Over the last few years, there has been a rapid, competitive race in gaining an edge in the market for the boutique hotel industry. Specifically, the rivalry developing has been centered around college towns. A boutique hotel is smaller in size and usually holds between 10 and 100 rooms. This smaller size allows the hotels to be unique and offer a more customized experience for their guests. Boutique hotels try to combine their style with the community and culture surrounding them. Since they began forming in the 1980s, they have been soaring in popularity.
Background
Traditionally, hotels near college campuses used to all be very similar and average in their appearance towards students, their parents, or alumni while they were in town to attend college activities or events. Boutique hotels and inns have started to enter the industry and add in their own unique designs suited to the particular university they are located near. For example, their hotels can offer libraries featuring books and artwork created by alumni.
Graduate Hotels
One of the largest boutique hotel companies in the college industry is called Graduate Hotels. It first opened in 2014, and they now have over twenty properties. Its first property opened in Athens, Georgia which is located near the University of Georgia. It has many properties located in the southern United States such as Oxford, Mississippi and Tempe, Arizona. It is also beginning to expand into northern parts of the country as it now has hotels in New Haven, Connecticut and State College, Pennsylvania.
Study Hotels
Study Hotels has become a major competitor for Graduate Hotels. They have properties near Yale University and a location in Philadelphia near Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. The goal is to be unique in their own designs while resembling the particular university in the area. The design of the property near Yale is created with the same glass that is found on the gothic architecture in Yale. The location in Philadelphia has artifacts in their living room from three local museums.
Impact
These boutique hotels and boutique inns are doing a nice job of bringing 
the college culture unique to each university back to their location, so that their guests can continue to experience it. Instead of just having a standard, generic food menu, they may instead choose to make food that is popular in each town. This can make people staying there have a more memorable experience. When visiting the college campuses, people may not think of where they stayed as being the main attraction or even memorable, but these companies are trying to make a change to that. It’s no wonder there is so much competition to try and get into this industry.
InnStyle is Unique
While you may not be specifically trying to get into the market surrounding college campuses, you may be wondering what you can do to make your inn or property more unique. Luckily, InnStyle has a wide selection of products catering to the hospitality industry. We offer bedding products, bath products, table linens, room accessories and are more than willing to help. We can be reached at 267-354-6020 or 800-877-4667. Our website is https://www.innstyle.com/.