In an exclusive interview led by Alexander Chetchikov, President of the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce, Liz Batsche, founder of Well Hosted, shares her transformative vision of modern luxury. A former investment banker and luxury brand marketer, Batsche has spent years merging the worlds of self-development and hospitality, guiding individuals and brands toward cultivating presence, connection, and care. Through her proprietary Well Hosted Mindset, she reveals how the most profound luxury begins not in lavish surroundings, but from within.

Alexander Chetchikov: You often say that “great hosting starts within.” What does that mean, and how does it redefine leadership in today’s luxury landscape?

Liz Batsche: Luxury used to mean more. Now it means meaning. Great hosting starts within because presence, generosity, and grace can’t be faked: they have to be felt. When leaders learn to host themselves first – to regulate, to notice, to replenish — they naturally lead with more empathy, creativity, and composure. That’s the new luxury: emotional fluency in a world addicted to performance.

AC: You’ve led Hospitality & Etiquette workshops for leading luxury maisons. What have these experiences revealed about how modern luxury service and the people behind it are evolving?

LB: Modern luxury is moving from service to sincerity. Associates aren’t just trained to serve; they’re empowered to connect. The next generation of luxury professionals want to bring their humanity to the job; this includes their intuition, personality, and warmth. As artificial intelligence and automation become more prevalent, the ability to make someone feel truly recognized is the new differentiator. Etiquette and hospitality become tools not for perfection, but for presence: a way to make every client feel seen, not sized up.

AC: Your Well Hosted Journey and H.O.S.T. framework (Human-Centered Observation with Signature Style & Taste) feel both timeless and modern. How can brands and teams bring these principles to life in their daily guest experiences?

LB: To H.O.S.T. is to shift from transaction to transformation with ourselves and others.

• Human-Centered: The art of presence, for yourself and others.
• Observation: The luxury of noticing: that’s where true personalization lives.
• Signature Style: Your defining details: these are your differentiators.
• Taste: Refinement in action: it’s how we express respect.

When teams practice those behaviors consistently, both associate and guest experiences (what I like to call The Well Hosted Journey) are elevated from mundane to magnificent.

AC: Etiquette is often perceived as rigid or outdated. How do you reframe it as a contemporary expression of empathy and excellence rather than rules and restrictions?

LB: Etiquette isn’t about hierarchy; it’s about harmony. It’s not “follow the rulebook,” it’s “read the room.” True etiquette is emotional intelligence in motion; I like to call it the “other EQ”. It’s how we create ease for others so we can enjoy shared moments.. When practiced with warmth and awareness, etiquette becomes one of the most modern expressions of respect there is, not only for others, but for ourselves!

AC: You love the term “self-hospitality,” the idea of caring for yourself the way you’d care for a valued guest. How does that mindset transform the way leaders and teams show up for others?

LB: You can’t pour from an empty well, though luxury service often expects it. Self-hospitality is the quiet revolution: the art of filling your own well first. When you tend to yourself with the same care you offer others, you lead from overflow, not depletion. As the airline safety announcement reminds us, “Put on your oxygen mask first.” That simple act of self-priority turns service into soul work, and hospitality into something sacred for all parties involved.

AC: Finally, what do you believe defines luxury hospitality in 2025, and how can we all live a little more Well Hosted in our own lives?

LB: Luxury Hospitality in 2025 is defined not by perfection, but by presence. The most magnetic brands and people feel authentic, aware, and deeply human. We need a touch of friction!  Without it, life becomes flat. To live Well Hosted is to extend care inward. As 2026 begins, hospitality remains a foundational luxury: our proof that human connection will always outshine computer code.

Thank you, Liz! Batsche leaves a clear message: luxury is not defined by extravagance but by emotional presence, authenticity, and connection. By embracing self-hospitality, leaders and brands alike can elevate not just their service, but the humanity at its heart. In the words of Batsche, “To live Well Hosted is to extend care inward, creating a ripple that enriches every interaction.”

Follow her journey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-batsche/

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