lazygourmet Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 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 they say “nous allons faire les boutiques”, they mean “ we are going shopping”. So what this got to do with a hotel then? Is it a hotel where you buy things? Even Koh Samui is, now, promoting itself as a Boutique Island! Thus, I reckon, if they used plural I would I have been totally agree ; it is, indeed, an Island full of shops... 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? . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyTheMook Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 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 they say "nous allons faire les boutiques", they mean " we are going shopping". So what this got to do with a hotel then? Is it a hotel where you buy things? Even Koh Samui is, now, promoting itself as a Boutique Island! Thus, I reckon, if they used plural I would I have been totally agree ; it is, indeed, an Island full of shops... 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? . Some are good - stayed at the brand new Moon & Sun in Chiang Rai and is was very quaint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHarries Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 "Boutique" is just an add on to the name of a hotel to attempt to justify the room charges with the stars to support them. It's like all this "nouveau cuisine" is just an excuse to charge the earth for a blob of food surrounded by a dribble of sauce. I see through their hype and avoid the places but if people out there are mug enough to fall for it then why should they not add boutique to their name? Everyone's trying to make an honest buck or two and, without a clear definition of boutique, no crime is committed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KohKarrang Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Would you agree? Yup, I avoid them, over priced, over confident bullsh1t hotels, it's just another attempt to fool you out of more money, it's becoming a familiar scene... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary A Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 They can call themselves anything they choose. I do avoid places with names like the Shagwell or "69" Hotel but adding Boutique doesn't bother me. I hate fancy hotels and much prefer a nice clean family run hotel or guest house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinnieTheKhwai Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Sigh : A boutique, from the French word for "shop," is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specialises in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry. It can also refer to a specialised firm such as a boutique investment bank or boutique law firm. The word is often used to describe a property in the independent section of the hotel market (such as The Rockwell in London) in order to distinguish themselves from larger chains (such as Hilton Hotels). In such cases the idea is that the operation is elite and highly specialised. In the strictest sense of the word, boutiques would be one-of-a-kind but more generally speaking, some chains can be referred to as boutiques if they specialise in particularly stylish offerings. -- From Wikipedia. So essentially, just like a small cozy boutique shop, it refers to something that's not a huge chain but something more personal. I'd say with a lot of guesthouses in Thailand going upmarket, they essentially re-invent themselves as boutique hotels (or boutique guesthouses, I see that term as well). If you don't like it however then what else would you suggest for such a business operation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuian Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 (edited) 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 they say “nous allons faire les boutiques”, they mean “ we are going shopping”. So what this got to do with a hotel then? Is it a hotel where you buy things? Even Koh Samui is, now, promoting itself as a Boutique Island! Thus, I reckon, if they used plural I would I have been totally agree ; it is, indeed, an Island full of shops... 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? . Maybe you had a bad day, or two... I can't see anything substantially wrong with it ... Well it's, what is called a trend.. Bangkok Airways - "Asia's Boutique Arline"...Eco Hotels, Green Hotels, lifestyle, ah' well nothing to get headache over I guess... will be over, as time goes by. Many of the newly build ones do fit this branding... Or as GaryA Suggest's: "Never come back Airline", "Bed, Bugs 'n Breakfast", "get out quickly Motel"... isn't much inviting, is it? or some overshooting the runway with "Banana Fan Sea Resort", "Ban Sabai Sunset Beach & Resort", "Beach Republic The Residence", "Chaulty Towers B&B" to name just a few, there some incredible Concoctions out there... Edited October 28, 2008 by Samuian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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