10 Stunning Boutique Hotel Suites

Here some of the coolest boutique hotel suites, rooms, and villas around the world that are designed around the idea of minimalism. Less if certainly more in these hotels!

Lute Suites, Amsterdam
These luxury boutique suites are created by Marcel Wander.

There are currently a total of seven 18th Century cottages that have been transformed into one-of-a-kind suites set along the Amstel River and all command spectacular views of both the river and the beautiful Amsterdam skyline. Each suite features a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom.
The Lute Suites are each an individual work of art with eye-catching wallpaper designs, huge windows, modern designs, and unique furniture throughout. One thing that can be said for sure about these suites is that they are unlike any hotel in the world.


The Racha, Racha Island
This premier island hideaway features 70 luxurious villas set on a pristine stretch of beach on Racha Island.

Even though The Racha Hotel is located far from the hustle and bustle of the big city, each villa is equipped with all of the modern conveniences and furnishings that you?d expect to find in a hotel located in a more urban setting.
Large spa tubs, brightly lit rooms with tons of natural lighting, sleek design schemes, indoor and outdoor showers, and even a private infinity pool in some cases, can be found at The Racha.


The Emperor, Beijing
This urban-themed hotel is one of China?s first, and it sits adjacent to the Imperial Palace.

The 55 rooms here feature a very pleasant facade which consists mostly of minimalistic stylings and modern furnishings. Much of the furniture is unlike anything else in the world with its smooth and curvy lines, which adds greatly to The Emperor Hotel?s overall impressive interior design.
The bright colour scheme and strategically placed mood lighting gives the hotel a very clean and almost futuristic feeling.


The Royce Hotel, Melbourne
The five star rooms here at The Royce represent luxury with a capital L.

The best of the best is the Royal Suite where there?s a 42? plasma, spa tub with LCD TV mounted on the wall, marble floors, huge spacious room, sleek contemporary furnishings, and much more. This room screams urban design with its sleek lines and its ?less is more? feeling throughout.

Hotel Unique, Sao Paulo
Hotel Unique?s 85 rooms and 10 suites are truly one-of-a-kind in terms of architecture and design.
The hotel uses smooth lines and geometric shapes throughout the design of this urban-themed establishment. From the curved wood flooring that resembles a skateboard halfpipe to the red tinted swimming pool, this hotel truly lives up to it?s name in every way.

Oscar Hotel, Madrid
This 75 room hotel in the heart of Madrid is decorated with colourful paint and fun furniture.
The rooms here are as smooth as silk, and the comfort level is always high. Each room sports a great view of the Plaza Vazquez de Mella. The Oscar Hotel is the definition of an urban, chic hotel.

Hotel Sezz, Paris
With an outstanding view of the Eiffel Tower high upon its hilltop location, Hotel Sezz is a classic hotel with an artsy facade and contemporary interior.
This hotel has managed to make it onto plenty of top 10 lists over the years, and for good reason. The design of Hotel Sezz is unparalleled with its chrome and leather-filled interiors, and its sharp lines and colours that do an awesome job of blending the past with the present. The high-end Paris hotel has a total of 27 guestrooms, and an unlimited amount of style.

Seekoo Hotel, Bordeaux
This cool hotel was opened in 2007, and the word ?Seekoo? means ?iceberg? in the Inuit language.
This modern hotel in the Bordeaux countryside is laced with clean lines and clever mirror effects, such as the black lacquer ceilings and clever inscribed writings on the bathroom mirrors. The white, black, and chrome minimalism throughout the rooms are accompanied by warm wood tones, slate, and soft chenille materials. The bed is even cool, as it?s in the shape of a circle.

Jeronimos 8, Lisbon
Jeronimos 8 Located right at the center of town near Lisbon?s major museums and monuments,
Jeronimos 8 is Lisbon?s first ever design and urban resort. One of this hotel?s minimalistic features is its colour scheme throughout the design, which features three main colours: Chocolate brown, Carmine red, and a relaxing cream colour.

All of the 65 rooms here have a calm, tranquil feeling about them. Lots of natural light, marble floors, calming water flowing outside, and awesome views of Lisbon from the sun deck are some of this hotel?s greatest features.

Puro Urban Oasis Hotel, Majorca
This chic hotel is located in the heart of Gothic old town and attracts guests in the jet-set, creative demographic. The elegant rooms here are very minimalistic in every way.
From clean lines, smooth geometric shapes, tranquil colour schemes, and lots of in-room state of the art technology, this place has got everything needed to be considered as one of the most slick and hip hotels in all of Majorca. Puro Urban Oasis has been described as a ?funky urban boho-asis for party people and hippy-chic fantasies? - if that?s not enough to tantalise the senses, then I don?t know what does. Rates here start at about 170 EUR.

Sexiest Hotels

Looking for a sexy hotel for that dirty weekend or a special occasion like valentines day then these 5 hotels will hit the spot.

Hotel Pelirocco - Brighton
This establishment is included in every review of Britain?s sexiest hotels without fail. With room names like 'Play Room', 'Absolut Love', 'The Pin Up Parlour' and 'Nookii' this Brighton sleepover has put into flesh the connotations that come up with the two words ?dirty weekend.?
It may not look like the sexiest hotel from the outside but on the inside Perlirocco has the perfect proportions of an absolute sexpot. The Play Room is the piece de resistance with huge round mirror above the central bed, a plunge bath and a dancing pole. If you are looking for subtly or romance, then don?t look here because this hotel is as cheekily blatant as they come.

Tuddenham Mill ? Suffolk
For the more refined tastes, the converted mill is cosy and luxurious with exposed original beams and Joe Malone toiletries but is also clean and minimalist with no unnecessary ?fluff.?
The generously proportioned stone baths and Egyptian cotton sheets beckon and if you could, you would probably spend the entire time you have in the hotel using them. Well, you would if it wasn?t for the excellent food provided by the hotels chef. You can?t even avoid the mouth watering dishes if you hide inside your room because home made biscuits have sneakily been put beside your pillows.

Chateau De Bagnols - South of France
I stayed in this hotel the first time after stumbling upon it whilst driving through the South of France. It was the singular most beautiful, romantic place I have been in my entire life.
It is one of the most expensive places I have ever stayed but after seeing the rooms and the view there was no way I could refuse. Voted one of the best hotels in the world, Tom Cruise and Bill Clinton are regular patrons. If you?re going to propose then this would be the perfect place, anywhere else would just not compare.

The Night - New York
If the rich and famous of Batman?s Gotham city were real, they would stay in a hotel like this. With a monster cable to hook your own iPod up to the Bose or Bang and Olufsen sound system you can enjoy your own sexy sounds or, if your music is a little out of date, request one of the hotels slick, already filled black iPod?s instead.
Decked out in furry fabric and black and white lacquer this hotel has the charm of a slick, rich late 1940?s New York. Imagine Tarentino?s Sin City with all off it?s sexiness but less of the colour.

The Witchery - Edinburgh
Danni Minogue has reportedly touted The Witchery as ?the perfect lust-den? and I can report that the hotel certainly lives up to its compliment. Sumptuously decorated in velvet elegance the bedrooms have a Royal feel about them.
With champagne on arrival and a huge four poster bed there is no way this room is going to let you out of it before you have agreed to have a little nibble of romance and a large slice of fun. Talking of eating, the award winning Witchery restaurant over the road is the perfect and most sought after place to refuel before (or after) bed time. Enjoy!

Celebrity Style Hotels

You know how it is. You?re having a quiet drink at the hotel bar and Angelina Jolie asks you for a light.

What do you mean it?s never happened to you? Well, all I can say is that you?ve been staying in the wrong joints. Allow me to mark your card with a view to a bit of celebrity-spotting in some of the luxury and boutique hotels of Europe.

If you happen to be in Paris and want to catch a glimpse of Ange, try the award-winning George V or, to give it its full name, the Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris. This Paris luxury hotel is one of her favourites.

Now, if a place is good enough for George Clooney, it should do for you and me and I?m reliably informed that George and the cast and crew of Ocean?s Twelve stayed at Hotel Le Bristol.

Another classic luxury hotel in Paris is the Ritz, the last point of departure for Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed that tragic August night in 1997. The Ritz has always been a mainstay for the rich and famous ? Coco Chanel lived in a luxury suite there for more than thirty years. These days, you might at any one time bump into Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow or Uma Thurman.


Luxury Rome hotels abound. The Hassler, at the top of the Spanish Steps, has in the past welcomed everyone from Juan Peron to Audrey Hepburn and the Kennedys. Clooney likes this one too, while just recently it hosted the photocall for the movie Get Smart with Anne Hathaway and Steve Carell.

Not far away is the Hotel de Russie. This historic hotel was a favourite of Picasso and today is a popular meeting place for the bright young things from the worlds of fashion and media.

The Hotel Eden is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Rome which prides itself on its elegance and tact. It would never release its guest list, of course, but my source tells me that it?s welcomed the likes of Jane Fonda, Pierce Brosnan and Richard Gere.

The luxury hotels in London have names that resonate throughout the world ? the Dorchester, for instance. It was here that Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton spent one of their honeymoons in 1964. Recently pictured arriving were Jerry Springer and Forest Whitaker. Michael Jackson and Tom Cruise have been guests, too.

The Ritz is the Grande Dame of London luxury hotels and has played host to any number of celebrities over the years, including Edward VII, Churchill, Chaplin and Judy Garland. It?s never lost its charm and these days is fashionable with celebrities like Julia Roberts, Johnny Depp and Hugh Grant.

One of the newer kids on the London block is The Lanesborough, a former hospital in fashionable Knightsbridge. It?s pricey, sure, but you might be lucky enough to run into Madonna, Jim Carrey or Leonardo di Caprio.

Amsterdam is one of the most laid-back capitals in Europe and a popular destination for celebrities. The Intercontinental Amstel is arguably the most beautiful and prestigious of the Amsterdam luxury hotels and has welcomed royalty, government leaders and film stars. Jennifer Aniston took a room with a river view last month and the Rolling Stones have also pitched up there.

The Dylan Hotel in Amsterdam has also been much visited in the past by royalty. These days it?s favoured by international personalities who welcome the discretion and privacy that are the hallmarks of Anouska Hempel-designed luxury boutique hotels. It?s so discreet, in fact, that I couldn?t possibly reveal any names.

So, splash out, be a celebrity for a day, a weekend or a week ? live like a star, but don?t make a habit of it. As Charlie Chaplin once said: ?The saddest thing I can imagine is to get used to luxury.?

For the best choice of luxury hotels, visit http://www.luxique.com

What is a boutique hotel?

The term boutique hotel originates from North America to describe intimate, usually luxurious or quirky hotel environments but what specific attributes qualify a hotel for the term ?boutique hotel? and what makes one hotel a boutique while another is not?

There are a few distinct characteristics that contribute to qualifying to be a boutique hotel and these are as follows:

1. The first factor is size and a boutique hotel should have no more than 100 rooms.

2. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain or branded hotels by providing an exceptional and personalized level of accommodation, services and facilities.

3. Boutique hotels often have a theme or style of their own.

4. Room amenities include Flat screen TV?s with cable/Pay TV, telephone and Wi-fi Internet connections and honesty bars.

5. 24 hour guest services by hotel staff.

6. On site dining facilities, and the majority offer attractive bars as well as lounges which may also be open to the general public.

Atmosphere is considered the sum total of the physical facilities and all the intangibles that comprise a memorable hotel experience. This above all things will set the hotel apart from a normal hotel and will include interior decoration, hotel ambience, customer service and the attitude and professionalism of management and staff. All these ingredients must be combined to create a genuine sense of intimacy.

Where there is an atmosphere of intimacy without familiarity then the hotel is on to a winner and is well along its way to be claimed a boutique hotel. What do we mean by intimacy when we talk about hotels? We define intimacy as caring, warm, personalised, yet totally professional. Familiarity involves using guests? first name, friendly hugs and hand shakes and other physical contact.

The boutique environment also includes anticipating guests? needs and desires rather than simply responding to a request. Knowing what a guest wants, when they want it, and how they want it is a major difference between good service and great service. The goal of any fine hotel, boutique or otherwise must be great service but as with many intangibles, boutique hotels like beauty may be in the eye of the beholder.

Sun Seekers Ditch Green Thoughts

Holidaymakers have traditionally left their cares at home ? and a new survey suggests this now includes care for the environment.

The survey ? by the leading boutique and a luxury hotels booking website found that while many people think hotels should do more to protect the environment, only a tiny percentage actively seek out a green hotel.

Nearly twelve-hundred travellers were asked how hotels could do more to reduce their carbon footprint and the most popular were:

• Make better use of solar power (41%)
• Waste less food (32%)
• Stop giving away free shampoo and shower gel (14%)
• Turn the heating/air conditioning down (7%)
  

Of the big up-scale hotels, the Hilton and Marriott groups scored highest in the green stakes. But even if a chain of hotels were to base its reputation on an environmentally friendly policy, 84% of people asked said they would not be willing to pay a fee to join the club.

The Managing Director of Luxique.com, Alex Brey, commented: ?We commissioned this survey to test the potential for an environmentally friendly hotel booking service.?

?The results clearly show that, despite paying lip service to green issues, holidaymakers leave all thoughts of this nature on the tarmac. We were really surprised.?