Unique Features of Boutique Hotels

When people go on vacation or business trips, they use brand name hotels like the Comfort Inn or the Holiday Inn. While these hotels are good for getting a decent nights sleep, they do not offer much more than that comfortable bed. Yet, there is an alternative if you're looking for something a little more than a bed. A boutique hotel.

If you are looking for a place that offers a bed with friendly hospitality with a feeling of home, then what you are looking for is a boutique hotel. What is a boutique hotel? It is a hotel that is designed in a certain way, designed to a certain theme to give its hotel guests a welcoming feeling.

Boutique hotels can be found anywhere in the world including the United States of America. Although this is the case, many people are not as aware of them. Why? When you turn on your television, you see commercials about families staying at a particular hotel as they travel the US.

If you want to stay in a place that is unique, you'll need to do some searching using the Internet. You may not realize it but many of the antique homes that are fixed up in New Orleans are actually boutique hotels. There are several of them to choose from and many use the 19th century as their theme. These older homes in New Orleans can be used for something more than museums when accented right.

Besides providing all of these amenities, how can a boutique hotel stand out among the high competition of the Holiday Inn, Ramada Limited and even Super 8 Motel? These hotels usually have the same kind of motif but the boutique hotels strive to do something more. Owners have boutique hotels use catchy themes to grab the attention of its guests. Some hotel owners will use the theme of where their hotel is located at, others will use an era or time period to create a unique experience.

In the French Quarter of New Orleans, many owners of the boutique hotels use the 19th century to design their rooms, lobbies and hallways. The Hotel Union Square of San Francisco designs its rooms in a Prohibition era design. The rooms and hallways have a black granite and cream travertine tile. The Whitehall Hotel in Chicago uses a 1920s theme to grab the attention of its guests.

That isn't to say all boutiques base their theme on the local area. The Inn of Five Graces in Santa Fe bases it's theme on the southwest culture and mixes it with Asian culture. There are plenty of boutiques outside of the US, in cities as far away as Moscow and Singapore.

If you find a boutique hotel you are interested in staying in, you should realize that a short notice reservation is likely not going to work. Most boutique hotels have a limited amount of rooms. They average out around 25 to 50 rooms. There are some boutique hotels which have over 100 rooms and others that have only three or four rooms to stay in. These small number of rooms allow employees to get to know their guests. Be sure to put your reservation in as soon as you know when you will be leaving on your vacation/business trip.

While mainstream hotels offer plenty of extras, boutique hotels provide more. Even though most buildings are old, they are retrofitted for modern conveniences such as high speed Internet access, spas, swimming pools and even a fitness center. Boutique hotels, larger ones especially, will offer guests a bar and restaurant inside to enjoy.

While the commercial hotels are media branded and make you think about their particular image, sometimes a little research finds you staying somewhere you never even thought about. You should realize that you pay for what you get. A boutique hotel is not cheap but well worth the cash you spend. With all the amenities you get, theres no need to stay anywhere else.

Budget Boutique Hotels

Super-chic summer escapes where the pound still has buying power...

Want a stylish break in the sun but worried about the exchange rate? Check out these smart destinations, where your pound still has power.

THE GRAND CAFE AND ROOMS

WHY?
Surrounded by stunning forests, incredible wildlife and rugged beaches, Plett is discreetly stylish with a down-home appeal, and this bijou hotel is its most enchanting bolthole.

WHERE?
Overlooking the Keurbooms River at the eastern end of the scenic Garden Route, Plett is the summer playground of affluent city dwellers, South Africa's version of Rock in Cornwall.

STAYING IN
Livingetc loved wafting around our vast four-poster-furnished bedroom and equally large bathroom (with its twin showers and river views). Guests can also enjoy the dip pool, terrace, and beauty treatments at the Grand Betty Salon, while the candlelit café attracts Plett's bon ton for lunch and dinner.

STYLE STEAL
Create faded decadence with rough plaster walls, vintage red velvet chaises and huge silver candelabras.

OUT AND ABOUT
Avoid Main Beach in high season (Dec-Feb) and head for the more deserted sands of Solar or Robberg. Hit the seas for dolphin and whale watching, or pop into Monkeyland. Dress up to watch the polo or take tea at Kurland Estate, then enjoy a plate of pasta at local Italian Cornuti Al Mare.

MORE INFO
Fly to Johannesburg then on to George Airport, or drive the Garden Route from Cape Town. From £70 per person, per night (+27 44 533 3301, thegrand.co.za)

RIAD LOTUS PERLE

WHY?
To escape reality by transporting yourself somewhere totally different. And with its bustling souk, spicy tagines and fragranced gardens, Marrakech offers a sensory overload.

WHERE?
On the edge of the Medina, the rabbit warren of high- walled alleyways encircling both the souk and the atmospheric Djamaa El Fna square.

STAYING IN
Outside may be all tooting car horns and braying donkeys, but inside Riad Perle's high doors you can kick off your shoes and settle down by the water feature with a fresh-mint tea. Riad Perle updates the 'kasbah chic' thing, forgoing filmy curtains and beaten brass in favour of modern monochrome decor that works neoclassic, Art Deco and colonial styles. The five suites are individually decorated, with Starck and Baccarat touches, and their evocative names (the Coco Chanel, the Gatsby, the Kennedy) should put you in the mood for some indolent afternoons.

STYLE STEAL
Add depth, interest and soul to a monochrome scheme with lush fabrics and mirrored surfaces.

OUT AND ABOUT
Haggle for bargains in the souk (everything from slippers to brass lamps), get some garden inspiration on a stroll around the Jardin Majorelle, or take a day trip to the Atlas mountains or the arty coastal city of Essaouira.

MORE INFO
Suites from £170 per night, inc breakfast and airport transfer (riadslotus.com). Sovereign Holidays offers one week in June for two for £1,360 B&B inc flights (sovereign.com).

AZUCAR

WHY?
Conceived by Habita Hotels, the avant-garde team behind Mexico's chicest hotels, Azucar sits against a backdrop of exotic jungle, blue lagoons and sugar plantations.

WHERE?
Three hours from Veracruz, in the sedate coastal town of Monte Gordo, on Mexico's lush Gulf coast.

STAYING IN
Azucar is very much about outdoor living, with peaceful lazing guaranteed. Accommodation is made up of 20 thatched, whitewashed haciendas with pared-down, pale interiors, where bedside lighting comes from candlelit niches, and simple timber and reclaimed driftwood furnishings create a gentle rustic look. Idle away hours in the locally made hammock on your private terrace, play a spot of table footie, or simply chill on vibrant-coloured ottomans or dusky-pink cushions beside the curvy pool. Refresh yourself below the open-air rainfall shower, then enjoy a meal in the relaxed restaurant to the sounds of Cuban-American salsa. Livingetc recommends the catch of the day and the authentic, tasty tortillas.

STYLE STEAL
Achieve rustic simplicity by teaming shades of white with rough-hewn timber and natural wicker. Add warmth with faded pink or orange cotton scatter cushions and light with chunky candles.

OUT AND ABOUT
Being a beach-front property, you don't have to trek far to find sand. If more active pursuits appeal, borrow bikes, sign up for a yoga session (and a massage) at the holistic spa, or enjoy the local scenery by going horse riding, rafting or kayaking. Investigate the 9th-century archaeological site of pre-Columbian city El Tajin, or take in the wildlife on a boat trip along the mangrove swamps. And foodies should test the Gallic artisan delicacies in the nearby town of San Rafael, too.

MORE INFO
Double rooms from around £160 (+52 232 321 0678, hotelazucar.com).

NOTE: Visit http://www.fco.gov.uk for advice on travelling to Mexico.

New York City Boutique Hotel

Boutique hotels are extremely popular in United States and United Kingdom. These hotels usually provide an intimate and lavish environment to the people who come here. The boutique hotels also known as Lifestyle hotels or Design hotels offer personalized accommodation and facilities and are normally furnished in with a special theme or style. Boutique hotels have in dining facilities, spacious bar and lounges and 24 hours room service.

So, now let me tell you about some good boutique hotels located in New York City.

1. Hotel Grace

This contemporary, chic boutique hotel is situated in the heart of Manhattan just few minutes away from the Times Square. There are 136 rooms which include penthouse suites and, studio rooms and deluxe rooms from where you can see the brilliant views of the New York City. Some of the facilities that you would get here include king size beds, Wi-Fi facility, a small work out room, free local call service, DVD players, a small snack bar and a mini-fridge. A large bar, refreshing swimming pool, a sauna and a stream room are also available here.

2. The Bryant Park hotel

The Bryant Park is a modern boutique hotel overlooking the midtown Manhattan's Bryant Park. The exterior is Gothic-Revival building painted with dark colors. The hotel contains 126 large spacious rooms and 16 well appointed suites which provide you panoramic views of the city, in the rooms you will find plasma TVs, in-room movie and entertainment system, iPod Sound Dock and a Bose stereo. Some of the other facilities available here are a fully equipped fitness center, a hair salon, a fine dining restaurant known as Koi and a Cellar Bar.

3. Chambers

This is a stylish, modern midtown Manhattan boutique hotel which is designed magnificently, the bathrooms are well built, there are finely decorated ceilings and the furnishings are beautiful painted with gentle lime green and muted taupe. There are 44 standard rooms, 16 deluxe rooms are 12 studio apartments here. Some of the facilities that are available here are a lobby mezzanine, a hotel bar, a well appointed restaurant, yoga and massage center, valet parking and concierge.

4. The Greenwich Hotel

This hotel is a blend of classic styles and contemporary services and is located in New York. The hotel has a bamboo spa building and stunning bedrooms fitted with Carrara marble and Moroccan tiles. There are 88 rooms here including 12 suites and 1 penthouse. The amenities that you would get here are a heated indoor pool, a bamboo farmhouse, Shibui spa, Locanda Verde restaurant and Locanda Verde's Parisian-style bar.

These are some of the most attractive boutique hotels located in the New York City.