The Similarities and Differences in Perceptions of a Thai Boutique Hotel Between Hoteliers and Guests - Essay Example

The guests assert that a boutique hotel is distinguished by its size. It has less than a hundrded rooms and does not form part of a big hotel chain. Moreover, it is usually found in an urban setting, and are uniquely designed. On the contrary, managers emphasize the hotels uniqueness rather than its size. On the rationale for choosing such hotels, the response of the guests can be summarized into five main factors: (1) design; (2) services; (3) atmosphere; (4) location; and (5) price. The managers, on the other hand, emphasize the boutique hotels leverage on price.

On attributes, it can be said that for majority of guests, the atmosphere is one very influential factor in helping them choose a hotel to check in.  Another variable that a guest considers important in the choice of hotels is the design, which is affirmed by the respondent managers, indicating that a unique concept is a strong selling point of boutique hotels.  Finally, all managers have the same opinion that the location is also as important as the design and the atmosphere noting that the right location can be an advantage if the boutique hotels cannot compete with the prestige of the chain hotels.

It may also be concluded that in terms of guest expectations, convenient location, radiant style, quality product offerings, available amenities and facilities, excellent customer service are among the services and/or attributes that a guest would expect the most from the boutique hotel. Boutique hotels originated in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s when Anouska Hempel designed the first boutique hotel called Blake’s located in London. However, there has been much debate going on regarding this issue, with some individuals arguing that the concept of boutique hotels started in 1984 thanks to a certain Ian Schrager and Steve Ribell, both of which opened Morgans Hotel in New York (Brights, 2007).

In this chapter, the researcher would like to give a brief introduction about