Hotel

What is a Hotel?

A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Imagine stepping into a world where every room tells its own story, from basic to luxurious. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from basic amenities like a bed and bathroom to more lavish offerings such as a private balcony or a spa suite. The precursor to modern hotels was the inn of medieval Europe, which evolved into coaching inns and then luxury hotels in the 18th century. Hotels proliferated throughout Western Europe and North America in the early 19th century.

The Evolution of Hotels

From humble beginnings as places to rest weary travelers, hotels have transformed into destinations that cater to every whim and fancy. The first modern hotels emerged in the early-19th century, with luxury hotels sprouting up in major cities during the 19th century. Today, hotels cater to travelers from many countries and languages, offering various types of accommodations, including international luxury hotels.

International Luxury Hotels

Brands like Grand Hyatt, Conrad, InterContinental, Sofitel, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, The Peninsula, Rosewood, JW Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton are synonymous with opulence. These hotels are classified as Five Diamond rated or Five Star hotels depending on the country and local classification standards.

Lifestyle Luxury Resorts

For those who seek a unique experience, lifestyle luxury resorts appeal to a guest’s lifestyle image with unique experiences, classified as Five Star hotel rating. Examples include Waldorf Astoria, St. Regis, Wynn Resorts, MGM, Shangri-La, Oberoi, Belmond, Jumeirah, Aman, Taj Hotels, Hoshino, Raffles, Fairmont, Banyan Tree, Regent and Park Hyatt.

Upscale Full-Service Hotels

For a wide array of guest services and facilities, consider upscale full-service hotels. Examples include W Hotels, Sheraton, Langham, Kempinski, Pullman, Kimpton Hotels, Hilton, Swissôtel, Lotte, Renaissance, Marriott and Hyatt Regency brands.

Boutique Hotels

Boutique hotels are smaller independent non-branded hotels with unique settings and full-service accommodations. These hotels are generally 100 rooms or fewer. They offer a more intimate experience than larger chains, making them perfect for those seeking a personal touch.

Focused or Select Service Hotels

Focused or select service hotels cater to specific demographics with limited on-site amenities. Examples include Hyatt Place, Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn. These hotels are ideal for travelers who need a place to rest their heads without the full-service bells and whistles.

Economy and Limited Service Hotels

For budget-minded travelers, economy and limited service hotels offer basic accommodations with little services. Examples include Ibis Budget, Hampton Inn, Aloft, Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn, and Four Points by Sheraton. These hotels are perfect for those who want to save money without sacrificing comfort.

Extended Stay Hotels

For longer-term stays, extended stay hotels offer full-service accommodations. Examples include Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton, Residence Inn by Marriott, Element, and Extended Stay America.

Timeshare and Destination Clubs

Timeshare and destination clubs offer property ownership with seasonal usage during specified periods. Examples of timeshare brands include Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacation Club International, Westgate Resorts, Disney Vacation Club, and Holiday Inn Club Vacations.

Motels

Motels are small, low-rise lodgings with direct access to individual rooms from the car park. Motels were originally built to serve road travelers and workers but declined in popularity due to the rise of economy-priced hotel chains. In certain parts of the world, such as Latin America, motels have a reputation for romantic assignations. Motels in the US often have a reputation for criminal activity.

Microstays

Microstays allow hotels to increase revenue by reselling rooms multiple times a day. This innovative approach is changing the hospitality industry, making it easier for travelers to find short-term accommodations in bustling cities and remote locations alike.

Hotel Management

Hotel management is a professional career field with various roles and departments. Boutique hotels offer unique environments and settings, while resort hotels exist as destinations themselves. Unique examples include historic inns, bunker hotels, and cave hotels, which have gained fame through tradition, events, or associations.

Specialty Hotels

The world of hotels is vast and varied, with many specialty options to choose from. From the Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, South Australia, built into the remains of an opal mine, to cliff hotels offering unobstructed panoramic views, there’s a hotel for every traveler.

Desert Cave Hotel

The Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, South Australia, is built into the remains of an opal mine. Located on the coast but high above sea level, cliff hotels offer unobstructed panoramic views and a great sense of privacy without the feeling of total isolation. Examples include the Riosol Hotel in Gran Canaria, Caruso Belvedere Hotel in Amalfi Coast (Italy), Aman Resorts Amankila in Bali, Birkenhead House in Hermanus (South Africa), The Caves in Jamaica and Caesar Augustus in Capri.

Capsule Hotels

In these sleeping capsules, customers can watch TV, put their valuables in the mini safes, and use wireless internet. Capsule hotels are a type of economical hotel where people sleep in stacks of rectangular containers. These hotels offer a unique experience for budget-conscious travelers.

Day Rooms

Some hotels fill daytime occupancy with day rooms, such as Rodeway Inn and Suites near Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Day rooms are booked in a block of hours typically between 8 am and 5 pm, before the typical night shift.

Garden Hotels

For those who love nature, garden hotels offer a unique experience. Gravetye Manor, the home of garden designer William Robinson, and Cliveden, designed by Charles Barry with a rose garden by Geoffrey Jellicoe, are prime examples.

Ice Hotels

The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, was the first ice hotel in the world; first built in 1990, it is built each winter and melts every spring. The Hotel de Glace in Duschenay, Canada, opened in 2001 and is North America’s only ice hotel.

Love Hotels

Love hotels are a type of short-stay hotel found around the world, operated primarily for the purpose of allowing guests privacy for sexual activities. Styles of premises vary from extremely low-end to extravagantly appointed.

New Modular and Movable Hotel Rooms

In 2021, a New York-based company introduced new modular and movable hotel rooms which allow landowners and hospitality groups to create and easily scale hotel accommodations. The portable units can be built in three to five months and can be stacked to create multi-floor units.

Referral Hotels

A referral hotel is a hotel chain that offers branding to independently operated hotels; the chain itself is founded by or owned by the member hotels as a group. Many former referral chains have been converted to franchises; the largest surviving member-owned chain is Best Western.

Railway Hotels

The first recorded purpose-built railway hotel was the Great Western Hotel, which opened adjacent to Reading railway station in 1844. Expanding railway companies built grand hotels at their termini, such as the Midland Hotel, Manchester next to the former Manchester Central Station.

Straw Bale Hotels

The Maya Guesthouse in Nax Mont-Noble in the Swiss Alps is the first hotel in Europe built entirely with straw bales. These eco-friendly structures are a testament to sustainable architecture and design.

Transit Hotels

Transit hotels are short stay hotels near airports where passengers can wait to change airplanes. They provide a convenient solution for travelers who need a place to rest before their next flight.

Treehouse Hotels

For those seeking adventure, treehouse hotels feature living trees as structural elements. These unique accommodations offer a blend of nature and luxury, perfect for eco-conscious travelers.

Underwater Hotels

Underwater hotels include accommodations like Utter Inn and Jules’ Undersea Lodge. Imagine waking up to the sounds of the ocean while enjoying all the amenities of a modern hotel room.

Overwater Hotels

Overwater hotels have resorts with bungalows, restaurants, and attractions on an island or archipelago. These luxurious accommodations offer breathtaking views and a sense of seclusion.

Yurt Hotels

Yurt hotels are circular structures with a central dome allowing sunlight in during the day and starlight at night. These unique accommodations offer a taste of nomadic living while providing all the comforts of home.

Specialty Hotels

The world of hotels is vast, with many specialty options to choose from. From the Burj al-Arab hotel shaped like a sailboat to the Library Hotel with each floor assigned to a Dewey Decimal System category, there’s a hotel for every traveler.

Records

Records include: Largest hotel, the First World Hotel with 7,351 rooms; Oldest hotel in operation, Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Japan, opened in AD 707; Highest hotel, the Rosewood Guangzhou on floors of a 108-story building; Most expensive purchase, the Waldorf Astoria New York purchased for $1.95 billion.

From the opulent luxury hotels to the unique and unconventional accommodations, hotels continue to evolve and surprise us with their creativity and innovation. Whether you’re seeking a place to rest your head or an adventure in itself, there’s always something new and exciting waiting for you at a hotel near you.