There are different choices of hotels on offer for todays travellers. For one you could sample a chain hotel or experience one of the new boutique hotel trends. A boutique just like a chain, usually has different suites on offer. People usually think only hotels like The Ramada or The Holiday Inn define a hotel experience.

You can choose between a big name hotel or a bed and breakfast like The Holladay House in Virginia. But there is an alternative. The alternative is to stay at a type hotel that may be alien to you, namely a boutique hotel. This doesn’t mean you should suffer any less luxuries or comforts. On the contrary, you will often find the oppositte.

Boutique hotels have weathered good times and bad times especially with the boom of affordable hotel renting. However, boutique hotels have a quality that chain hotels cannot match. Like bed and breakfast inns, boutique hotels can give a homey kind of feeling. In fact, these hotels are usually located in older and antique homes. Each boutique home is designed to a theme. Many boutique hotels converted from older homes in New Orleans are designed to emulate the 19th century era. Fashion, indigenous culture, handicrafts arts and decor have a big part to play with boutique hotel resort trends.

The resort surroundings of boutique hotels can be incorporated into the theme. Santa Fe has a boutique that displays a lot of culture associated with Native American Indians. The Anasazi Inn displays handmade rugs, pottery and throws.

Other hotels choose to base their theme around a time in history. New Orleans hotels are based around the 19th Century. Over in San Francisco’s Hotel Union Square, it is decorated according to the Prohibition era. You will find black granite, cream and travertine tiles.

These kinds of hotels are not limited to the United States. In fact, there are several in cities around the world including but not limited to: Paris, Istanbul, Cannes and even Seville. Each boutique hotel has something to offers its guests. If you like the idea of opening a boutique, finances are readily available to entrepreneurs and business groups from boutique hotel lenders.

Most boutique hotels, whether located in the United States or Europe, have a limited number of rooms, averaging from 25 to 50 rooms. Some boutique hotels have over 100 rooms; others are in the single digits. This limited amount of rooms allows boutique hotel employees to give the guests some personal attention.

Since there’s a limited amount of space in each boutique hotel, it’s important to get your reservation in immediately. Waiting until you’re about to leave is sure not going to get you a room at the boutique hotel of your choice. In fact, it’s unlikely you will get a boutique room anywhere in your vacation/business city if there’s a business conference coming up. If you can, call ahead a month or more to reserve your room.

A part of the charm that boutique hotels have that measure up and go beyond chain hotels, is the fact that many of these hotels are upgrading their rooms. Many of the rooms, including deluxe and standard, have some type of high-speed Internet access and private baths. Some boutique hotels, especially larger ones, will offer the business guests use of the meeting room. Larger boutique hotels usually have a spa, fitness center and even a swimming pool. They will also have restaurants and bars inside of their hotels for guests to enjoy.

If you are looking something more appealing than a standard hotel, when on vacation or business, you have the option of choosing a boutique hotel. The extra cost is worth it. Who wouldn’t mind paying a little extra for this kind of service. If you are looking for a one off experience, boutique hotels will exceed your expectations.