An insight into boutique hotels with Mr and Mrs Smith
By Darren Cronian on Friday, June 6th, 2008

In the past I have had the opportunity to interview people from the likes of Lonely Planet and Boeing. It’s been a while since the last interview but yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing Tamara Heber-Percy of Mr and Mrs Smith, who specialise in luxury and boutique hotels.

The futures boutique with Mr and Mrs Smith

Please could you introduce yourself and the role you play?

Hi, I’m Tamara. I’m one of the directors and founders of Mr & Mrs Smith. I set up the company with my husband, James Lohan, so I guess you could say I’m the original Mrs Smith (back off, Angelina). Today, I work at the head of our online operation.

Our website has grown colossally since we first struck out into cyberspace in 2002. There are also lots of development aspects to oversee – recently we’ve launched a US site, a Blackberry application, a comment facility, a loyalty programme and we’re in the midst of introducing a flight-checker service.

Of course, I still go to stay in boutique hotels…

What do you think hotels could do better to help the environment?

You know a bit about what I feel about this from threads I’ve commented on before, but eco-friendliness is one of the hottest potatoes in the hotel industry at the moment, and I think that there’s an awful lot of bandwagons being jumped on and green wash being splashed about.

Not washing towels daily isn’t enough; a hotel can have all the green policies it likes, but ultimately if the individual members of staff or guests themselves don’t care, then what’s the point? I think eco education is the single most important thing.

Once staff and tourists understand the issues and implications, and care about environmental impact, then they bring that both to their work in the hotel, and in their personal lives too. As with the quality of a hotel’s service, it’s about the people themselves.

What tips would you give consumers searching for hotels?

Hmmm… Well, other than the predictable use Mr and Mrs Smith (which isn’t just bias – I genuinely believe we’re as reliable as it gets), I’d recommend three things:

Just because it’s ‘five-star’ doesn’t mean it isn’t decorated like the Bates Motel and run by psychopaths. Check out photos online before you go – the traveller’s photos on Flickr and Tripadvisor can be pretty helpful.

Make sure it’s clear whether or not the hotel’s room rates include breakfast, taxes or parking – you don’t want any nasty surprises on check-out.

Do some research into what the rooms themselves are like – call the hotel if need be. There’s nothing worse than booking into a gorgeous-looking hotel, only to find that they’ve put you in a cupboard by the bins.

What is the difference between a standard and a boutique hotel?

This is the question that keeps us awake at night. If you believe the hotels themselves, 99 per cent of them are boutique hotels (and eco-friendly to boot). As far as we’re concerned, a boutique hotel has to be a one-off, uniquely designed (the phrase ‘boutique hotel chain’ makes me shudder) and with an intimate atmosphere, regardless of its actual size.

It should offer a warm, unfussy welcome (no bowing and scraping, no snooty sommeliers), and it should look good – design-led, grown-up, fashionable and gimmick-free. The litmus test I always apply when I’m staying in a hotel is ‘would I mind not going out?’

If the hotel is a destination in itself, then I think it qualifies.

What impact do you think the strong Euro is having on consumer spending on travel?

The growing clout of the Euro is having an effect on the behaviour of UK travellers, of course. People are thinking twice about popping over to France or Spain in a way they wouldn’t have even a couple of years ago.

Now they want to make their money go a bit further – why pay for a week in Greece, when you can get to the Caribbean, Indonesia or the US for just a little bit more? Tourists and holidaymakers are getting more intrepid, so I think we’ll see a reduction in European city breaks and an increase in long-haul jaunts – until rising fuel prices make that problematic too, that is.

Weekends away in the UK are also more popular than ever and also of course where Mr & Mrs Smith’s expertise is - our single most requested break is a weekend in the Cotswolds.


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21 responses to “An insight into boutique hotels with Mr and Mrs Smith”

Darren Cronian | 6 June, 2008 at 8:15 am

Thank you Tamara for a great interview.

I found it interesting that the hotels in the Cotswolds are your most requested break, it’s good to hear tourism isn’t dieing in the UK.

Simon | 6 June, 2008 at 12:07 pm

Boutique Hotel is seems to be getting used by a lot of “chains” now, so it’s interesting to read how they classify one as Boutique.

I think they’re hitting the nail on the head - modern, individual, fashionable and design led is exactly what I would class as a Boutique Hotel.

Darren Cronian | 6 June, 2008 at 5:25 pm

@ Simon

Yes, I had heard of the term, and have in fact stayed in one boutique hotel in North Queensland, and I would say this hotel matched the description in the post.

Garri | 6 June, 2008 at 7:53 pm

The term ’boutique’ was being misappropriated (and still is), as much as the term ‘eco’ is these days. I’ve seen press releases for certain ‘joints’ jumping on the eco bandwagon because they refurbished using eco-friendly paints! (yeah! right on baby!)

And I’ve seen some cesspits claiming to be boutique. Overall though, there’s zero romance to be had in boutique hotels other than some of the sexy locations. They’re sterile environments designed to drain the wallets (little else) of Conde Nast travellistas ;-)

That said, the best one I stayed in was the Gran Domine in Bilbao (sorry, a boutique hotel chain) because from our window you could practically reach out and prune Jeff Koons’ puppy ;-)

Darren Cronian | 8 June, 2008 at 5:34 am

@ Garri

You lost me at Jeff Koon, who is he? :)

Garri | 8 June, 2008 at 5:26 pm

@Darren

He designed the famous puppy sculpture outside The Guggenheim.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Koons

Rohan | 9 June, 2008 at 12:08 am

What does a sculpture have to do with boutique hotels?

I do not like staying in these luxury hotels with no character and expensive. Give me a hut in the rainforest.

Happy Hotelier | 9 June, 2008 at 2:13 pm

The question what is a Boutique Hotel keeps me awake already from when I started my own.

I believe one of the litmus tests is: Is it unique in the sense the original Fashion Boutique was unique. They had only very few of the same items.

Further I believe that a hotel with over, and I am hesitant to give a number, but in any case a hotel with more that 100 rooms cannot qualify as a boutique hotel.

Darren Cronian | 9 June, 2008 at 9:45 pm

@ Guido

Good win for the Dutch tonight! ;)

Back on-topic, good points. Do many people search for you on the search engines as a Boutique hotel?

Happy Hotelier | 9 June, 2008 at 11:14 pm

@Darren

Thanks
The Brits can now safely back the Dutch in their quest for the EK 2008.

No not many.

Actually I am still trying to figure out if I can come up with a special name for a special class of very high level but small number of rooms “boutique hotels”
Some have used the term Boutique B&B, but I don’t know…

Darren Cronian | 9 June, 2008 at 11:52 pm

@ Guido

Yep, I said before the tournament I would be backing the Dutch.

Thanks, I just wondered if many consumers had heard of the term. I remember booking a boutique hotel in Australia but I had no idea what boutique meant.

The hotel was unique, in a great location, and only had 9 rooms.

Tamara | 10 June, 2008 at 11:25 am

@ Happy Hotelier

Yes, I think it’s unlikely that you’ll find a place with a true boutique hotel vibe with more than 100 rooms, but I don’t think it’s impossible. If the feel of the place and the attitude of the staff create an intimate environment, I’d be happy to call it ‘boutique.’

I think the term ‘boutique B&B’ is growing in popularity too. (Well, we use it). Perhaps we need to introduce a category of ‘boutique-boutique hotels’ or ‘even-boutiquer hotels’…

Tamara | 10 June, 2008 at 11:26 am

@Darren

Thanks again for having me!

Tamara

Tamara | 13 June, 2008 at 2:23 am

Hi Darren
I posted a reply to Garri but I can’t see it here - did you get it? shall I resend or didn’t you like it?

Tamara

Darren Cronian | 13 June, 2008 at 3:37 am

@ Tamara

Sorry, I didn’t get the comment to moderate, could you send again. Your other comments are coming through okay, so I don’t think it went into the ’spam bin’

Tamara | 17 June, 2008 at 12:34 pm

@ Garri

I totally agree about misappropriation of the term, and that there are plenty of ‘sterile environments’ flying under false colours, but I don’t think it’s fair to tar all boutique hotels with the same brush. I set up Mr & Mrs Smith with my husband precisely because there were so many hotels pretending to be something they weren’t and promising levels of romance they couldn’t deliver, and we wanted to separate the seductive from the cesspit-ish. That’s exactly what we’ve done. Every one of the hotels featured by Mr & Mrs Smith offers something romantic – we know, because we’ve stayed in them.

I am continually surprised by the number of hotels out there that are dripping with romance and character. Check out some of these and try using the word ‘sterile’:

Three suites in a traditional Marrakech riad:

http://www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-hotels/morocco-hotels/marrakech-hotels/dar-darma/

I could go on and on…

(Oh, and we’re checking out the Grand Domine :) )

Garri | 17 June, 2008 at 7:28 pm

@Tamara

Of course, I wasn’t having a pop at Mr & Mrs, but it’s natural I suppose for you to be defensive of your ‘baby’.

Having been to Marrakech many years ago, we didn’t need boutique hotels (they didn’t exist) for it to be a very romantic experience but I guess the chi-chi-ification of ‘awkward’ cities such as Marrakech makes it palatable for today’s travellistas.

The Gran Domine is sterile and cliched but it’s opposite the Guggenheim, though I would’ve preferred to have been able to have reached out the window to prune Cicciolina than Jeff Koons’ puppy ;-)

Personally, I don’t see anything remotely romantic about boutique hotels, that’s just my opinion based on travel experiences.

I travelled to Belgrade 6 months after the NATO bombing on a surprise visit to meet someone ’special’, no flights I had to go to Budapest and get a minibus. People thought I was crazy but it was one of the most romantic experiences of my life.

Since we’re allowed to advertise links, here’s a more interesting hotel *, in my opinion, than the ones you’ve listed:

http://www.holidaypad.net/accommodation/397/

And I’d rather stay in the Teniqua Tree house in SA’s garden route than the place you recommend.

As for Dorset, gimme a beach hut with solar power that you can sleep in ;-)

* Disclaimer: I do not get any commission from this hotel and neither did they pay to be listed on my site. I just like it!

Darren Cronian | 17 June, 2008 at 7:35 pm

@ Tamara and Garri

The original comment was sent to the spam bin, and finding it there made me wonder if I should allow the comments.

I don’t allow advertising links, but the links concerned helped both parties explain their previous comments.

Ta

Darren

Garri | 17 June, 2008 at 7:40 pm

@ Darren, as I said, there’s absolutely no potential financial gain from me posting that link.

Darren Cronian | 17 June, 2008 at 7:56 pm

@ Garri

I never said you did :)
I’m just pointing out that TR doesn’t allow advertising text link ads.

But let’s get back to the discussion at hand, boutique hotels.

Garri | 17 June, 2008 at 8:15 pm

… or, Punk Rock Hotels! There should be more of them ;-)

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