Well, it’s finally happened. After decades of buying more doodads, nicknacks, and thingamabobs than most ever need, consumers have gotten tired of mass consumption. They want a personalised service that encourage them to explore local cultures. They prefer great amenities with even greater design. And they’re keenly aware of how their travels impact climate change. The new generation of travellers crave community, sustainability and intimacy above everything else. You won’t ever catch them at a Holiday Inn, but you might just find them at a good boutique hotel.
In the hotel industry, boutique hotels aren’t a new concept but its their most distinctive characteristics that have made them ultra appealing to travellers. Boutique hotels are more intimate compared to most hotels. Instead of stuffing guests into lifeless, beige-toned capsules, boutique hotels serve to highlight the unique characteristics of the most fashionable areas of the world. If you’re running a boutique hotel attention to detail, personalised services, and artistic furnishings that curate an individually decorated space, are going to be your selling point. For guests, the appeal lies in how far you can take them from their daily reality and throw them into the lives of others.
An exceptional guest experience is at the core of your boutique hotel
A successful boutique hotel complies with a long list of unspoken requirements. Boutique hotels generally are characterised by their intimate atmosphere. Boutique hotels are generally 10 to 40 rooms and will rarely comprise a number more than a hundred. If you’re basing your business model off of larger hotels you’re not providing your guests with exceptional service. In this aspect, fewer rooms offer guests more. Boutique hotels are unlike regular hotels. They have more freedom than chain hotels toutilize their own space as hubs for avant garde design.
So what are the major differences between boutique hotels and a “regular” hotel?
There are three main differences between your local Century hotel and a boutique experience. Boutique hotels tend to:
- Give guests personalised experiences. This contrasts with most hotel chains that try to give guests the same experience across all properties. For a boutique hotel going the extra mile to give guests a one of a kind hotel experience makes all the difference.
- Boutique hotels constantly curate. And often that curation centres themes essential to the country or city it occupies. You wouldn’t catch a boutique hotel in Stockholm with Edwardian decor. And you won’t find a boutique hotel in Chelsea with a japandi vibe. Make use of the local culture for your design choices. Avoid using the same style throughout your properties.
- Boutique hotels are “bougie”. Many boutique hotels are associated with poshness. Well, that and their tendency to occupy the most fashionable location in many major cities. Occupying a city’s urban district is the raison d’etre of aboutique hotel. A boutique hotel’s location spells life or death for its popularity.Who cares if your boutique is beautiful if it’s not the hot gossip at The Dally.
With all that time spent on unique services, most boutique hotels cater to the wealthier among us. Typically, this audience isn’t easy to please and your boutique hotel is going to need a few more offerings to make it stand out to traditional hotels.
1. You must carve a unique identity
Boutique hotels stand out as monuments of culture. Each boutique hotel should tell its own story, and take influence from local exterior and interior design. Having a distinct identity is paramount for boutique hotels with many choosing to showcase style forward decor and highlight local artists.
Your hotel has an obligation to personality. It’s, of course, what makes you better than the hotels offering cheaper accommodations. When a boutique fully embodies its role as an emblem of grand design, it attracts the trendy, celebrity, and quirky–all groups who would pay top dollar to be caught dead inside its halls.
2. You must give off a “stylish vibe”
Your guests crave attention to detail. They want something they can share on the ‘gram. They want inexplicably exquisite decor to lounge on. And above all, they’ve read the latest Maison and want to critique your choice in curtains.
Design in boutique hotels transcends mere decoration– it embodies the curator’s ethos inside and out. It’s better for your furnishings to be old and charming than trendy and commercial. Explore other fashionable districts in your area to get inspiration for your own hotel.
3. You must have professional hotel staff
Boutique hotels employ only the best of the best, ensuring that guests receive exceptional service throughout their stay. From the front desk to housekeeping, every staff member is trained to deliver personalised care, catering to the unique preferences of each guest.
The professionalism of the staff reflects the overall atmosphere of the boutique hotel, creating an ambiance of sophistication and refinement. Whether guests are checking in for a romantic getaway or a prompt business trip, they can expect to be greeted warmly and assisted with noticeable charm.
Professional hotel staff not only provide excellent service but also contribute to the overall guest experience by anticipating needs and exceeding expectations. They are knowledgeable about the local area and can offer recommendations for dining, entertainment, and sightseeing, enhancing the stay for visitors looking to explore the surrounding area.
4. You must care about sustainability
Smaller hotels like boutiques have the advantage of a low carbon footprint. But guests want more intentional efforts from businesses that explicitly drive climate change.
Consider ways to make guest energy consumption greener. Does your compost feed the local children? Maybe your water system is powered solely by rainwater. The size boutique hotels tend to have lend to easier forms of reducing impact. What matters most is your dedication to change and how you communicate it. No one wants to feel bad on vacation. And killing Earth is not the vibe.
5. You must create a “third space”
London has the greatest proportion of workers working from a third space at a whopping 65% percent. More and more, people want to socialise with their remote working opportunities and boutique hotels offer the perfect place to do it.
Third spaces are places people can socialise and the need for them has risen greatly post-pandemic. Over 35% of workers prefer to use hotels as their third space. And 80% of young people want the flexibility to work from a third space. Using a membership club model, similar to the Soho houses, and incorporating co-working spaces into your boutique will make you stand out from other hotels. And, it’ll naturally provide the increased awareness needed to keep your rooms filled.
6. The food must be as impeccable as the view
The hospitality industry isn’t know for its food quality. But you will.
Your food and beverage offerings don’t have to be Michelin quality. But it must be at least better than the continent breakfast of cookie cutter hotels. Serving locally sourced ingredients will titillate your guests and give them a feel for the city’s culture.
Bonus if you take inspiration from traditional cuisine. Or if you can provide the freshest, quality ingredients.
Leverage your boutique hotel website as the digital front for your guest experience
Having a visually appealing and navigable website is imperative for showcasing a boutique hotel’s unique charm. While boutique hotels belong to a niche category, they are readily accessible through major booking platforms like Booking.com, Agoda, and TripAdvisor. Increasingly, discerning guests are turning to direct searches on the web or Google Maps for unique, exclusive experiences. Integration with essential online booking platforms and services like Google’s hotel search features ensures visibility to a global audience of discerning travellers.
