Solo travelers, especially solo female travelers, have emerged as a leader in the luxury travel sector. And luxury hotels are creating specialized packages to cater to this growing demographic.
Amber Rose Powers, a luxury travel advisor at Nashville-based Fora X, is familiar with this trend. She recently completed a month-long solo trip through Europe, choosing small boutique-style accommodations like Château Voltaire and Hotel Balzac while in Paris.
“When I travel alone, I look for a really close-knit concierge team,” Powers said. “They see you, they get to know you, and they feel at home.”
Hotels with members’ clubs are also emerging as a particularly attractive option for solo travelers, Powers added. She highlighted St. James Paris as one of the hotel-club hybrids that offers social opportunities.
“We have a mix of locals among the guests staying there,” she said.
Some hotels are getting serious about tapping into the growing solo traveler market.
Cheap hotels for solo travelers
Cinzia Panella, regional director of sales and marketing for the 55-room Grand Universe Lucca in Tuscany, said solo travelers accounted for about 34% of Italy’s total visitors during the busy Easter travel season last spring. He cited Italian government statistics showing that
“This is a statistic that cannot be ignored,” Panera said. “I think the pandemic has really changed the way we think about the day. People don’t want to wait for their family or group of friends to check their calendars and make decisions in a long planning process. there is no.”
In response, the hotel launched the Solo & Spritzing offer, which combines amenities like breakfast and WiFi with an Aperol Spritz welcome kit, bike rental, and picnic basket (with wine and snacks).
Hotel Three Sixty, a 12-villa hotel in Ojochal, Costa Rica, launches a Solo Serenity package that includes discounts on stays and a hand-picked guide with recommendations for the best local bars, restaurants and activities for a party of one. did.
Keven Peoples, the hotel’s marketing director, said that while standard rates typically reflect double occupancy, offering attractive single-person rates remains a “balanced option” in line with its premium positioning. It feels like an approach.” Peoples said the property remains a couples-heavy market, but demand from luxury solo travelers has increased in recent years.
“There is a common perception that solo travelers are primarily backpackers who stay in hostels,” he says. “While this is certainly a significant share of the market, there are also many people who want a more upscale experience and have the means to do so.”
In late August, the Fife Arms, a 46-room hotel in the Scottish Highlands, will host three nights of Artful Solo, including access to artist-led sketching and creative writing workshops and tours of the hotel’s 16,000 works. – Launched Traveler Package. Includes art collection, 2-hour spa treatment, and other benefits.
Rachel Henry, general manager at Fife Arms, said: “We are seeing travelers looking to learn more about themselves through experiences, book practical workshops, immerse themselves in local culture (and) push their personal boundaries. I’ve seen it,” he said. “Now it’s all about traveling meaningfully and doing something for further personal growth.”
The rise of the “wandering woman”
A report released this fall by Virtuoso and travel trend forecasting firm Globetrender found that solo travel by women is set to increase significantly over the next year. The Luxury Travel Trend Watch: 2025 report found that the Wandering Woman is a key emerging demographic, accounting for 71% of solo travelers. Within this segment, 47% are divorced, separated, or widowed.
Kimberly Davis, a Charlotte-based advisor and founder of Troubaille Travel International, said Virtuoso’s research reflects evolving social norms.
“I grew up in a time when everyone looked at women traveling alone and thought, ‘Oh my God, that’s so dangerous,'” Davis said. “But now that we have cell phones and everyone is connected, it has become a more accepted, understood and standardized way of traveling.”
Davis said her solo traveler customers generally fall into one of two groups. A woman in her 30s looking for relief from family obligations and a traveler over 50 looking for a bucket list experience.
“Women deserve more empowerment,” Davis said, citing solo clients such as a mother of three who likes thrill-seeking activities like bungee jumping and a 74-year-old widow who planned a hiking trip in Patagonia. I think they feel that they are.” .
Powers’ solo journey began with a 10-day Mediterranean cruise departing from Malta. She did not expect the reaction from her fellow passengers, mostly European couples, who were initially puzzled by her presence.
“They all wanted to know who I was, what I was doing, why I was alone, why I didn’t have a husband,” Powers said with a laugh.
They eventually warmed to the solo American traveler, affectionately nicknamed her “The Lady in White” for her mostly monochrome wardrobe.
The timing of her European tour coincides with the 10th anniversary of the traumatic bus crash that once made her question whether she would ever travel again. “This was the longest solo trip I’ve ever taken. Solo travel is so much more than just going to see the world,” Powers said. “It can be a celebration of a major life milestone or a liberating experience.”
