What is a Boutique Hotel?
Some people find boutique hotels challenging to define because there are numerous definitions and characteristics available, but most often, boutique hotels are distinguished as small-scale, personalized hotels. Boutique hotels can be set apart from typical accommodations by their unique design, style, personalized service and experiences, and overall unique personality. Many boutique hotel designs reflect the surrounding community and its culture. Boutique hotels are created for guests seeking a specific type of experience; they create these experiences through elements like locally influenced design, custom art and dining, and innovative amenities. Travelers continue to crave unique and one-of-a-kind experiences when they travel; for this reason, it should come as no surprise that boutique hotels remain a significant growing sector of the hotel industry.
How did Boutique hotels come to be?
The Golden Age of Hotel Design started in the 1980s. At the time, the hotel industry was dominated by large hotel chains with very traditional and boring concepts. Boutique hotels began appearing in major cities worldwide like New York, London, and San Francisco. Two of the hotels known as the first boutique hotels are The Blakes Hotel in South Kensington in London and the Clarion Bedford Hotel in Union Square in San Francisco. The Blakes Hotel was created and designed by Anouska Hempel in 1978; she transformed Victorian townhomes into an eccentric and unconventional hotel and decorated the rooms with antiques she acquired from her international travels. In 1981 Bill Kimpton was inspired by his travels to Europe and created The Clarion Bedford Hotel in San Francisco; this British-themed hotel was unique and was the Kimpton Group’s first boutique hotel in a series of 34.
Who coined the term “Boutique Hotel”?
There has been a lot of discussion about who came up with the concept of boutique hotels. But the first people to use the term “boutique hotel” were Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, the founders of Studio 54; one of the most successful and famous night clubs in history. The businessmen partnered with French designer Andree Putman to renovate an apartment building to create the Morgans Hotel in Manhattan on Madison Avenue. The businessmen were tired of the large-scale and dull hotel concepts surrounding them in Manhattan, so they decided to create a hotel with unconventional fixtures and designs unlike anything else. The word “boutique” is of French origin for specialized shops, and the term “boutique hotel” first appeared when Rubell compared the new hotel to a “boutique store” rather than a large retail or department store.
Evolution of Boutique Hotels since the 1980s:
Boutique hotels have been evolving and expanding to serve every type of guest in the newer hotel segment.
Boutique Hotels as Social Hubs:
In the late 1980s, the next significant movement of boutique hotels was when people began to look at boutique hotels as an opportunity to form “social hubs.” This mindset started when Chip Conley converted the Caravan Motor Lodge into the Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco. This hotel full of character became a popular stay and gathering spot for musicians and entertainers. Since then, people like Liz Lambert have created upscale neighborhoods by converting old and unconventional properties into hotels and social hubs for nomad entertainers and artists. Liz Lambert’s Hotel San Jose, located in Austin, Texas, is a popular gathering spot for the local community and music lovers.
Beginning of Luxury Boutique Hotels:
In 1988 Adrian Zecha and his partners created Aman Resorts. The first retreat Amanpuri was designed on an old coconut plantation on Phuket beach and was one of the first luxury boutique hotels. Today Aman has 32 resorts and hotels in 20 different countries. Adrian Zecha proved to the hotel industry that hotels can be both luxurious and unique; a uniquely designed hotel filled with luxurious amenities and dining. Aman started the wave of luxurious boutique hotels we see today; hotels with a fantastic blend of intimate design and extravagant luxury.
Large Hotel Chains Introduce Boutique Hotel Sub Brands:
Large hotel chains were dominating the hotel industry at the beginning of the 1980s. After boutique hotels rose in popularity, these ambitious businessmen running the large chains saw the money and opportunity that would come with creating boutique hotel sub-brands. By making these new sub-brands, hotel chains reach a different type of customer; customers who value boutique accommodations. One of the first and most successful examples of large hotel chains entering the boutique industry is Marriott acquiring the W hotel brand in 2016. Ian Schrager partnered with Marriott International to create the EDITION brand of boutique hotels that now has Marriotts’ global reach. Even though more large chain hotels are entering the boutique hotel segment, independent boutique hotels are still very prevalent today.
Staying at a boutique hotel is a way to assure you have a one-of-a-kind and personalized experience during your stay. The boutique hotel segment is continuing to grow, and more properties are becoming more available. So how will you be able to choose the best boutique hotel for you? Luxpitality’s goal is to make it easy for our customers to find the best and most unique boutique hotels worldwide. We pride ourselves in having only the most unique properties in our collection of boutique hotels. Book your next boutique hotel today from our exclusive collection of hotels to create a memorable experience.