Boutique hotel: what exactly is it?
Find out more about the boutique hotel concept!
You have probably come across the boutique hotel concept, but do you really know what it means? What does it stand for? Here is everything you need to know!
What is a boutique hotel?
To be classed as a boutique hotel, a few simple rules have to be met:
- Having no more than100 rooms
- Being anindependent hotel
- Being located in thecity centreor in the trendiest district
- Design and cutting-edge technology are a must
- Being a genuine part of the city, offering local products and experiences...
- Being both a hotel, so a place to sleep, and acool, fashionable meeting place
The aim of this type of hotel is to give every guest a personal touch. It is a hotel category in its own right, born in 1980 in London and New York.
The concept is so successful that there is even an awards ceremony to crown the best of them: the Boutique Hotel Awards.
Here are the boxes a property has to tick to qualify as a boutique hotel.
| Criterion | What it takes |
|---|---|
| Number of rooms | 100 at most |
| Status | Independent hotel |
| Location | City centre or the trendiest district |
| Style | Cutting-edge design and technology |
| Local roots | Part of the city, offers local products |
| Use | A room and a gathering place |
| Origin | London and New York, 1980 |
A few well-known examples
One of the main features of boutique hotels is their design and their distinctive atmosphere.
Among the best known, you will find:
- ThePlatine Hôteldedicated to Marilyn Monroe, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris
- TheHôtel Particulierin Montmartre
- Astarte Suitesin Greece
- Le Royal Mansourin Morocco
And plenty of others we will not list here! So, does spending your holidays in this kind of hotel appeal to you? For those of you who have already tried it, do you have any feedback to share with us?
If you fancy a brand-new hotel experience, here is an article on Life hotels that should be right up your street.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a boutique hotel ? It is a hotel category in its own right, born in 1980 in London and New York. It rests on an independent property with fewer than 100 rooms, set in the city centre or in the trendiest district. The stated aim is to give every guest a personal touch.
How many rooms at most ? One hundred. Beyond that, the property falls outside the boutique hotel definition. It is the easiest criterion to check, and usually the first one people look at.
Can a chain hotel be a boutique hotel ? No. Independence is one of the criteria, just like size and location. A property tied to a chain can invest all it wants in design, it still does not tick that box.
What really sets a boutique hotel apart from a regular hotel ? Design and atmosphere first : that is the defining feature of the genre. Then local roots, since the property is part of the city and offers local touches. And the fact that it is both a place to sleep and a gathering spot, not just a room.
Is there a ranking of the best boutique hotels ? Yes, a dedicated ceremony exists, the boutique hotel awards, which crowns the best properties of the genre. It mostly shows how alive the concept is. Among the well known addresses regularly mentioned : the Platine Hôtel in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the Hôtel Particulier in Montmartre, the Astarte Suites in Greece and the Royal Mansour in Morocco.
Does it have to be in the city centre ? Location is one of the criteria : city centre, or failing that the trendiest district in town. The logic comes from the local roots these properties claim. A boutique hotel stranded on the outskirts would lose most of what defines it.
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