-By Zia Shiekh
OVER the last decade we have seen various industries merge together, with a classic example being the smart phone that has been the result of the coming together of telecom, IT and entertainment sectors, with these devices serving as much more than phones and having capabilities for Internet browsing, social media, camera, playing movies, gaming and increasingly ability to transact with 3G and 4G. We are now seeing the merger of a fresh set of industries with art, music, fashion, movies, food & beverage and hospitality coming together to form a new breed of chic and stylish lifestyle hotels that stand for much more than simply places to stay at or dine at. Much like an Armani watch that is a status symbol, though it’s utility or technology might not be any better than a Titan watch available at a small fraction of the price; these lifestyle hotels are increasingly about the power of positioning and branding rather than their actual utility. The trend actually started in global cities like New York, London, Paris, San Francisco, Rome and Los Angeles, which saw the mushrooming of such lifestyle hotels that made a statement, typically through their architectural or interior design elements; small sizes that enable highly personalised services; and celebrity restaurants with exotic cuisines. While these unique concepts initially primarily appealed to the creative folks (artists, designers, musicians, etc.), it soon became fashionable with top professionals, bankers, consultants, movie stars, fashion models, socialites and other celebrities.
Suddenly, it was cool to stay and hang out at these boutique/ design hotels rather than the typical large-format 5-star deluxe properties that till then used to be the accommodation, dining and entertainment location for the cr-me-de-la-cr-me of society. While the boutique hotels might not have the huge spaces or plethora of facilities like huge lobbies, pools, spas, shopping plazas, etc. that larger 5-star hotels have as their standard offering, but these smaller hotels definitely offer experiences that the larger hotels can’t. Let’s start with design. Any frequent traveler knows that though there are various 5-star hotel brands, but there is little to distinguish one from another as far as their public areas or rooms are concerned. Most of them almost look the same. However, these new breeds of design hotels actually take pride in creating unique and distinctive design elements. Sometimes they can be over-the-top with extravagant designs while at other times, they can be bare and minimalist in their approach. Whatever the look might be, it is very difficult to ignore or overlook their designs. This obviously helps boutique hotels deliver experiences that are distinctive and memorable as no two hotels are the same.
And then of course, there is the opportunity to create a level of personalisation that simply cannot be achieved in larger hotels. Whether it is private butler services or every staff member knowing the guests by their names (and often having intricate knowledge about their tastes and preferences), these tailored experiences win over the toughest of guests as they feel comfortable (like a home away from home) at these boutique hotels that treat them as individuals and respect each guests’ unique requirements.
It was only a matter of time before boutique/ design hotels expanded beyond their initial design and personalisation USPs. They started becoming places where the rich and famous like to hang out at. Beginning with swanky lounge bars and celebrity restaurants with eclectic cuisines, they then also started evolving into art galleries, private member clubs, fashion destinations with ramp walks and much more, limited only by the imagination of their owners/ operators. So while the chain hotels stuck to their routine and spent their time perfecting their SOPs, these new breed of hotels used innovation and experimentation has their main tools to differentiate and win over customers. And the market lapped them up, excited about new hospitality experiences that were increasingly becoming lifestyle statements. Thus were born ’lifestyle hotels’; if you stayed in one, you have truly ’arrived’.
India is now finally catching on the concept of lifestyle hotels with the launch of chains such as Svenska Design Hotels from Sweden based on straight-line minimalist Scandinavian design concepts (currently two properties are operational in Mumbai and Bangalore, with another eight in various stages of development) and Soho House (highly exclusive private member clubs with various properties across the world and now launching in Mumbai in 2015). Surely, the future of hospitality is here and the big boys beware because once you have stayed at a lifestyle hotel, you are going to be pampered so much and spoilt silly that it will become difficult, if not impossible, to accept anything less elsewhere.
Zia Shiekh, Chief Executive Officer, Svenska Design Hotels
-By Zia Shiekh
OVER the last decade we have seen various industries merge together, with a classic example being the smart phone that has been the result of the coming together of telecom, IT and entertainment sectors, with these devices serving as much more than phones and having capabilities for Internet browsing, social media, camera, playing movies, gaming and increasingly ability to transact with 3G and 4G. We are now seeing the merger of a fresh set of industries with art, music, fashion, movies, food & beverage and hospitality coming together to form a new breed of chic and stylish lifestyle hotels that stand for much more than simply places to stay at or dine at. Much like an Armani watch that is a status symbol, though it’s utility or technology might not be any better than a Titan watch available at a small fraction of the price; these lifestyle hotels are increasingly about the power of positioning and branding rather than their actual utility. The trend actually started in global cities like New York, London, Paris, San Francisco, Rome and Los Angeles, which saw the mushrooming of such lifestyle hotels that made a statement, typically through their architectural or interior design elements; small sizes that enable highly personalised services; and celebrity restaurants with exotic cuisines. While these unique concepts initially primarily appealed to the creative folks (artists, designers, musicians, etc.), it soon became fashionable with top professionals, bankers, consultants, movie stars, fashion models, socialites and other celebrities.
Suddenly, it was cool to stay and hang out at these boutique/ design hotels rather than the typical large-format 5-star deluxe properties that till then used to be the accommodation, dining and entertainment location for the cr-me-de-la-cr-me of society. While the boutique hotels might not have the huge spaces or plethora of facilities like huge lobbies, pools, spas, shopping plazas, etc. that larger 5-star hotels have as their standard offering, but these smaller hotels definitely offer experiences that the larger hotels can’t. Let’s start with design. Any frequent traveler knows that though there are various 5-star hotel brands, but there is little to distinguish one from another as far as their public areas or rooms are concerned. Most of them almost look the same. However, these new breeds of design hotels actually take pride in creating unique and distinctive design elements. Sometimes they can be over-the-top with extravagant designs while at other times, they can be bare and minimalist in their approach. Whatever the look might be, it is very difficult to ignore or overlook their designs. This obviously helps boutique hotels deliver experiences that are distinctive and memorable as no two hotels are the same.
And then of course, there is the opportunity to create a level of personalisation that simply cannot be achieved in larger hotels. Whether it is private butler services or every staff member knowing the guests by their names (and often having intricate knowledge about their tastes and preferences), these tailored experiences win over the toughest of guests as they feel comfortable (like a home away from home) at these boutique hotels that treat them as individuals and respect each guests’ unique requirements.
It was only a matter of time before boutique/ design hotels expanded beyond their initial design and personalisation USPs. They started becoming places where the rich and famous like to hang out at. Beginning with swanky lounge bars and celebrity restaurants with eclectic cuisines, they then also started evolving into art galleries, private member clubs, fashion destinations with ramp walks and much more, limited only by the imagination of their owners/ operators. So while the chain hotels stuck to their routine and spent their time perfecting their SOPs, these new breed of hotels used innovation and experimentation has their main tools to differentiate and win over customers. And the market lapped them up, excited about new hospitality experiences that were increasingly becoming lifestyle statements. Thus were born ’lifestyle hotels’; if you stayed in one, you have truly ’arrived’.
India is now finally catching on the concept of lifestyle hotels with the launch of chains such as Svenska Design Hotels from Sweden based on straight-line minimalist Scandinavian design concepts (currently two properties are operational in Mumbai and Bangalore, with another eight in various stages of development) and Soho House (highly exclusive private member clubs with various properties across the world and now launching in Mumbai in 2015). Surely, the future of hospitality is here and the big boys beware because once you have stayed at a lifestyle hotel, you are going to be pampered so much and spoilt silly that it will become difficult, if not impossible, to accept anything less elsewhere.
Zia Shiekh, Chief Executive Officer, Svenska Design Hotels
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