Library Assignment

The survival of business organizations nowadays rely on their capacity to evolve with the changing demands and needs of their clients. Moreover, competitive advantage lies in a business organization’s ability to provide more distinctive goods and services than what any other business establishment can offer. This is just the reason why several budding hotel businesses adapt the concept of the boutique hotel. Other established hotel industries also delve into the emerging and so far successful and popular business concept of a boutique hotel.

Perhaps hoteliers find the long-term benefits and contributions of establishing boutique hotels interesting and irresistible. For instance, JW “Bill” Marriott Jr. , the owner of one of the biggest hotel chains in the world has collaborated with Ian Schrager to venture into the boutique hotel business. Although the conventional and avant-garde image of Marriot does not fit the rebellious and fierce style of Schrager, they both believe that working as a team in putting together a boutique hotel chain would help Marriot catch up with its competitors and would stand as a challenging yet a rewarding task for Schrager.

According to Schrager, “The time is right to move on to do something that appeals to a much larger audience on a much larger scale. ” (Arlidge) Conceivably, the development of boutique hotels is an excellent way of reaching out into a much larger and diverse client base. This idea is affirmed by Arlidge wherein he states that, “Over the past years, bou-tique hotels’ per room revenue growth in America – the world’s largest market – has averaged 11% a year, one third above the industry norm” (Arlidge). This study was apparently done by Smith Travel Research.
People belonging to the hotel or hospitality industry, such as Marriot and Schrager, are definitely knowledgeable about all that there is to boutique hotels. They know of its nature, benefits, and advantages that make it a popular, flourishing, and a successful business venture. For those who have never heard of it, they might ask what a boutique hotel is. Boutique hotels are somehow the David’s of all the Goliath hotel chains. In other words, boutique hotels are smaller franchises as compared to large hotel chains such as the Holiday Inn, Hilton hotels, etc. However, despite its size, it has long been a great opponent of large hotel chains.
Moreover, the concept of boutique hotels is providing specialized services that are amenable to different customer profiles and is adaptable to diverse client bases. Quoting from the Boutique Hotels Magazine, “a boutique hotel must be unique in its style, decor and character and are usually small in size. ” (Murphy) Establishing and managing boutique hotels entail great efforts. The outline or plan of the project is carefully set into place. The demands and expectations of the clients are observed and measured in order to produce the best and the most wanted goods and services.
The products that they use, such as linen, soaps, etc. are all designer or branded goods. The management makes sure that the best and the most delectable foods are served. In order to attract clients, boutique hotels employ over-the-top marketing strategies that are sure to catch people’s attention and get them interested in trying out the services of the establishment. The administration and management staff are highly trained in order to satisfy the desires of their clients in the most professional and pleasing way. Aforementioned are all parts of services one can muster in boutique hotels.
However, they would never be called boutique hotels if not for the specialized services and the matchless and unique atmosphere that they provide. Fitzpatrick wrote, “Perhaps you already know what awaits you at a boutique hotel. Your room will look as if it were put together by Balinese decorators after a daylong brainstorm with brand managers from The Body Shop” (Fitzpatrick). Boutique hotels were established in order to provide clients the most elegant services that they cannot experience in other hotel establishments. This characteristic is a true measure in determining whether a hotel adheres to the concept of the “boutique.
” In addition, aside from the uniqueness and individuality of boutique hotels, the atmosphere within and the environment somehow is whimsical in nature. Boutique hotels make this possible through its lavish and elegant design that is owned and is unique to one hotel establishment, and put together by popularly known and esteemed designers. Aside from the atmosphere and appearance of boutique hotels, boutique hotels also offer high-technology gadgets and services. This service is part of their objective to make working environments accessible to clients who work all day and all week.
However, “they cannot be confused with business-oriented hotels” (Jose). All the desirable and the most sought after qualities of boutique hotels will not be easily accomplished without thorough planning and strategic implementation. There are certain guidelines that determine the endurance and success of an established boutique hotel. Even at the beginning, when the boutique hotel is just a simple plan or layout, certain aspects of the industry must be considered and arranged in order to ensure not only the short-term but also the long-term success of it.
Like all other business organizations, the demand for the services and the quality goods and services it provides, measures the potential level of success that boutique hotels may acquire. “Unique attributes and environments aside, the success of boutique hotels begin with the same fundamentals that lead to the success of other hospitality products” (Swig). Common considerations in business ventures such as the location of the establishment, whether it suits the uniqueness of the boutique hotel and whether it strategic thus making it accessible to target and potential clients alike, is very significant.
In addition, the establishment must be able to continue operations at whatever time all throughout the year, and not just on a specific and limited time frame, to ensure regular inflow of revenue and income. Straying away from the common concerns of business establishments, boutique hotels, being a specialized and unique establishment, must also determine what specialized and unique factors to consider in order to be a genuine embodiment of what a boutique hotel should be.
According to Marshall Calder, “there’s a gap between what some boutiques claim to offer, and what they actually deliver” (Paul, 49). Although some establishments claim themselves to be the in boutique hotel, the staff, services, food, rooms, environment, etc. should prove it to be true. A specific target client base is instrumental in designing and establishing facilities and services that are unique and specialized. This is because a specific group, that is diversely different from other groups in society, have specific needs and demands that boutique hotels should look into.
These specific needs or demands will be significant in implementing unique and specialized themes within the boutique hotel, such as environmental themes, a place where people can relax, indulge, and pamper themselves, high-tech services or networks provided for those who need instance connection to the World Wide Web, etc. Raul Leal asserted that “uniqueness is something today, along with quality and luxury, that consumers desire universally” (O’Connor, 15). Unquestionably, boutique hotels have taken over the hotel and tourism industry and have captured the attention and interest of a massive client base.
It emerged as an answer to the changing needs and demands of people and the diversity and innovativeness of business organizations at present. However, its success lies in its ability to meet and acquire all the standards of a boutique hotel. Establishing one is not enough. Building a reputable boutique hotel is a rarity that entails uniqueness, lavishness or extravagance, and quality services. Works Cited Arlidge, John. : Marriott Goes for Boutique Hotel. ” Times Online 11 Nov. 2007. 20 Mar. 2008<http://business. timesonline. co. uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article2846660.
ece>. Fitzpatrick, Liam. “Boutique Hotel: Viva La Difference. ” Time News CNN 8 Mar. 2007. 19 Mar. 2008<http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1597252,00. html>. Jones, Jana. “Boutique or Not Boutique. ” Sleeping-Around. 19 Mar. 2008 <http://www. sleeping-around. com/practical/boutiques. shtml>. Murphy, Charlotte. “Boutique Hotel. ” Boutique Hotel Magazine. 19 Feb. 2008. 19 Mar. 2008 < http://www. boutiquehotelsmagazine. com/>. O’Connor, Stefani C. “Emerging Boutique Brands Reveal Their Unique Strategies. ” Hotel Business. George Brown College.
EBSCO. 21 Dec 2007. 28 Mar 2008. < http://web. ebscohost. com. rap. bibliocentre. ca/ehost/pdf? vid=3&hid=22&sid=f611ce1c-66b0-4704-bdd7-b83e096e0bb2%40sessionmgr3>. Paul, Lisa. “Less is more. ” Hotelier Jan. 2008: 47-51. George Brown College. EBSCO. 19 Mar. 2008. <http://web. ebscohost. com. rap. bibliocentre. ca/ehost/pdf? vid=1&hid=108&sid=af5f711f-af49-4c80-9156-432ea93f90fe%40sessionmgr104>. Swig, Rick. “Success of Boutique Hotels and Resorts. ” Hotel-Online. 11 Mar. 2007. 20 Mar. 2008. <http://www. hotel-online. com/Trends/Swig/Swig_BoutiqueSuccess. html