Bored with “Boutique” hotels

Boutique hotels are growing everywhere like mushrooms but who knows today what is the definition of a boutique hotel.

“Boutique” means shop in French. When we say “nous allons faire les boutiques”, you mean “ we are going shopping”. So what this got to do with a hotel then? Is it a hotel where you buy things?

Trendy hotels…Hip hotels…Chic hotels…Avant Garde hotels…Design hotels…are all synonymous of this much over hyped “Boutique” term and I think it’s time we get rid of it. Would you agree?

Comments

[Alex Bainbridge]

So are you upset that french words, when used in English, are misused?

Thats just c'est la vie I am afraid.

[SarahB]

Boutique hotels...hmm I don't know really and I work for The Hampton Inn, lol. I think it just makes it sound more exclusive to the patron so maybe that why they use it. Ooohhh Also i wanted to share about our super promotion we're having, come check it out ;-D

Hampton Inn is offering 10% of their best rate available until 9/1/08 we’re also giving away some great prizes leading up to the TEAM USA competing at the Olympic Games. Good Luck!!

http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/promotions/hx_summerpromo08/index.jhtml;jsessionid=SXEZ4FIZDCG4OCSGBJF2VCQ?it=specials,dreams&cid=om,hx,dreams,specials

Sarah B

P.S.

Check out this funny video, called "Ballad of a Traveler", it is hilarious. He totally sums up the travelers experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2tgnUsj8NE>

[Guillaume]

@Yoopster - sorry but I have to delete your comment as it is not relevant to the post and you already had your opportunity to advertize your site on another post. (the reason I have left a comment on your blog to promote my blog was to show you how easy is to do this...but it isn't an accepted practice...)

@Alex - it is not the first time but I am more upset about the fact the term is over-used for everything now

@Sarah - thanks for your comment every though there is a bit of publicity here ;-)

[JX]

Sofa or Seatee? Blended Italian coffee or an Americano, or just a nice cup a tea!;-P

[Marion]

I agree with you Guillaume. I've been working for Italian hotel reservation website Venere.com - http://www.venere.com/ - for more than two years and still haven't found a definition. :) Boutique hotels are supposed to offer personalized accommodation in an intimate atmosphere... But it seems that many hotels which present themselves as "boutique hotels” don’t have these characteristics.

[Tim]

Not sure I agree with you there Guillaume. Yes, it's an overused and often misused term, but in an increasingly commoditised industry, it's a valuable differentiator. In our city, hotels compete on star rating. We are officially a 4*, yet we have to compete with inferior hotels which, for political reasons, have 5 stars. We don't like competing on price, so marketing ourselves as a boutique hotel gives us an edge over the competition.

Star ratings are generally meaningless as different criteria apply in different countries, so terms like 'boutique', 'hip', 'design' etc, annoying though they may be, are more helpful to the booker than star ratings.

[Mike]

I agree that boutique has lost it's luster. I am involved in the upscale vacation rental industry -- typically called 'villas'. Yet villas is another term that has been watered down. We are rolling out a new "Collection" of homes to differentiate.

I'm not sure what term should/could replace boutique though. Not an easy answer.

@Tim -- definitely agree that the star rating system lack the differentiation that terms like boutique captures.

Feel free to check out our collection of vacation rentals at http://TheSociety.com. BTW, we will have a new design mid-September.

[Tamara]

This is how we define a boutique hotel: http://blog.mrandmrssmith.com/2008/08/what-makes-a-boutique-hotelwhat-makes-a-boutique-hotel/

I don't think we need to get rid of the term. I like the way it differentiates individual unique hotels from the chains.

[Yoopster]

agree

[Guillaume]

Thanks Tamara for your comment. Sorry that I couldn't join you at ITB to see you presentation. I heard it was well received.