What Are Boutique Hotels?
A boutique hotel can be a wonderful choice for a traveler. The size and uniqueness of the these types of properties offer guests a more intimate experience. Many people make return trips because they've enjoyed the staff's attention and the boutique's ambience. Boutique hotels are often found in the middle of major metropolitan areas and offer a welcome closeness to travelers that bigger hotels cannot provide.
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Definition
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Depending on who is asked, the definition of a boutique hotel can vary greatly. However, there are a few elements that are common throughout the boutique hotel market. Boutique hotels are generally smaller than their sister full-size properties (most of them have fewer than 150 rooms). They generally have a unique architectural style and theme that sets them apart. These hotels are not standardized; instead, they are tailored to provide individual attention to each guest in an intimate atmosphere. Boutique hotels come in many shapes and sizes. A 100-room hotel with a minimalist interior design is a boutique hotel, but so is a 100-room hotel modeled in the style of a late-1800s guest house.
History
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The boutique hotel concept began to take root in the early 1980s, with smaller, independent hotels opening in major cities, such as San Francisco and London. Hoteliers Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell are credited with creating the boutique style when they opened their New York hotel, Morgans, in 1984. Rubell coined the term "boutique hotel" when he contrasted their venture with a department-store approach. The name stuck, and boutique hotels began popping up to become real contenders for travel dollars.
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Location
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Boutique hotels are mainly found in major travel areas where their different styles can set them apart from major hotels and they can piggyback on part of a city's history and character. Since many big hotels offer a "cookie-cutter" environment, the boutiques stand out because of their uniqueness. Oftentimes, they can be found in a big city's nightlife district since they mostly cater to people in their 20s to 50s.
Service
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What boutique hotels lack in number of rooms, they more than make up for with service. By having a smaller guest registery, the staff can give personalized attention to each guest. Staff members will generally know a guest's name and continue to use it throughout the guest's stay. Also, many boutiques are known to tailor a completely unique experience for a guest.
Disadvantages
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There can be several disadvantages to staying at a boutique hotel. Because of the small size, there could be limited on-site dining options. Some guests might find the hotel too small and won't like running into the same guests and staff members throughout their stay. Finally, a boutique hotel's room rates are often higher than a homogenized full-service hotel.
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