Small hotels, big business

This article summarizes the journalist's interview with John SEARS, Executive Vice President of Boutique Hotels and Resort International. He explained why boutique hotels are so succesful when compared to palaces.

Boutique hotels started up in the 1980s. They focuse on exceptional experiences and unique style. Their main objectives is to provide small, luxurious, intimate hotels, surrounded by a great environment and fulfil the customers'desires and wishes "first and foremost. Boutique hotels'advantages in comparison with big luxurious chains, such as the Ritz, is that they are not part of a bigger organization that keeps on challenging them to decrease their costs.

Basically, boutique hotels are successful, thanks to the fact that they operate within a small structure that leaves them more liberty to manage their budget as they wish. This also means a better contact with the guests to whom more attention can be paid. This desire from the customers to be feel important when entering a luxurious hotel is more and more felt. This is why there are 24 hours conciergerie have appeared in 5 stars hotels. Accor's expansion with All Seasons is therefore better understandable. Hotels need to offer more customized services if they are to stay at the top, and it seems that at the moment, smaller stuctures are the best able to achieved that.