The rise of boutique hotels
Global growth of independent hotels
We are witnessing a huge increase in the number of boutique hotels worldwide. Not only are more 'independent' hotels emerging, but major hotel chains are also investing heavily in these luxury lifestyle hotels. On March 12 and 13, the Independent Hotel Show will take place, a 'boutique fair' for owners and managers of this type of hotel.
The first 'boutique hotels' emerged in the early 1980s in San Francisco and New York. In the Netherlands, the first boutique hotel opened 25 years ago: Hotel 717 on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. 'Boutique' stood for intimate, creative, and chic. Now it has grown into its own category, alongside airport hotels, motels, and conference hotels, for example. They are still generally small-scale hotels with fewer than 100 rooms, an intimate character, often located in urban areas, and with great focus on design and on the guest. Originally, these were 'independent hotels', hotels that were not affiliated with a chain, but now even large hotel chains like Hilton and Accor are tapping into the growing market for boutique hotels.
Authentic experience
The popularity of boutique hotels today is easy to explain. The boutique hotel fits very well with the desires of today's guests. They are looking for a unique and authentic experience. The modern guest is also looking for a hotel with a local feel and there is a growing demand for luxury and personal attention. They are willing to spend more money on this. An independent and small-scale boutique hotel often feels more luxurious than a chain hotel. We see that small-scale hotels can also respond more quickly to trends, for example in technological development. This also appeals to today's hotel guest. Implementing new features is more challenging for chain hotels. The growth of online booking platforms has made it easier for independent hotels to compete with chain hotels.
Hotel chains invest in boutique hotels
An interesting development is that major hotel chains are responding to the growing interest in boutique hotels. They are opening numerous small-scale and luxury lifestyle concepts, such as Accor with the Handwritten Collection, Hilton with Canopy and Marriott with Autograph Collection. They are also investing in existing hotel concepts to roll them out on a larger scale, such as Accor with The Hoxton. Finally, they are also entering into soft-brand partnerships with existing independent hotels. Especially after the corona pandemic, they are looking for more security and more bookings, while a chain can benefit from the independent character of the hotel and the fact that the hotels do not have to adhere to strict brand standards.
Soft-branded
In the next 3 years alone, about 60,000 new lifestyle and soft-branded boutique hotels will open their doors in the United States. We also see a growth in the number of boutique hotels in the Netherlands. In the next 3 years, 29 new independent hotels will open with a total of 4,911 rooms. And there are still the 'boutique hotels' of larger chains, such as Autograph Collection in Maastricht and Kimpton in Rotterdam (source: STR Global, Ltd.).
Independent Hotel Show
The Independent Hotel Show Amsterdam focuses on owners and management of independent hotels. This event takes place on the 12th and 13th of March at the RAI Amsterdam. More than 200 brands showcase the latest hotel trends, and for two days, there is a lecture program with international experts in the field of hospitality. The event originated in London and is now also organized in Munich, Miami, and Amsterdam.
Vincent van Dijk