Hotels are the one place abroad you spend the most time in but probably show up the least in your holiday snapshots.
Enter the boutique hotel.
Unique for their design themes, personalised services and sometimes heritage values, boutique hotels are attractions in themselves.
Best of all, you do not have to bust your budget to get an experience that rivals the five-star establishments.
Civil servant Sonia Khaira, 26, who has stayed at the Granbell Hotel in Shibuya, Tokyo, and Cross Hotel in Osaka, says: 'I try to stay in a boutique hotel every time I travel.'
Prices at these hotels start from $150 per night.
Ms Khaira says the rates are reasonable and adds: 'The usual faux luxury of international chain hotels is a turn-off for me. I will trade that for chic design elements and a cosier, more intimate atmosphere anytime.'
She also likes boutique hotels for their locations. Given their small size, they tend to be situated right in the hub of activity.
'You really feel like you are living in the thick of action, because the moment you step out of the lobby, you are out in the street. There is no imposing driveway to distance you from the local streetscape,' she says.
According to Associate Professor T.C. Chang, a tourism researcher in the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore, the boutique hotel craze started in the West during the 1970s and 1980s and carried over to Asia in the 1990s 'when tourists grew tired of the Hiltons, the Hyatts and the Holiday Inns'.
He says: 'Just like how a fashion department store is different from a fashion boutique, boutique hotels differ from mainstream hotels.'
Adds Mr Fong Kah Seng, general manager of The Scarlet, an award-winning boutique hotel in Singapore: 'The appeal of boutique hotels lies in the character of their buildings, which usually boast unique decor styles.'
There is also the heritage factor.
Mr Vikas Gulati, Asia-Pacific vice-president of travel site Sprice.com, says: 'For example, at Mansion Hotel in Shanghai, China, travellers get five-star amenities while enjoying the old-world charm of an era gone by, when the city was the Paris of the Orient.'
Another traveller who has been to boutique hotels such as Siam@Siam in Bangkok is postgraduate student Sin Harng Luh, 26. She agrees that the unique design and experience is what justifies the boutique hotel buzz.
She says: 'It makes even the accommodation an attraction in your holiday.'
tanyihui@sph.com.sg
Top photo: Colourful, chirpy and casual, the Blue Breeze room at Burasari, Phuket, offers a different feel from the usual hotel room.
Small pleasures
Life! recommends boutique hotels in the region that will not burn a hole your pocket.
BURASARI, PHUKET www.burasari.com, tel: +66(0)-7629-2929
Where: Patong Beach, Phuket
What: 186 rooms. There are nine design themes, from romantic to artistic, from elegant northern Thai Lanna style with antiques and wood carvings to minimalist, airy contemporary style. Also, check out Floyd's Brasserie, a restaurant owned by famous television chef Keith Floyd.
How much: From $255 per room per night
OLD BANGKOK INN www.oldbangkokinn.com, tel: +662-629-1787
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
What: Combines Bangkok's old-world charms with modern amenities. Personalised service is guaranteed, since there are only 10 rooms - four guest rooms, four loft rooms and two suites. Furnished with Thai golden teak, rooms boast heirloom furniture, some of which are even decorated with hand-painted porcelain. Located in Bangkok's Rattanakosin Island, the historical and cultural quarters.
How much: From $137
GOLDEN BUDDHA BEACH RESORT www.goldenbuddharesort.com, tel: +66(0)-8-1892-2208 Where: Koh Phra Thong, Thailand What: An eco-resort by the Andaman Sea, located on an uninhabited 10km stretch of beach, a private bay on the island of Koh Phra Thong (Golden Buddha Island).
Accommodation is in 25 beach houses that can take two to five people. They vary from simple one-bedroom beachfront houses to luxurious canopied lodges with beautiful views of the sea. Nature- lovers can check out one of the few remaining nesting sites for giant leatherback turtles in Thailand. How much: From $160
LAN KWAI FONG HOTEL www.lankwaifonghotel.com.hk, tel: +852-3650-0299 Where: Kau U Fong, Hong Kong What: An award-winning, Oriental-them- ed hotel occupying 33 floors of a building in a carefully conserved commercial and residential area. The hotel boasts 162 bedrooms and individually designed harbour view suites. Its location in the central business district means guests are minutes away from dining and entertainment hangouts. How much: From $287
HOTEL PURI MELAKA www.hotelpuri.com, tel: +606-282-5588 or 6468-6154 (Singapore sales office) Where: Malacca, Malaysia What: Located in the heart of the old city of Malacca, it is surrounded by antique and bric-a- brac shops and only a stroll away from the historical precinct. The beautiful hotel with an intricate facade is a restored Peranakan house, which once belonged to the family of philanthropist and rubber plantation owner Tan Kim Seng. How much: From $50
AMBIENCE HOTEL, TAIPEI www.ambiencehotel.com.tw, tel: +886-2-2541-0077 Where: Taipei, Taiwan What: Ideal for those who want to stay away from the metropolitan bustle yet have easy access to the city. Located 10 to 15 minutes from the nearest subway, the all-white, 10-storey hotel has 60 avant-garde rooms decked out in designer furniture. How much: From $124 (promotional rate)
THE QUAY www.thequayhotel.com, tel: +855-23-224-894 Where: Phnom Penh, Cambodia What: An eco-friendly hotel that cuts back on carbon emissions. Features a futuristic decor and a great view of the Tonle Sap. How much: From $120 (promotional rate)
MANSION HOTEL www.chinamansionhotel.com, tel: 86-21-5403-9888 Where: Shanghai, China What: It is one of Shanghai's major historical villas, nestled in the heart of the old French Concession district. Designed by French architect Lafayette in 1932, the building boasts a graceful fusion of classic French and Asian architecture. It has 32 lavishly decorated rooms, each with its own individual design and layout. How much: From $235
THE TIDES, BORACAY www.tidesboracay.com, tel: +632-725-3411 Where: Boracay, Philippines What: A designer resort with a rooftop pool and sun-deck, it is the only one of its kind in Boracay. Rooms are spacious and designed in clean lines and dark colours. How much: From $208
ANDON RYOKAN www.andon.co.jp, tel: +81-3-3873-8611 Where: Tokyo, Japan What: A backpackers' joint with a designer twist. This stylish five-storey steel building is modelled after a traditional Japanese lantern, with accommodation on the first to third floors. How much: From $134
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Jan 20, 2009.
