Welcome to Voices, where we sit down with the world’s top hoteliers, explorers, and luxury lifestyle insiders to uncover what’s new, next, and noteworthy in travel. Last time we spoke with Anna Tuomi, Head of Marketing at Finavia Corporation, the company behind Finland’s iconic airports. In this edition, we head to coastal New England to meet Brad Guidi and Jason Brown, the visionary co-founders of Blue Flag Capital. Known for crafting relaxed yet refined hospitality experiences, they share how restraint, storytelling, and local connection are the keys to modern luxury.
What does “luxury” mean to you in the context of hospitality today?
Jason: For us, luxury isn’t about formality or price—it’s about thoughtfulness. It’s about attention to detail. It’s the feeling that everything you need is already there, without a word spoken.
Brad: To me, luxury is a feeling you get when you know the people behind the product or property have poured their souls into it… You can’t fake luxury. Luxury only comes from extreme caring and thoughtfulness. It’s understanding the feeling that you are trying to evoke at conception and then pouring everything you have into it until have found the right mix of ingredients.
Blue Flag is known for creating spaces that are both laid-back and elevated. How do you achieve that?
Brad: Being elevated and laid back at the same time are never mutually exclusive. It’s a balancing act and a lot of it comes from the intangibles – how are staff is dressed, the music that is playing, the lighting, the scent of the lobby, the rituals are hotels have (like burning incense to mark the transition from day to); really, all the way the guests interact with the property that are not the property itself – all of these guest interactions paired with a beautiful space create this sense of an elevated, laid back environment.
Jason: And we’re deeply connected to the communities we build in. We’re not just entering a market—we become part of it. That understanding naturally leads to spaces that feel relaxed yet refined. It’s why we always run properties as-is to find the soul in them before we ever break ground on renovations.
What are some of your favorite design elements in your hotels?
Jason: I love the custom millwork and built-ins. They bring warmth and a sense of permanence to the rooms.
Brad: I love that we scour the world for the special pieces that are unique to the property and tell the story. We go to vintage shops, flea markets, and artisans throughout the world to find things that are truly one of a kind.
How do you make a space feel luxurious without being over-the-top?
Brad: I tell everyone that we are creating theater. It is a show that we put on for our guests and every day is a Broadway production – the set, the lighting, the music, our staff. Everything needs to be a conscience, thoughtful decision. By approaching everything this way, it OK if sometimes we are over the top, because its part of the show and the audience loves it.
Jason: And we invest in quality materials—real wood, natural light, the highest quality bed linens and mattresses, great water pressure. These are quiet luxuries. They don’t shout, but they leave a lasting impression.
Who is the ideal guest for your hotels?
Jason: Someone who’s an explorer at heart.
Brad: Someone who loves to discover something truly different. We strive to create hotels that are totally unique, but also totally born of the towns that they are in.
How do you curate the small details that make a stay special?
Brad: We create and design for ourselves and we are our own worst critic. We challenge everyone we work with to come up with things that we would actually enjoy; not just what everyone else is doing. The easy lifts are not what make our properties special – it’s the unique things that we love.
Jason: We walk through each space as a guest would—from check-in to unpacking to ordering a drink. That’s how we discover the details that matter.
What turns a nice stay into a memorable one?
Jason: When a place feels specific—not just beautiful, but distinct. Like it couldn’t exist anywhere else.
Brad: And when guests feel seen. True hospitality isn’t one-size-fits-all. Even if nothing major happens, it should feel like the experience was made just for you.