In the 1980s, a few small hotels in metropolitan cities like London and New York started what is now termed as the boutique trend. These small hotels, which weren’t affiliated with any chain, offered an intimate service to their guests.
40 years on, this trend has become a successful working model for hotels worldwide. In fact, the luxury boutique segment has become increasingly popular in the wake of the pandemic.
When people started traveling again, they were cautious of their hygiene and safety. The boutique hotels, with their personalised approach, gained their guest’s confidence due to curated service and a lesser number of rooms.
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF BOUTIQUE HOTELS
While there are no clear check-boxes that hoteliers have to tick to earn the ‘boutique hotel’ title, a few principles that guide the category include:
- A boutique hotel doesn’t have more than 80 rooms and is located in the city centre or a very trendy area.
- A boutique hotel offers a personal touch to every guest.
- It has an artistic architectural style and features designer decor along with the availability of the newest technological gadgets.
- A boutique facility gels with the local culture. For instance, local traditional cuisine is offered at boutique hotels.
- Boutique facilities work independently and are usually not part of a chain of hotels. However, with the success of the boutique concept, major hotel chains are now offering their own intimate boutique brand.
In India, successful boutique hotels offer bespoke hospitality, authentic Indian décor, tailored menus, luxury services, refreshing greenery, and what not. These include Bari Kothi Heritage Hotel in West Bengal, RAAS Hotels & Rohet House in Rajasthan, and Glenburn Tea Estate & Glenburn Penthouse in West Bengal.
BLURRING LINES BETWEEN BOUTIQUE AND LUXURY HOTELS
Like luxury, boutique hotels also cater to an affluent crowd and don’t compromise on professionalism. Despite being ‘small’ in terms of the number of rooms as compared to their luxury counterparts, boutique hotels also have an unconventional personality.
The biggest USP of a boutique hotel is its personalised experience. They cater to the specific needs of their repeat clients. For instance, a boutique facility understands the room and meal preferences of its repeat clients.
Also, rooms are customised in accordance with the needs of the clients. So, a family room may have bunk bed facilities and a room for a gym enthusiast is likely to have yoga mats and workout machines. To ensure that the clients feel valued, guests are greeted with their names (Hello! Mr Saxena) rather than a formal ‘Hello sir’.
MONEY MATTERS
Renowned American poet Maya Angelou once rightly said, “I’ve learnt that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This also holds true in the context of hotels. Luxury isn’t necessarily how much money you spend on your stay, but your experience after the money you spend.
In the past few years, travellers have shown a great inclination towards boutique hotels due to a more individualised approach and in the foreseeable future, they will seek more memorable experiences. To this end, boutique hotels must provide the comforts of luxury accommodation along with ensuring a fully customised stay. While being more agile in providing customised and personalised services, boutique hotels should also not discount luxuries like spas, lavish meal spreads, and other such offerings.
Without going overboard with their prices, boutique hotels must lean towards providing elegance and luxury. Investment in decor is a must for boutique spaces.
Their hotel rooms may include artwork, wallpaper, funky paint colours, eclectic light figures, antique furnishings, and more. Unlike the identical rooms of a chain hotel, every room can have a different look and feel in a boutique facility.
Attention to detail gives a distinguished personality to these spaces. Such establishments often play with themes that run throughout the hotel. They also offer a great selection of things to do for travellers depending upon the area they are located in. Boutique spaces should incorporate details of their city through what they offer and serve to their guests. However, in contrast to luxury hotels that usually rely on providing incredibly luxurious amenities, boutique hotels should focus on curating services and offerings to offer an elevated experience to their guests.
RE-AWAKENING OF LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL SECTOR
In India, several boutique hotels have successfully adopted the low-waste model, promoting the “green travel” trend. Rather than going for a tie-up with global brands, these hotels offer a collection of indigenous organic toiletries.
Over the years, boutique hotels have created a niche among millennials and baby boomers who enjoy a creative and ‘Instagram-worthy’ space. An ideal boutique hotel should combine the excellence of a four or five-star hotel with the personability of a bed and breakfast while offering a customised experience.
From the owner’s perspective, running a boutique hotel is challenging as most of these facilities don’t have the backing of a global brand. Not to forget, guests at these hotels look for a more intimate experience and loyalty perks. This requires a serious effort by the staff. However, it is also rewarding as customers greatly value the personalised service that a ‘cookie-cutter’ property can hardly boast of.
