Boutique hotels began to appear in the UK and the USA in the early 1980s. Small (between six and fifty rooms) and independent, they were an alternative to big chains in cities like London, New York, and San Francisco. More recently, some chains have capitalized on the success of this model by operating smaller properties they market as boutique hotels.
Many boutique hotels are very luxurious. One of the luxuries they offer is highly personalized service. For one thing, with their higher staff-to-guest ratios compared with chain hotels, staff can be expected to remember your name, where you're from, and the purpose of your trip. In this more intimate "home from home" atmosphere, the traveler looking for something different, or even somewhat eccentric, will also enjoy highly personalized service.
When the hotel owner is your host, as is often the case in a boutique hotel, you can be assured of the hotelier's dedication to making you feel at home. Striking the right balance between pampering guests and assuring their privacy can be a challenge in a hotel setting. An exceptional standard of service is one way that boutique hotel owners manage this balance, but they also rely on good design and good use of space.
The public spaces of any hotel are an important feature of their character, and they greatly affect the degree to which guests can be made to feel at home. In boutique hotels, where space for public areas is limited, it is easier to create cozy atmosphere. Nevertheless, small public areas call for heightened creativity in the use of the space available.
The public areas in a boutique hotel should be arranged so that guests can enjoy individual space if they wish, yet without sacrificing the intimate, friendly atmosphere. The furniture should be comfortable enough to encourage guests to relax, with variations in lightening to accommodate different needs and functions. Boutique hotels tend to be less formal, and the design should emphasize the freer, more relaxed ambiance.
In a big hotel, your room has the basic elements (bed, closet, bedside tables, en suite bath), but it's just like hundreds of others in the chain. Boutique hotels can approach each room as an individual space, just we all do in our homes. The details will vary from room to room, but it is the attention to detail that is important. Whether it's period furnishings, fine linens and draperies, or an ultramodern look with a flat screen TV and internet access, your room will be as unique as a room in your own home.
Author Resource:
Chris Linch is the owner of homeshophotels.com where you can find Cheap Hotel Rates and other incredible travel savings. Chris travels frequently and is well published on the internet for some of the information he provides consumers.
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