| v> | | | | York in 1984, by hotel entrepreneurs Ian |
| The term “boutique hotel” has | | | | Schrager and Steve Rubell, it was praised for its |
| been widely used in recent years, but what does | | | | original design and quirky nature. Designed for |
| it mean and why should you stay in one? | | | | those who really wanted to participate in their |
| There are lots of companies that claim to | | | | travel rather than passively take it all in, Morgans, |
| specialise in boutique hotels. For many, a boutique | | | | and those that followed it, challenged the way we |
| hotel is simply one that’s not part of a | | | | thought about hotels. Although Schrager would not |
| national or international chain and that distinguishes | | | | now describe his hotels as boutique, the name has |
| itself by its design, location or additional features. | | | | been applied to those hotel who followed in his |
| Many hotels aspire to be a boutique hotel without | | | | footsteps as far as design is concerned. From |
| actually achieving it. Overall, there are four main | | | | clean and contemporary to themed rooms and |
| elements to the true boutique hotel: | | | | classic elegance, a boutique hotel must have a |
| Size | | | | clear design theme and attention to detail. |
| Large hotels can be cool, trendy and chic, but | | | | Service |
| they can’t be boutique. Just as the word | | | | The hallmark of an excellent boutique hotel is its |
| is used to describe small, design-led specialist | | | | service. Whether the hotel chooses to assign a |
| shops, so it applies to hotels. Hotels that apply the | | | | personal butler to each guest, or just hires and |
| term “boutique” to themselves or | | | | trains staff to anticipate your every need, the |
| have it ascribed to them are usually small | | | | service at a boutique hotel is really what it should |
| – certainly less than 50 rooms and in some | | | | be at any hotel: ensuring that your stay goes |
| cases with only one or two. Their size contributes | | | | without a hitch, that you can get transport, opera |
| to the atmosphere and service that characterises | | | | tickets or excellent meals when you want them |
| a hotel with a difference. Whilst size might count | | | | and making you feel at home rather than feeling |
| in terms of the number of rooms, it | | | | like you’re a nuisance. |
| doesn’t follow that those rooms must | | | | Location |
| also be small. In fact, a hotel than could easily | | | | Boutique hotels are scattered all over the world, |
| accommodate 20 rooms might choose instead to | | | | from 24-hour cities like New York, London and |
| create just ten, but make them spacious and | | | | Rio De Janeiro to island havens in the Indian or |
| luxurious, catering to the boutique market. | | | | Pacific Oceans. What often sets them apart are |
| Design | | | | the buildings that contain them. |
| When the first boutique hotel was opened in New | | | | |