As travel is an integral part of many people’s lives, there are many who wonder what a boutique hotel is when they search for elegant accommodation.
The term boutique hotel originates from Europe in the 1980s. It’s used to define those hotels with intimate and unconventional atmospheres, generally with a denotation of luxury.
They are usually small hotels, with few rooms, with their own personality and identity, and in many cases located in old buildings, such as castles, mansions, or historic centres.
Unlike the large hotel chains, they offer personalised services and attention, great privacy and are equipped with extraordinary facilities. They are usually set in a specific style or theme.
Why Choose a Boutique Hotel?
There are many reasons to choose a boutique hotel when travelling. To start, these establishments are often the best choice for those seeking a unique experience when taking a getaway.
Unlike large hotel chains, boutique hotels have a small number of rooms, usually between ten and one hundred.
This way, the team working at the hotel can focus as much as possible on the clients and offer a more intimate atmosphere and a much more personalised kind of attention than larger chains.
The fact of having a small number of rooms allows boutique hotels to breathe calm and tranquillity in every corner. This is why they are one of the favourite options for travellers looking to discover new places and at the same time enjoy a few days free of stress, noise and hustle and bustle.
Let’s take a look at some top of the range boutique hotels in Spain that are very affordable and bursting with charm:
Casas Rurales Planeta Chicote, Cuenca
Planeta Chicote is listed as one of the best rural houses and small hotels of Tripadvisor 2020 throughout Spain. It was ranked 6 out of 25 in The Best of by The Best Traveller Choice, the Michelin Stars of Tourism.
In Zafra de Záncara, Cuenca, the staff has created a place connected to the most ancestral essence. Everything is made with natural materials such as wood, terracotta, rock, and water sculptures. The hotel boasts a gorgeous infinity pool, overlooking the gorgeous Cuenca landscape.
Its total of five rooms smell of cinnamon and holm oak, as well as of past and history. Pedro Chicote once lived in this space, the cousin of the famous Perico Chicote, who was also born in the village.
Neglect and abandonment had begun to take their toll on its robust architecture. Thanks to a careful restoration, Planeta Chicote has recovered the splendour that made it famous throughout the region over the last four centuries. Today, it’s a place full of comfort, both in summer and winter. Prices start from a very affordable €79 a night.
Infinity pool at Casas Rurales Planeta Chicote
Rooms at Casas Rurales Planeta Chicote
L´Hort de Sant Cebriá, Girona
L’Hort de Sant Cebriá is located in Torroella de Fluviá, which is a small village of stone houses surrounded by apple and olive groves. Found 4 km from the mouth of the river Fluviá, i’s rich in ecological value is one of the last unspoilt beaches on the Costa Brava with 6 km of fine sand dunes.
In the heart of the Empordà, it is an ideal place as a base for visiting the Costa Brava, Girona and the neighbouring regions. This boutique hotel is large stone cottage Its location is exceptional because its garden and swimming pool adjoin the apse of a Romanesque church, forming an ensemble of great beauty.
The house is on two floors. Its owners, Juan Carlos and Jordi, carried out a complete renovation of the building in 2008, preserving the architectural elements that give it its unique character. All the materials, furniture, fabrics and colours were carefully selected to create an elegant and serene atmosphere that invites you to relax.
On the ground floor are the dining room, a large living room with fireplace and library with access to a beautiful garden and the terrace by the pool, for the exclusive use of guests. On the upper floor, from the windows and balconies of the 5 bedrooms and the suite you can enjoy beautiful views. The cottage boasts six rooms and rooms are €115 per night.
L´Hort de Sant Cebriá, Girona
La Posada de Somo, Cantabria
Boasting majestic cliffs and secluded coves, the stunning mountain scenery of Cantabria surrounds this manor house with more than 100 years of history, located on the Trasmiera Coast. This is a place where you can relive ancient times without giving up the small pleasures of today.
Posada de Somo has 11 rooms, that are all different, but with something in common: they are warm and cosy rooms where you can relax, rest and enjoy every moment you spend in them.
La Posada has 3 special rooms. For example, numbers 1 and 2 come with a jacuzzi lounge and direct access to the garden, number 11 has a lounge with fireplace, whirlpool bath and huge windows overlooking the valley of Ribamontan al Mar. The 8 double rooms are different but with that warm and peaceful atmosphere that takes you back to the past without neglecting the comforts of today.
Outside, you’ll find that the house combines traditional beauty with modern elegance, as the house is surrounded by ancient stone walls, oak and chestnut wood, and the house is fitted with glass walls.
Inside, traditional materials are combined with bold, contemporary furnishings in search of that touch of warmth and romanticism that will make your stay something special. The price per night is €56 per night.
Rooms with jacuzzis at La Posada de Somo
El Molí Hotel Rural, Barcelona
El Molí is a beautiful 19th-century village house located in the heart of Alt Penedès, between mountains and vineyards, in a village of 450 inhabitants Pontons, 50 minutes from Barcelona city and 30 minutes from the beaches of Sitges and Vilanova. It was restored in 2007 preserving the charm of yesteryear, but with the comforts of our time.
This accommodation has Suites, Double Rooms and Apartments for 4 and 6 people (although they can be rented as suites for two people). All of them are very luminous, spacious, with an idyllic decoration for those who are planning a romantic weekend or long weekend getaway, as they have all the luxury of details, such as bathtubs with hydromassage.
El Molí is complemented by our Restaurant El Papá, a family business with forty years of history, where you can enjoy the authentic gastronomy of the area. Activities such as romantic dinners, therapies with wine-derived products, and events for groups or companies can be arranged and planned at the complex.
Rooms here start from €65 per night.
Rooms with jacuzzis and a view at the El Molí Hotel Rural, Barcelona
Casa Costoia, A Coruña
Situated near Santiago de Compostela, this boutique hotel offers all the charm of a traditional Galician house located in a natural setting.
The house has 8 double rooms, conditioned and decorated according to the typical architecture of the house, with all kinds of comforts to satisfy our guests, such as heating, bathroom with hydro-massage shower, TV, hairdryer, bathrobes, etc.
In the restaurant, the hotel provides the possibility of breakfast with traditional and varied products. In the lounge, the client can access to DVD, video, digital television, daily newspapers, board games well as informative brochures of activities or places to visit in Galicia.
Located in a natural enclave, it is the ideal place for outdoor activities and at the same time to enjoy the most outstanding cities in Galicia. Just 5 kilometres away is Santiago de Compostela, a town with a historic centre of enormous beauty, with numerous monuments that make it an artistic and cultural treasure, combining all this with spectacular gastronomy.
The prices of the rooms are from €54 per night.
Casa Costoia, A Coruña
The boutique hotel also tends to adapt perfectly to the city in which it is located. To do so, they take into account its decoration elements that refer to the place where it is located and combines them with menus prepared with ingredients from the local gastronomy.
As you have probably already noticed, boutique hotels are excellent value for money.
People with a passion for travelling know that, nowadays, the tourism sector offers rates suitable for all budgets.
Nowadays, the range of hotels is growing and it is possible to find a boutique hotel with an excellent quality/price ratio in many cities around the world.