A Love Letter to Boutique Hotels

To know me is to understand my love for boutique hotels. The smaller, the better - preferably fewer than 20 rooms. Give me room keys with velvet tassels, impeccable interiors, and the kind of staff who greet you like family after just one night. There isn’t an official word in the dictionary for someone who loves hotels, so I made one up: hoteliast (noun): a hotel enthusiast; someone who travels as much for the boutique hotel as the destination itself.

Travel is deeply personal. Every traveler prioritizes something different and builds their itinerary around it. Over the years, my priorities have evolved alongside me. Gone are the days of backpacking through Southeast Asia, sharing a co-ed hostel dorm, and showering with a bucket. Those stories are all true. I still remember the rare occasions when I’d splurge on a hotel room. It felt like the ultimate luxury.

While that chapter is behind me, the traveler it shaped is not. Those years made me scrappy, curious, and adventurous, qualities that still define how I explore the world today. I’ve simply upgraded my accommodations from the shared bunk room to the suite at the neighborhood boutique hotel.

The best hotels, in my opinion, are the ones that encourage you to leave. I don’t need breakfast waiting downstairs when there’s a neighborhood bakery around the corner. I look for a hotel that connects me to the destination rather than insulates me from it. But after a day of wandering, I want to be genuinely excited to return to beautifully designed spaces, thoughtful details, and the comforts that make slowing down feel like part of the trip. And if the room has a bathtub, hand over the keys. I’ll happily be checking in.

I haven’t been everywhere yet, but it’s on my list. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to stay in some unforgettable places that have become destinations in their own right. These are ten of my favorite hotels around the world, along with a few tips for making the most of your stay when you visit.