Although there are questions around the origin of Boutique Hotels, many publications trace the entire idea back to the U.S. citizen Bill Kimpton, who worked as a mobile investment banker in the ‘60s and ‘70s. He was traveling in Europe, staying at small hotels where you get to know the owners, have wine in the lobby, and where everything was personable and intimate. Upon coming back home to the U.S., he would find hotels who lacked that kind of personality. That inspired him to open a hotel where people could talk with each other and get to remember each other’s names.
This is how Tiffany M. Braun defined boutique hotels in her 2017’ case study:
“The emergence of boutique hotels features properties with contemporary or minimalist décor while offering many additional lifestyle amenities. These properties have a high level of customized services, reflecting the personality and style of the owner, designer, or entrepreneur.”