Boutique Hotels
bout-ique ho-tel; a small sophisticated or fashionable establishment providing accommodations, meals, and other services for travelers and tourists.
Boutique hotels seem to be all the rage at the moment, with more and more people looking to spend their hard earned money on unforgettable experiences, so it makes sense that boutique hotels are taking the world by storm.
Let’s take a look at what makes a boutique hotel so trendy. Usually boutique hotels only have between maybe ten and a hundred or so rooms, which creates an element of exclusivity. They are also often exquisitely decorated or themed and a lot of the rooms are individually designed and they are often known for having fabulous dining experiences, in luxurious yet cozy restaurants.
If you are a hotelier looking to add some boutique elements to your guests’ stay, there are plenty of options for all price ranges to upgrade the stay. The first thing to think about is who are your typical guests, are they staying at your hotel for business or for pleasure, and the second thing to think about is what is around your hotel, think about the sights to see, things to do, places to eat. Taking a look at your surroundings can help you to create a design story to decorate with, many boutique hotels are sourcing their decor, furniture and art work, as well as things like toiletries, complimentary snacks, and the food for the restaurant, locally. Having an element of local flair really makes a hotel feel unique and helps to fuel the guests’ excitement to explore, and to return to your hotel.
Another element to think about is how you want your guests to feel when they stay at your hotel, this will help you to develop an idea of how you want to furnish it. For a costal hotel you might want your guests to feel they are on a glamorous beach holiday.
Or you might want to go for more of a nautical theme with an elegant yacht club feeling. Wherever you are located look at what’s around you and take inspiration, your guests will be thrilled to stay somewhere where they can get to know the area.
Something that many boutique hotels feature is a social media moment, the designers work to create elements that people will share and will bring others in who also want to experience the element. Some great features could be a beautiful chandelier, or fireplace, or other elements like a mural painted on a wall by a local artist. These things create buzz around your hotel, and having this experience shared online is a great way to market yourself in an organic way.
Boutique hotels use upscale furniture and linens, and each room is designed individually. If you have many rooms this might not be possible so why not pick a theme for each floor or choose two or three room designs each telling a story about your brand. Change up the colour palette, add some wall paper behind the bed, bold patterned carpeting or use a unique herringbone layout for wood, or luxury vinyl tile in striking designs to create a visually exciting atmosphere. Don’t forget the ceilings by adding colour or wall paper to give your rooms individuality. Lighting behind mirrors or under vanities or the bed can look amazing!
These days people want to travel with their pets so why not create some pet friendly rooms with pet friendly furnishings? People will willingly pay an extra charge to bring their furry friends, but you may want to limit the number and the size of the pets that your guests can bring with them. Boutique hotels tend to be rather eccentric and there is one hotel who delivers a goldfish to your room if you are missing your pets!
We have made this list of ideas to help you create a unique boutique feel and make a memorable stay for your guests:
- Colour, colour and more colour everywhere – towels, scatters, throws, rugs and bed linens
- Dramatic wall paper behind the head board and bold colours on the walls
- Small selection of paper back books, board games, puzzles, crayons and colouring books
- Objects of interest such as retro phones, a type writer, or a turntable and some old vinyls
- Night stands or desk with integrated phone and iPad chargers and usb ports
- Unusual lighting and lots of it, ceiling, standard, wall and table and mirrors
- Interesting art work by local artists with a QR code linking to the artist website
- An eclectic collection of tea cups and saucers, a jug and teapot plus local made treats
- Framed maps of the area and historic photos and books about the area
- Pet beds and an exciting room service menu for dogs and cats
It’s those little touches that make so much difference and keeps your customers coming back time and time again.
- 19th August 2021