Defining luxury in places like Beverly Hills or Laguna Beach may not be all that challenging considering that all things opulent seem to seep from the streets, but attempting to redefine it is a challenge that Alan Fuerstman did not shy away from.

In the most recent issue of Haute Living Los Angeles, the founder and CEO of Montage Hotels & Resorts reveals how he was able to propel his own brand into the same category of five-star favorites like the Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons.

“As I was looking at the luxury hotel landscape around the year 2000, I saw that there was an opportunity for another ultra-luxury brand. I looked at the brands that were dominating the market…had gotten pretty large as companies—40 to 60 hotels and growing. I thought that ultra-luxury was best served by a smaller, highly focused company, and I thought the time was right for a new brand.”

His efforts to fill that niche in the marketplace have not gone unnoticed as he has earned accolades as the Resort Executive of the Year, and managed to get the Montage recognized as one of “The World’s Best Hotels,” in addition to earning five coveted diamonds.

More about Fuerstman’s efforts to rule the world of luxury resorts can be found in Haute Living Los Angeles’ article, “The Art of Luxury.”