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Top 10 trends for the boutique hotel sector

July 18, 2011 | Hotel Marketing

Delegates at the inaugural Boutique Hotel Summit, Europe's first b2b conference for the boutique and lifestyle hotel sectors, enjoyed a lively discussion about the future direction of the sector, with a panel of leading industry figures sharing their 10 top trends and buzzwords for the boutique market.

Ten trends and buzzwords for boutique hotels

1. Experience and integrity: Boutique hotel guests are looking for something different from the “cookie cutter” approach. It is essential to give them an experience they will remember fondly, and this is more important than getting obsessed with design details

2. Clubs: Look out for a proliferation of members' clubs incorporated in to boutique hotels, particularly in key urban markets such as London and New York.

3. Caring for the environment: There is a small but growing band of environmentally aware travellers who are increasingly concerned with their carbon footprint. Boutique hotels can cater for them in a variety of ways from serving locally sourced, seasonal food to allowing guests to control their energy usage. It is also important not to force the green agenda down people's throats.

4. Boutique goes budget: Until now boutique hotels have been operating at the upper end of the price scale, but there is huge scope for budget hotels to offer a more distinctive, less homogenised experience.

5. In-room technology: It's important for boutique hotels to offer technology that is at least as good as the guest would expect to have in their home, but it must be user friendly and practical. The technology must also sit comfortably if installed in heritage buildings, and not jar with its surroundings.

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