently started work on a refreshed singular brand name for the portfolio by the end of this year.
“As we continue to grow the portfolio, we have to create a unifying brand. I always describe our assets as these luxury pearls…and now it’s our job to sort of put a strand of them together.”
Rather than continuing to focus on creating destination-based agendas or itineraries, the team is shifting more towards curating guest journeys so that travelers heading to Australia or New Zealand can enjoy a more seamless planning and travel experience throughout the Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels portfolio. Mike breaks down an ideal Australian adventure: first, start in Sydney or Melbourne to take advantage of the urban offerings for three or four days. Then, head to Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, followed by a stay amidst the vineyard at The Louise in Barossa Valley. Next up is luxury camping at Longitude 131° with direct views of Uluṟu (Ayers Rock) and the stunning desert landscape of Kata Tjuṯa. Making a loop over to Silky Oaks Lodge allows guests to sleep in the rainforest with easy access to the Great Barrier Reef. And then back to the city to decompress before flying home.
Mike’s focus is on hiring the best possible team, filled with people who are passionate about their respective destinations and who love creating memorable moments for guests—a real culture of empowerment and inclusive communication. With smaller room counts, the team is able to truly personalize the guest experience, including thoughtfully designed meals and planned excursions. The goal is for guests to leave with heartfelt memories that will last for generations.
Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge in Canada serves as an example of the extensive sustainability efforts being prioritized by the brand. Their solar field generates over 80% of power needed, which has actually led to a regeneration of the bird population in the area. To help restore the native salmon during spawning season, they started a river and worked to reclaim fallen wood to stimulate the underbush in the woods and the hills. The approach aims to grow the regional cultures and the geographic footprint surrounding the property, a strategy that is repeated at each Baillie destination.
Mike began his career with The Walt Disney Company, hitting every rung on the career ladder over his 25-year span with the brand—even starting in a polyester costume. That journey culminated with heading the negotiations for the Shanghai Disneyland Resort deal with the Beijing and Shanghai governments (read his book From the Mouse House to the Penthouse for a full account). He next spent time as the President of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, where he learned from Izzy Sharp the importance of empowering every hotel GM to think of their role as a CEO, really owning their business. He left that position impacted by the mindset of staying laser focused on the guest experience (which is evident now in his current role). Following the Four Seasons, he served as CEO for Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Company, which provided exposure to real estate, media development and deals with the NFL. Now, with about four months under his belt leading the Baillie Lodges brand, Mike hopes to strategically scale and build a larger brand presence as a whole, taking the Four Seasons approach of discernment when it comes to future property acquisitions.
When thinking about experience-based travel, Mike talks about not only curating itineraries with authentic, one-of-a-kind adventures, but also creating incredible food experiences and decompressing spa environments. Rare and remarkable are the descriptors he’d like guests to take away from a stay, with a customizable approach that differentiates from what nearby competitors are offering. The founders of Baillie Lodges, James and Hayley Baillie, have an eye for products as luxury consumers themselves. They’ve stayed engaged with the design process for the brand (similarly to the founders of the properties acquired in Chile), which has been instrumental in understanding the people, the geography and the general lay of the land. AI has become helpful in making behind-the-scenes planning and familiarity with the guests a lot easier. Keeping the smaller size of the company in mind, Mike wants to leverage AI in a way that complements what they do and enables them to do it at an even higher level with a pragmatic approach.
To close our conversation, I ended with LTI’s signature rapid fire questions. For upcoming personal travel, Mike is taking his family to Patagonia for days spent hiking and challenging their ultra marathon skills on the terrain. Looking back towards the past, he misses the level of formality that helped to curate a true white-glove, luxury experience. For future innovation, he hopes technology will be utilized to create a more seamless journey for the guest, especially in the planning part of the trip, so that decompression and relaxation begins the moment they leave their door for the airport.
Thank you, Mike, for joining me on this episode of Luxury Travel Innovators, available to listen to and watch on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Youtube.
