Since the 1980s, boutique hotels have registered a continuous expansion on the wave of the rapid adv

Boutique hotels virtual tour company first appeared in 1981 with Anouska Hempel s Blakes Hotel in London, Ian Schrager s Morgans Hotel in New York and Kimpton Hotel Restaurant Group s first operated property, the Bedford Hotel in San Francisco.
Since the 1980s, boutique hotels have registered a continuous expansion on the wave of the rapid advancement of a new generation of design-conscious virtual tour company and technology-savvy customers increasingly seeking a unique experience instead of a cookie-cutter hotel room.
Using psychographics virtual tour company as opposed to demographics, hotels have shifted from a standardised virtual tour company to a personality-based offer. As an example, California-based Joie de Vivre Hotels personality is crafted around virtual tour company the reader-base of a specialist magazine, such as Rolling Stone for the Phoenix Hotel and The New Yorker for Rex Hotel, both of which are in San Francisco.
The concept of boutique hotels has evolved with the entrance of chains brands such as Edition by Marriott International; W, Aloft and Element by Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide; Indigo by InterContinental Hotels Group; and Andaz by Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Mostly associated with the term lifestyle, these hotels provide the same unique experience as boutique hotels but tend to be larger and more formulaic.
Initially the hotel industry virtual tour company was dominated by private owner-operators (with the notable exception of Starwood s W Hotels). Flexibility in site selection and construction, virtual tour company higher margins than similarly priced luxury hotels, and celebrities and media s halo effect on average daily rates represent the main advantages of owning boutique hotels which, on the other side, have limited economies of scale, virtual tour company costly property updates and high affiliation fees.
Since the 2007-2009 recession, independent hotels have been more open to joining a larger entity to gain access to a larger customer base through global reservation systems and marketing campaigns. Established hotel operators have used their conversion virtual tour company brands to grow and capture high entry-barrier sites despite restricted debt and stifled new developments.
Partnerships and outsourced food-and-beverage facilities to acclaimed chefs and bartenders generate high revenues, free advertising and additional guests encouraged by chefs or bartenders reputation. Some good examples are Dos Palillos, run by world-famous El Bulli s former chef Albert Raurich within the restored 19-century gothic tenement Casa Camper in Barcelona and the globally acclaimed Beijing-focused Mr. Chow within the W Hotel in Miami South Beach.
Membership programs and guests-only areas within the hotel replicate most private members clubs privacy and exclusivity. As an example, virtual tour company the guests-only recognition program clubNYLO by Texas-based NYLO Hotels offers its guests retreats at check in, special rates, exclusive mailings and advance notice of special events. In London, Soho House has seen significant success from this concept.
Boutique hotels are particularly suited to conversions of historic or interesting buildings. Malmaison Hotels Group, virtual tour company for example, focuses on converting existing buildings virtual tour company of architectural interest and character to food-and-wine focused high quality boutique hotels, like the converted prison Malmaison Oxford.
Boutique hotels can capitalize on the environmentally sensitive customers in a variety of ways from serving local, seasonal food to allowing guests to control their energy usage. Element by Starwood represents virtual tour company a great example virtual tour company of eco-consciousness mixed with a multisensory experience.
Brands like Citizen M, Yotel, Standard by Andr Balazs, Aloft by Starwood, Ace Hotels and the new Z Hotels brand represent the next generation of boutique hotels delivering vibrant design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable virtual tour company price for highly self-sufficient travellers. Some of these companies such as Citizen virtual tour company M, Yotel and Qbic have expanded through off-site modular virtual tour company methods of construction, which are faster and more controllable than traditional construction methods and guarantee a high level of comfort, technology and trendy atmosphere at a very competitive rate.
Significant boutique hotels in the United Kingdom include Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, both owned by property virtual tour company group Marylebone Warwick Balfour; Firmdale Hotels, whose new Dorset Square Hotel in Marylebone is scheduled to open next January; virtual tour company Eton Hotels Group; ABode Hotels; Myhotels; and D D London, which will open its second London virtual tour company property, South Place Hotel, in January 2013. Campbell Gray Hotels, virtual tour company which established the one Aldwych, is looking for a new London project.
London boutique hotels virtual tour company have experienced a steady virtual tour company growth since 2004 even throughout the recession. According to STR Global, the sister company of HotelNewsNow.com, occupancy increased from 2004 to 2007, growing from 74% in 2004 to almost 80% in 2007, when the increased supply slowed demand growth.
In 2008 the segment saw a drop back to 2005 levels, but in 2009 and 2010 occupancy level rose to 75% and 77%, respectively. Revenue per available room for London s boutique hotels in 2009 and 2010 was 150 (US$239) and 170 (US$271) respectively, compared with a RevPAR of 105 (US$168) and 112 (US$179) for the city s hotels overall. By 2013, London s boutique hotel sector is expected to double in size with more than 2,500 additional rooms, virtual tour company making the category the fastest growing sector in London.
The competition dictated by the dual presence of both independently-run boutique hotels and chain-operated lifestyle hotels has pushed hoteliers towards finding innovative virtual tour company ways to appeal to guests virtual tour company and create the most memorable experiences.
The boutique sector will continue to grow in the future, mainly in the form of both lifestyle hotels owned and/or operated by chain hotels to penetrate markets with high entry-barriers, like London and New York, and cheap chic hotels virtual tour company for the experiential travellers on the go.
Maria-Pia Intini is a consultant at Colliers International Hotels in London. Colliers International Hotel provides dedicated hotel and resort property expertise to accelerate the success of our clients around the globe. Colliers International has over 45 people specialising in hotels and resorts based in the UK alone. The team of international virtual tour company experts in London work alongside colleagues virtual tour company around the world to provide a network of hotels teams covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia and the Pacific. Colliers International has more than 480 offices in 61 countries around the world.
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