Stylish Slumber: Chic Boutique Hotels
Back in the dark days before Internet research and online reviews, many hotel guests looked for a homogenized, predictable experience. The big chains could be counted on to provide a standard of quality and service, even if the only thing that changed from city to city was the view through the hermetically sealed windows. And while times have changed, the uniformity remains much the same. Thankfully, there is an antidote—the boutique hotel.
It’s been over six years since Yaletown’s Opus Hotel (322 Davie St., 604.642.6787, TF: 1.866.642.6787, www.opushotel.com)—arguably the godfather of boutique accommodation in Vancouver—opened its incredibly chic doors. And finally, the trend towards smaller, design-focused hotels has started to pick up steam around the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, offering style-savvy guests some hot new places to rest their weary heads.
Opus Hotel led the boutique hotel trend in Vancouver with
personalized service and uber-chic accommodations like
this Deluxe King Room (Photo by Opus Hotel)The trend is a welcome complement to the West Coast’s growing reputation as a hip and sophisticated destination. While there’s never been a shortage of luxury spots to bed down for the night, most of it has come from the big-name high-rises. Those looking for a little more personality were most likely to find it at one of the “grand old dame” historic hotels. While there’s nothing wrong with either of those options, given the leaps being made in local architecture, design and home décor, the choices were starting to look a little limited.
Whether a guest is looking for a relaxed, homey vibe, or one that wears its urbane design pedigree on its sleeve, boutique hotels can provide everything the modern business or leisure traveller desires, but with unique flair. Edel Forristal, General Manager of Vancouver’s new Loden hotel (1177 Melville Street, 604.669.5060, TF: 1.877.225.6336, www.lodenvancouver.com) explains that modern luxury travellers are “not necessarily choosing a hotel in terms of just convenience or rates. They’re expecting all the services and amenities of a luxury hotel, but in a less traditional, more intimate venue.”
Jana Cornelius, General Manager of Victoria’s Magnolia Hotel and Spa (623 Courtney St., 250.381.0999, TF: 1.877.624.6654, www.magnoliahotel.com) says that in smaller boutique hotels, “the customer is king.” Cornelius relies on direct feedback from guests when deciding on everything from upgrades to bed linens to doubling the size of their spa facility. Repeat customers are the foundation of the boutique business.
Forristal adds that boutique hotels are able to offer extra-attentive service, primarily because of their high staff-to-guest ratio and smaller size. “We get to have conversations with our guests and can begin to anticipate their needs.”
Smaller size is one of the first things one notices about a boutique hotel, as most are well under the 100-room mark. The Brentwood Bay Lodge and Spa (849 Verdier Ave., 250.544.2079, TF: 1.888.544.2079, www.brentwoodbaylodge.com) on Vancouver Island, for example, has just 33 “OceanSuites.” Victoria’s Oswego Hotel (500 Oswego St., 250.294.7500, TF: 1.877.767.9346), www.oswegovictoria.com) checks in as one of the largest, with a variety of room sizes from studios to two-bedroom penthouse suites.
Once inside a boutique hotel, the style can be edgy and modern, classically elegant or casual and contemporary. Design and colour inspiration is often drawn from the city skyline or the surrounding natural landscape. Rooms are stylish and well-appointed, with flat-screen televisions, plush bed linens and furnishings that wouldn’t look out of place in a penthouse condo. An attention to practicality is also here—the business traveller will find connectivity and convenience to rival the office, and the hedonist will find spacious bathrooms that are well-stocked with spa-quality products and feature soaker and jetted tubs.
“The trend is a welcome complement to the West Coast’s growing reputation as a hip and sophisticated destination”
But the real charm of these hotels is in their individuality and personal touches. The Oswego, which is Iroquois for “pouring-out place”, offers guests an infused water station, featuring offerings such as mango-passion fruit and cucumber-lemongrass flavours. The Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa is home to a Marina & Eco-Adventure Centre, as well as water shuttle service to the nearby Butchart Gardens. Back in Vancouver, the always-stylish Listel (1300 Robson St., 604.684.8461, TF: 1.800.663.5491, www.thelistelhotel.com) earns its “most artful hotel” status by offering Artist Series suites, each featuring the work of a different artist or art movement. For those looking for a truly unique West Coast experience, the Listel has also partnered with the BC Museum of Anthropology to create their Museum Floor rooms, each decorated with native woods and featuring contemporary art from the Pacific Northwest. L’Hermitage (788 Richards St., 778.327.4100, TF: 1.888.855.1050, www.lhermitagevancouver.com) offers hotel guests a true “life in the city” experience with weekly rates on one- and two-bedroom suites with gourmet kitchens and top-of-the-line appliances, walk-out balconies, and in-room fireplaces. In fact, should you enjoy your stay so much that you never want to leave, inquire about the L’Hermitage en Ville, the attached condominium development that allows residents to enjoy the hotel’s health club, lounge and concierge service along with guests.
Blending locals and visitors is a recurring theme of the boutique hotel, and it’s most apparent in the variety of dining options. By putting as much thought into their restaurants as they do the rest of their services, these hotels create dining hot spots that entice residents as well as guests. The Loden manages the rave-reviewed Voya restaurant, featuring the creations of Vancouver star chef Marc-André Choquette. On the island, the Magnolia plans to open its new upscale steakhouse this year.
The boutique hotel market is one in which many anticipate growth. Says Harry Tamacas Perla, Sales and Marketing Director for the Brentwood Lodge, “I definitely see the trend really growing, not only within the Canadian and American market, but also becoming larger within the Asian and Mexican markets.” Despite their slightly higher costs, the boutique experience can be a rich encounter for any out-of-towner. As tastes become more discerning and choices more diverse, the boutique hotel is poised to assume its rightful place in the range of options for the luxury traveller.
