Skift Take
Few people have given more thought to boutique hotels than Frances and Ariela Kiradjian. Today they believe boutique hotels need smarter local partnerships, more design that's functional as well as stylish for our post-Instagram era, and more wellness offerings than just yoga.
When Frances Kiradjian started the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) in 2009, her friends seriously questioned the idea.
“People thought before 2009 that the boutique lifestyle was dead,” she said. “Even some of the brands that big guys had eaten up decided they wouldn’t use the word ‘boutique’ anymore.”
Flash forward to today, and the industry is thriving — leading the way in hotel experience and design. And those big chains? They’re trying to claw back into the space with launches like Accor’s Handwritten Collection last month and Marriott’s expansion of Design Hotels.
While the pandemic battered the travel industry, it also raised the profile of the boutique sector. More travelers now seek out smaller and more authentic places to stay.
“The pandemic lit a big old fire under it,” said Frances. "It’s grown and grown, and the smaller brands are expanding. They finally have the investors behind the
Photo Caption: A place to reconnect with what matters, not just a place photograph. Rockhouse Hotel in Negril, Jamaica. Source: Rockhouse Hotel.