Choosing a Hotel? How to Find the Best Boutique Hotels in Europe
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HOTELS, WHEN DONE RIGHT, HAVE A WAY OF BEING INVISIBLE.
Think plush bedding that allows for rest and relaxation, or knowledgeable staff that recommends hidden gem eateries you couldn’t discover elsewhere.
But when hotels are done wrong, they can ruin every other aspect of your vacation.
Nightmares like no hot water in the shower which leads to late arrival to dinner, or a bad hotel breakfast that leaves you without the energy you need for a full day of activities.
Personally, I love a good boutique hotel.
BUT GREAT BOUTIQUE HOTELS AREN’T ALWAYS SO EASY TO FIND.
It can feel like panning for gold, having to sift through thousands of hotel and short-term rental listings in order to find hidden gem hotels.
Below, I share my tips and tricks for finding the best boutique hotels across Europe!
Choosing a Hotel? How to Find the Best Boutique Hotels in Europe
How to Choose a Hotel
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD STAY AT THE BEST HOTEL YOU CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD.
There is no other aspect of your vacation that you will spend as much time with, or have as many touchpoints to, as your hotel.
And yet for many travelers planning their own trips, the choice of which hotel to stay at is often where they make concessions on things like price, location, or amenities.
Ask yourself how many times these thoughts have crept into your mind as you were looking for a hotel:
"We’ll only be sleeping there."
"As long as there’s a bed and a bathroom, it’ll be fine."
"We’ll make do; it’s just a place to shower and change."
"It’s just one or two nights; we can rough it."
"We can save money by choosing the cheapest option."
"Location isn’t that important; we can use public transport."
"All the reviews can’t be true, and it’s probably not that bad."
Let’s talk about these limiting beliefs and how they ignore some important factors to consider when choosing a hotel.
Hotel Diplomat in Stockholm, Sweden.
A LOT OF TRAVELERS ASSUME THAT A HOTEL IS JUST A CRASH PAD.
This ignores important factors like cleanliness, pillow and mattress quality, and noise levels, all of which can negatively affect your rest.
It’s so important to have a comfortable environment for unwinding during a vacation that I’ll say it again: beware of uncomfortable rooms that don’t allow for any real relaxation!
Even a couple nights of discomfort are rarely worth the cost savings.
Making a hotel decision based on price often ignores things like hotel location and amenities, or neighborhood safety.
Saving a few bucks can often result in more frustration.
REMEMBER THAT OLD ADAGE, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR?
I’ve had to learn this lesson the hard way.
Choosing to ignore negative hotel reviews, or picking a hotel in a remote or poorly connected location, is also a direct way to set yourself up for frustration during your trip.
Things to Consider When Booking a Hotel
Of all the things to know before booking a hotel, the most important is which qualities of a good hotel matter most to you.
Understanding what matters most to you is the number one thing to help you navigate the literally thousands of lodging options available in most European cities.
THE KEY HOTEL ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER WHEN BOOKING A HOTEL ARE:
LOCATION — A hotel’s location is the most objective aspect to define.
Is it close to the attractions you’re planning to see, and restaurants you hope to dine at?
How well connected is it via public transport?
Consider your arrival and departure, whether from the airport or a train station - is the hotel easy to get to after a long journey?
Is the hotel located in a safe neighborhood with a welcoming atmosphere?
AMENITIES — Hotel amenities are usually listed on their website, so they’re easy to compare between multiple properties.
Decide what in-room amenities, like Wi-Fi, air conditioning / heating, TV, and minibar, are important for you.
Do in-room extras, like a coffee maker, safe, and complimentary toiletries matter to you as well?
WHAT ABOUT PROPERTY AMENITIES, LIKE A FITNESS CENTER, SPA, OR POOL ACCESS?
Do on-site dining options, like restaurants and cafés, matter to you?
Defining what hotel amenities matter to you — and which ones don’t — is a great way to refine your search and ensure that you are only paying for what you want.
Do amenities like a, um, Louis Vuitton lift, matter to you? This one is found at Le Dokhan’s, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, in Paris.
FLEXIBILITY POLICIES — Things happen, and staying at a hotel with flexible policies can make the difference when your travel plans go haywire.
EVALUATE THE HOTEL’S CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICIES, ESPECIALLY FOR LAST-MINUTE, UNEXPECTED CHANGES.
Do the hotel’s check-in and check-out times work for your itinerary, or can they be flexible for early or late arrivals?
Travelers with special needs or travel situations, like those traveling with children or pets, should understand the hotel’s policies on their situation and whether or not the property is a good fit.
PREVIOUS GUEST REVIEWS & RATINGS — It can feel foolish to rely on guest reviews for hotels, but they can tell you a lot about the more subjective hotel elements that matter just as much as those above, but are less likely to be define on a hotel’s website. These things include:
Room Comfort - How do previous guests rate the quality of the mattress and pillow options, the room size, and the soundproofing of the room?
Cleanliness Standards - What’s the word on the cleanliness of the hotel’s rooms, bathrooms, and common areas? Were previous guests happy with the hotel’s housekeeping?
Service & Staff - Every hotel will claim that their staff offers the highest level of service, but do the reviews back that up?
How was the property rated on things like friendliness, helpfulness, and responsiveness of its staff?
If you’re traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language, consider whether the hotel’s staff is able to communicate in your language.
(Although, as English speakers, we are very spoiled; almost all hotels in Europe have English speaking staff.)
Once you’ve gone through the above hotel elements, you should be able to compose a short list of potential hotels that you may want to book.
If price considerations are important to you, then I suggest you put this hotel shortlist through one final analysis to find the hotel that is offering everything you want at the best price:
VALUE FOR MONEY — Compare a hotel’s rates to similar properties in the area that offer similar amenities.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ADDITIONAL FEES, LIKE RESORT FEES, SPECIAL TAXES, OR PARKING FEES.
If you’re a member of a loyalty program, inquire about special rates or discounts.
The chic Fraser Suites in Hamburg, Germany.
Every person will have a different outlook on what matters most to them in a hotel stay.
Here’s an example of how I use the above list to identify the qualities of a good hotel that matter the most to me.
LOCATION - I am relatively young and fit, so I don’t mind staying in hotels that are a bit outside of the city center, or in “up-and-coming” neighborhoods that might seem a bit gritty.
I do, however, try to define my “center of gravity” (read more on that below), so that I’m close to public transportation and the location of items on my itinerary.
AMENITIES - Beyond the basics, like a plush mattress and pillow, the two in-room amenities that I consider must-haves are a coffee machine and complimentary bottles of water.
I LOVE HOTELS THAT PROVIDE SLIPPERS AND A BATHROBE.
A mini-bar doesn't really matter to me, and while I love complimentary toiletries, I usually pack my own.
When it comes to hotel-wide amenities, what I look for is highly dependent on the kind of trip I’m taking.
If it’s a city break, I don’t need much as I’ll be out and about during the day, although a chic cocktail bar or on-site café are always appreciated.
If I’m taking a trip to the mountains or countryside, I prefer a hotel with a lot more amenities, like a spa, sauna or hot-tub.
FLEXIBILITY POLICIES - I used to be unconcerned with cancellation policies.
IF I WAS BOOKING A HOTEL, YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT I WOULD MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO MAKE THAT TRIP.
But over the years, I’ve become more aware of the unexpected inconveniences that can make a solid cancellation policy indispensable.
A lot of hotels offer two rates with different cancellation policies, so be careful when booking to ensure that you have the level of flexibility that you need.
Currently, I don’t pay up for more robust cancellation policies if the trip is within the next six weeks.
If it’s further out, I will.
PREVIOUS GUEST REVIEWS & RATINGS - I usually scan guest reviews of hotels I’m considering to ensure that there is not a consensus of obvious red flags.
THE OCCASIONAL SERVICE LAPSES HAPPEN, SO I DON’T PAY THOSE REVIEWS TOO MUCH ATTENTION.
But I do try to notice if the same issues are being repeated in multiple reviews.VALUE FOR MONEY - This one is actually very important to me.
It’s no secret that hotel prices have been rising in the past few years.
AND WHILE I LIKE NICE THINGS, I ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT I’M GETTING A GOOD VALUE FOR MY MONEY.
I evaluate the prices at comparable hotels to ensure that I’m getting a good deal, even when I’m staying in four and five star hotels.
This is also why I really love staying at boutique hotels…
Why a Boutique Hotel?
Boutique hotels are a fantastic choice for travelers seeking an authentic, intimate European experience.
I FIND THAT BOUTIQUE HOTELS REFLECT THE LOCAL CULTURE, ARCHITECTURE, AND HISTORY OF THE DESTINATION MUCH BETTER THAN A CHAIN HOTEL.
The sense of place in boutique hotels feels so much more authentic than in larger hotels.
I love their curated decor and thoughtful details.
Because they’re smaller properties, boutique hotels allow for more attentive service.
The staff is more likely to take the time to tailor recommendations to your stay, offer local perspective, and remember your preferences.
Hotel Rosenlaui in Rosenlaui, Switzerland
ALL OF THESE LITTLE TOUCHES ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT ENHANCE YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE.
I also appreciate that boutique hotels are often centrally located in prime city center locations.
(There are also some great boutique hotels off the beaten path, but that’s a topic for another post. 😉 )
But a central location alone doesn’t necessarily mean that a particular property will be the best one for you.
To figure that out, I try to find the heart of where my itinerary will take me.
“But Where Do I Stay?”
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a hotel is location.
MY TRICK IS TO DEFINE WHAT I CALL MY “CENTER OF GRAVITY” IN A DESTINATION.
In most cities, it’s a helpful little travel trick to choosing a hotel location.
But in large, international cities like Berlin, London, Paris, or Rome, it’s a necessity.
These cities are so large that you may book a hotel incredibly far away from the activities you’ve planned.
HERE’S HOW TO ENSURE THAT YOU FIND THE BEST PART OF TOWN TO STAY IN, RELEVANT TO YOUR OWN ITINERARY.
The incredible Manon Les Suites in Copenhagen, Denmark, with its Bali-inspired pool.
First, I open Google My Maps and search for my destination.
Then, I add the physical location of places from my itinerary, even if my plans are only tentative.
I add things like museums, restaurants, shops, meeting points for walking tours, you name it.
IF I’M CONSIDERING IT FOR MY TRIP, I ADD IT TO THIS GOOGLE MY MAP.
Once I’m finished pinning these itinerary locations to the map, I can see a visualization of my “center of gravity,” or the area I’ll spend the most amount of time during my visit.
Finding this concentrated area isn’t necessarily about staying there, though.
This exercise helps me to avoid booking a hotel completely across town from everything I plan to do, especially in large, international capitals.
Best Online Resources for Booking Boutique Hotels
I use two of the OGs of online hotel booking when I’m beginning to plan a trip to a particular city:
Google Maps and Booking.com.
I FIND THAT BOTH ARE GREAT AT GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW OF A CITY’S HOTEL STOCK.
You can quickly see where hotels are most densely located in a city, and where average rates per night fall.
There are other online resources that position themselves as the authority in boutique hotels, like Mr & Mrs Smith and i-escape, but I really prefer more curatorial hotel recommendation sites than those that are just niched-down versions of Booking.com.
For more chic hotel suggestions, here are a few online resources with a strong curatorial eye and fantastic recommendations:
Pretty Hôtels - I absolutely love the aesthetic on this personal recommendation site.
I’VE STAYED AT PRETTY HÔTELS RECOMMENDED PROPERTIES IN VENICE AND THE DOLOMITES.
I was blown away by the comfort, amenities, and level of service.
Pretty Hôtels only recommends properties at which the founder has personally stayed.
That means it’s full of hidden gems that you won’t find anywhere else.
The Aficionados - This travel and lifestyle publication focuses on exceptional hotels and stays all over Europe and beyond.
It highlights off-the-beaten-path destinations and the people bringing them to life.
Head to their homepage and click on “Travel” to search by destination.
JO&SO - This stylish site focuses exclusively on Portugal hotels.
If you’re heading to Porto, Lisbon, or the Algarve, be sure to check it out for the best hotel recommendations.
It’s run by two sisters and they stay at all hotels they add to the site.
Conclusion
ULTIMATELY, FINDING THE BEST BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN EUROPE IS ALL ABOUT KNOWING WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A HOTEL.
It can be challenging to balance hotel qualities like location, amenities, and price.
But once you define which hotel elements matter most to you, the entire hotel booking process becomes a lot less stressful.
I love the way that boutique hotels convey a sense of place and authenticity, reflecting the destination while also delivering superior service.
Remember to research previous guest reviews, and consider your own “center of gravity” when choosing the location of your hotel.
With these tips, you'll be well-equipped to find a hotel that complements your travel style and makes your trip even more enjoyable.
xx,
Angela 🗝️ 🛎️
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