I will be reviewing boutique hotels every Monday, but before we start reviewing I wanted to understand what boutique hotel really means. You know 
I wanted know if I could call it a boutique or not. But I realized the definition was too broad and hard to understand, especially when boutique hotels are becoming more and more popular, almost all newly built hotels claim themselves as boutique, so I decided to put some effort into researching and narrowing it down to what constitutes a boutique hotel.
Definition of Boutique Hotel
According to Dictionary.com Boutique Hotel means “a small luxury hotel offering premium services, often located in a fashionable location.” However, there are more than just being fashionable and small.
Boutique hotels definitely can be small, luxury and be in a fashionable location, but also any hotel can be in a fashionable location, luxury and small. Boutique hotels cannot be just that, but it should carry a certain personality. So here me out what I think.
Size and the Decor Cannot Just Define What Boutique Hotel Means
First, Boutique hotels share a unique experience with guests where it creates a sense of community. It provides guests with the city’s unique culture mixed with the hotel brands’ personality. Boutique hotel is more than just a hotel. In my opinion, boutique hotel has its own personality where it can influence guests’ self-perceptions, values and attitude. For example, Edition hotel’s Basement in Miami offers a playground like amenities. People with playful, fun and funky personality would definitely relate to the culture of the hotel (You can read my experience here). Another example is Ace hotel (YAS, another experience you can read). They offer small concerts, restaurants, sit down area where you can work. And people who are used to cafe life or hipster would definitely relate to the scene. Guests can enhance their own personality, values and attitude through their hotel experience. It is more than just being “luxury.”
Boutique Hotels Are in Cities With Enough Depth of History, Culture and Lifestyle
Second, I believe it is important to be in a right location but not always “fashionable”. It is always a good fun to spend your time at the hotel and you will still get the vibe of the town. If you can, why not stay at a place where you will get the full benefit of the culture and the hospitality. However, it does not always need to be in a fashionable location. For example, the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool, UK, is not in the most fashionable location, but located in a dock where all the warehouses are. However, the hotel itself shows the culture of the city very well. You can ready about my experience at the hotel here.
I am a very lazy person and even when I travel, I end up staying in the area and not do too much of sightseeing. It is such a pity but that is who I am. I rather go sit down at a cafe or restaurant and watch people, or go to a bar where you can meet people. I think that is how you really understand and experience the culture of that city. And boutique hotels create an environment where you can actually achieve all of that.
Boutique Hotels Value Locally Sourced Materials
Boutique hotels also usually come with excellent service, amenities and technology. Also, it comes with strong attention to detail. Hotels put a lot of effort from handmade organic toiletries to finest linens and locally sourced material in the hotel where it amplifies the experience in the city. This is why the boutique hotels give you more memorable experience in the city than others.
Boutique hotels cannot be determined by size but as an approach and attitude
Third, Cheryl at Stayful defines with the size of the rooms, and I think it can be applied to an extent, but it is not totally right. Ace hotel in NYC has almost 250 rooms and Edition in Miami has almost 300 rooms. I think it has become more about how people perceive it than the size of the room. Still, Cheryl has explained very well about the history of Boutique hotel, and you can read it here.
At last, the uniqueness of the boutique hotels comes from the décor as well. Boutique hotels aren’t just about putting expensive furniture but to integrate the whole hotel personality into the décor. Delano hotel in Miami adds their own individuality and an ambiance that fits the concepts. The oversized furniture and blue door at the entrance makes us feel like entering the “Alice in Wonderland” fairy tale which the theme continues all the way to the pool.
History of Boutique Hotels
According to Wikipidia,
boutique hotels began appearing in the 1980s in major cities like London, New York, and San Francisco. The term was coined by Steve Rubell in 1984 when he compared the Morgans Hotel in New York, the first hotel he and Ian Schrager owned, to a boutique. At the time, Steve told the media: “Hotels are like department stores. They’re trying to be all things to all people. This is different. It’s like a boutique”.
Ian Schrager who is credited for coining the concept “boutique hotel” explains very well why boutique hotels are rising and a better experience than other type of hotels. You can also read an interview with Ian Schrager about boutique hotel here.
However, according to Independent, even though the term boutique wasn’t around the concept still existed as early as 1971. You can also read about it here.
Hilton, You Are Old and Tired!
Just kidding Hilton, you did nothing but make the hotel business great, but the very common thing about staying at a Hilton or Hayatt is that it doesn’t give much of the city’s character where you are staying. It is more of a sleep and go kind of place. You know what I mean. It fulfills its purpose as a hotel, and I believe there isn’t much to review about how I feel about the hotels. So, I will be focusing on reviewing boutique hotels every Monday on what I think about the hotel and why.
It became a long blog, but please let us know what you think about it below the comment section!
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