What exactly is a boutique luxury hotel? If a boutique is a small shop that sells fashionable clothes and luxury connotes something that is expensive that brings one pleasure and a hotel is a place that rents out rooms, well then a boutique hotel must be a small shop filled with expensive flashy clothing that rents out a room in the back. Well no that’s not exactly the idea. The boutique hotel is an establishment that serves up its guests accommodations that are distinctive in being fashionable and/or extravagantly designed. These hotels can be styled either in a modern décor or in a luxurious and elaborate classical manner, although it is more common to find them done in the modern style.


The boutique hotel movement was started as a reaction against the bloated bland and beige hotels of America and the world. They’re supposed to look and feel very different. The style, the fashion, and the look of the place are supposed to be distinctive. Now in the beginning these rare hotels and inns were very small and intimate, but as the trend has matured the hotels have begun to grow. There are now some boutique hotels that have hundreds of rooms and some would argue that this makes them not true boutique hotels.


The hotels in our feature article range from small, intimate luxury hotels in the country to gigantic modern hotels in major metropolitan areas like NYC, Atlanta and Los Angeles. The prices at the featured hotels also vary wildly; from $210.00 per night to over $2,500.00 per night. We chose these hotels to represent a wide range of styles, prices and regions of the country.










6 Columbus: New York NY

6 Columbus is a hip boutique hotel in New York City located across from Central Park. The 88 rooms feature a 60's inspired modernist decor with mod furniture, iPod docking stations and flat screen TV's.

Six Columbus features a 24 hour concierge, gourmet snacks by Dean and Deluca and The Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill. 6 Columbus also offers great hip design and a fantastic location.

Bottom Line: One of the hippest new design hotels in America. Best Features: Great Website Design, Great Theme Music, Incredible New York City Views from the Rooftop Bar (summer 2008)


Price range: $295.00 to $695.00 per night . . . Six Columbus Hotel Website







21c Museum Hotel: Louisville KY

21C is an unique trendsetting concept in boutique hotels. It has been established as an art hotel to feature cutting edge contemporary art from living artists. This hotel features 91 rooms.


The Museum Hotel features outstanding artwork, views of the Ohio River, modern designer furniture, luxurious bedding, minibars, spa, fitness center, bar, and an award winning restaurant.

Bottom Line: One of America's best new hotel concepts. Best Features: Art, Art, Art and Penguins [see website and hotel].



Price range: $219.00 to $499.00 per night . . . 21c Museum Hotel




The Standard: Los Angeles CA

The Standard is located in the heart of downtown L.A., near the convention center and the Fashion District. This 207 room hotel has some of the best penthouses in our survey.


The Standard features trend setting modern design, a brilliant mod yellow 24/7 restaurant and one of the biggest pink couches we have ever seen.

Bottom Line: One of America's best new hotels. Best Features: Outrageous Rooftop Pool/Bar/Dance Floor, Andre Balázs Design Centered Development.



Price range: $245.00 to $1,300.00 per night . . . The Standard, Los Angeles Website




Gramercy Park Hotel: New York City, NY

The Gramercy is a famous hotel in Manhattan that shares an elegant private park. This 184 room hotel has the most famous designer/developer in our survey; Ian Schrager, a virtual pioneer in boutique hotels.


The Gramercy features handmade furniture, mahogany baths, private rooftop garden, distinctive contemporary prints, paintings and photographs.

Bottom Line: One of America's most original new designs in Boutique hotels. Best Features: The chandelier, the gigantic fireplace and the oversized artwork in the lobby.



Price range: $495.00 to $2,600.00 per night . . . Gramercy Park Hotel, NYC Website





Hotel ZaZa: Dallas TX

Hotel Zaza is located in the center of "Uptown Dallas Texas". This 154 room hotel has the most elegant traditional decor of any of the hotels in our survey.


Zaza, awarded a AAA four diamond award in 2007, features an extravagant Mediterranean decor, a series of themed suites called "The Magnificent Seven" private balconies and whirlpool spas.

Bottom Line: One of America's most lavish and extravagant boutique hotels with traditional decor. Best Features: The incredible Dragonfly Restaurant, a broodingly dark and romantic lobby.



Price range: $345.00 to $515.00 per night . . . Hotel ZaZa Dallas Website





Sofitel Water Tower Hotel: Chicago IL

Sofitel is located next door to two of Chicago's best known landmarks, The Water Tower and the John Hancock Building.


The Sofitel is a huge 415 room hotel that is part of a large international hotel corporation, but it was chosen for this feature on the strength and originality of its design. Of all the modern hotels in our survey, it is the only one that shows a love and respect for the Art Deco movement.

Bottom Line: One of America's best art deco hotels. Best Features: Fabulous edgy architecture, outrageous and elegant dining room, gorgeous modern rooms, excellent value, great location.



Price range: $210.00 to $525.00 per night . . . Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel Website





Delano Hotel: Miami FL

The Delano is located in the heart of Miami's historic Art Deco National Historic District. This 194 room hotel is one of the most striking hotels in our survey simply because of the simpicity of it.

The Delano Hotel could be called The White Hotel. The exterior is white on white and the most striking rooms in the hotel are white on white with slight hints of gray and green.

Bottom Line: One of America's most beautifully simple modern boutique hotels. Best Features: A huge clear lucite grand piano, the fabulous Blue Door restaurant, the outrageous pool and "Water Salon".



Price range: $330.00 to $2,250.00 per night . . . Delano Hotel Website





Mondrian Scottsdale: Scottsdale, AZ

Mondrian Scottsdale is located near the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. This boutique hotel is one of our personal favorites in terms of the spirit of the design. It is an original, striking, extravagant and lighthearted design.

The Mondrian is a 194 room hotel that features a gigantic outdoor heated swimming pool, Jeffrey Chodorow's Asia de Cuba restaurant [in the theme of white of course], The Red Bar lounge, spa, and valet parking.

Bottom Line: One of America's most extravagant hip boutique hotels. Best Features: A "white on white" lobby that seems to stretch into infinity, the fabulous alfresco dining room at Asia de Cuba, the Black and White suite.



Price range: $295.00 to $455.00 per night . . . Mondrian Scottsdale Website





Clift Hotel: San Francisco, CA

The Clift Hotel is located in the heart of Union Square shopping and theater district. Like its sister hotel the Mondrian, it is owned by the Morgan Hotel Group.

The Clift is a classic 350 room luxury hotel that has been transformed and elegantly updated by Philippe Starck.

Bottom Line: One of America's most elegant traditional boutique hotels. Best Features: The best use of Black and Lavender ever, the "Chair Museum" in the lobby, the mirrored tables at Asia de Cuba, the delicious Spanish Suite.



Price range: $375.00 to $1,700.00 per night . . . Clift Hotel Website









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Photo credits: Gramercy Park Hotel photo shows Gramercy Park across from the hotel in New York City. This photo was taken from a photo posted on Wikipedia.com. It was taken by Dmadeo. You can see the original photo in its original context here.

The Standard Los Angeles photo is a photograph of the financial district in downtown Los Angeles. It is from a Wikipedia photo taken by Pag293. It can be seen in its original context on this page.

The 21C Hotel photo is a scene from downtown Louisville Kentucky. It is a photograph from Wikipedia taken by Derek Cashman. It can be seen in its original context on this page.

The Sofitel Water Tower photo shows the skyline of Chicago Illinois. It is a photograph from Wikipedia Germany that was uploaded by Magnus Manske. See the original photo in the original context here.

Where the information is not noted, the photos were taken by Frenchtowner.com and are copyrighted 2008, or they are stock photos that we have paid for the usage of.