The Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association, commonly known as BLLA, continues to lead its ongoing commitment to providing clarity to the boutique hotel industry. In an effort to recognize the ever-evolving nature of the business, it has published its categorization of the various kinds of boutique hotels in the world. With an unprecedented, comprehensive list of initial 14 unique types, BLLA re-establishes and cements the boutique hotel enterprise as a field of its own, no longer simply a subtype of a broader hotel enterprise.
In the 11 years since the boutique hotel movement was reinstituted with the creation of BLLA, the official boutique lifestyle association, the definition of the boutique hotel has expanded to include a number of types not previously considered. This evolution has given the boutique sector a scope as significant as the traditional hotel. BLLA’s goal is to define the modern boutique hotel for both the hospitality field and for travelers themselves.
Most recently, it became clear that this new movement deserved its own title. In 2019, BLLA coined the term “modern renaissance” in hospitality, for the period of renewal and expansion which the boutique hotel field continues to experience. The phrase brings awareness to the multiple types of boutique hotels and associated boutique businesses—such as fitness studios, retail stores, art galleries, craft coffee shops, and more—all of which are associated with this growing industry.
Among the diverse boutique hotels types are the expected traditional and luxury properties, as well as singular additions. These include categories like Boutique on a Budget, with its emphasis on social space and limited amenities, and Adventure Boutique, with a focus on interactive adventure travel.
The first draft of BLLA’s comprehensive Boutique Hotel Category List features specifications for design type, price point, food and beverage programs, and other amenities offered. The list fulfills BLLA’s ultimate goal of providing a guide with unmatched transparency for the hospitality industry’s perusal, and brings some much-needed insight for travelers.
The Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association, commonly referred to as BLLA, is the world’s only official organization dedicated to the advancement of the luxury independent boutique lifestyle industry. Since its foundation in 2009, the Association has been dedicated to providing innovative and progressive support, community, and resources for boutique lifestyle proprietors the world over. Find the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association at www.blla.org.
