Is this the end of the boring hotel with
fugly bedspreads, exhorbitant charges for "high-speed Internet connections," and where you feel like prisoners in your room? Could be....
A new generation of hip hotel brands — aka boutique budget hotels — are dotting the landscape, giving hope to every iPod-toting, wi-fi using couple who find fussy, dull, and old-fashioned lodgings unappealing.
Style and technology are these hip boutique hotels' trademarks. Touting affordable luxury, most offer rooms priced at under $200 a night, better bedding, free wi-fi, iPod speakers, and cool public spaces to meet like-minded travelers.
Unaffiliated with other hotel brands, NYLO is a new hotel concept built around urban design. Brick-and-glass exteriors, floor-to-ceiling lobby windows, and exposed walls contribute to the edgy design. In loftlike quarters, couples find soaring ceilings, custom-designed furniture, and luxury linens. Free high-tech amenities include wi-fi, a large flat-screen TV with plug-ins for iPods and computers. There is also a gathering spot next to the lobby with an equally stylish bar and 24/7 restaurant, a game room, library, business center, and shop.
Tired of seeing the same old interiors? Changes are made throughout the year at Hotel Indigo locations to keep guest rooms looking fresh: Photographic wall murals, rugs, duvets, and slipcovers receive timely updates. Trendy bead-board headboards and granite vanity tops show a Restoration Hardware influence. Wi-fi is free and bathrooms are spacious. Public spaces are transformed seasonally as well, with different aromas, music, artwork, and even signage. Indigo hotels can be found in Houston, Dallas, and Sarasota. More are opening in Scottsdale, Ottawa, Nashville, and NYC's Chelsea neighborhood.
Starwood's Aloft hotels are designed with loft-like guest rooms that have enhanced technology services, making them ideal aeries for couples to nest in. Nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows help to create the spacious, airy environment. Large bathrooms have walk-in showers and amenities by Bliss Spa. Socializing is an important part of the concept as well, and Aloft hotels feature indoor lounges and landscaped outdoor spaces to motivate guests to gather and interact. The first of these hotels opened in Lexington, MA; Tucson, AZ; at the San Francisco and Philadelphia airports; and in Cherry Creek, CO.
Hyatt Place aims to be a hotel brand where guests can be productive in a relaxing environment. If that sounds like a contradiction, consider Hyatt's research. "For many, the separation between professional and personal life is obsolete," maintains Tom O'Toole, Global Hyatt svp. Multi-tasking Hyatt Place guests find 42-inch high-def TVs where personal laptops, MP3 players, and other media can be plugged into; free wi-fi; a desk with an ergonomic chair; and an eight-foot sectional sofa-sleeper in a suite-like room with 20 percent more space than the average hotel room. Sounds like a great place for weekend cocooning.
Hotelier André Balazs is behind hip new hotels in Hollywood, downtown LA, Miami, and New York. In the Hollywood hotel, platform beds, beanbag chairs, shag carpeting that creeps up from the floor of the lobby to its walls, a pool deck surrounded by blue astroturf, and air conditioning controls that read "blow" are part of the fun, funky look. A de rigueur widescreen TV is present, along with a personal stereo system. The downtown LA property boasts a rooftop bar; the one in Miami has a spa. And New York's overlooks the new High Line elevated city park.
Element Hotels are designed to appeal to contemporary travelers. A gym, swimming pool, and use of hotel bikes target active guests. Healthy breakfasts are complimentary. Each room has a Westin Heavenly Bed, ergonomic chair and oversize desk, and full kitchen (making it convenient for guests who plan to stay a while). There's also a 32” LCD TV that swivels and a DVD player. Wi-fi is free in the lobby. To keep costs down, many Element hotels are located in secondary cities where real estate is cheaper: Summerlin, instead of Las Vegas; Tempe, instead of Phoenix. Element Hotel patios feature a fire pit and weekly free evening BBQ. New builds, the hotels strive to be ecologically responsible. Instead of a water-hogging bath, there's a shower.
