Could this be the end of the boutique hotel?
A company which claims to have pioneered the boutique hotel in the North West of England almost a decade ago is to move away from the concept.
Eclectic Hotels, which runs three properties and is searching for a fourth, is stepping away from the term ‘boutique’ and is instead describing the hotels as ‘townhouses’.
The 14-room Eleven Didsbury Park Hotel was the first ‘boutique’ hotel in the North West when it opened in 1999 and among the first in the UK. This was followed in 2002 with the 27-room Didsbury House Hotel with a spa.
The two hotels were running with an occupancy rate of 70% and a decision was made to alter the business strategy and drive occupancy rates with a sub-£100 room rate, increasing occupancy to 92%.
Great John Street was opened in 2005 in Manchester, transforming a former Victorian school house with stylish lounges, an oyster bar, entertainment rooms and terraces.
The company is looking to open an “ultra-chic†bed and breakfast in the region by the end of the year.
A feature of Eclectic’s rooms is free-standing baths sitting right alongside the beds.
Owner Eamonn Laughlin, who runs the company with wife Sally, said: “Over the past year we have seen lots of people opening ‘boutique’ hotels, some of which are a lot better than others.
“We opened our first hotel in Didsbury in 1999 when people hadn’t really experienced what the term boutique meant.
“Now there are numerous ‘boutique’ hotels we wanted to move things forward and develop the Eclectic brand by describing our hotels as ‘townhouses’.â€
He added: “If everything goes according to plan we will be opening our first Eclectic B&B towards the end of the year.
“For now we’re focusing on Manchester and the North West but who knows what the future holds.â€
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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