What makes a hotel truly luxurious?

It depends on what your definition of luxury is. For some, luxury is a minibar, telephone, and hairdryer in the room. For others, it’s about an amazing location and great service. Boutique hotels, which are privately owned, tend to give the best personal service, while larger luxury hotels allow you to be more anonymous. Five-star hotels often have a bar, restaurant, and spa, but don’t always provide the best overall experience.

How do boutique hotels differ from traditional luxury hotels?

Boutique hotels are often privately owned, with each room individually designed. Staff are usually passionate about what they do, and the atmosphere is more personal and relaxed. Boutique hotels focus on design, service, and experience rather than star ratings.

What wellness amenities do top luxury hotels offer now (e.g. sleep tech, spa treatments, circadian lighting)?

Top luxury hotels now offer high-tech wellness features such as automatic dimmable lights, in-room voice assistants, circadian lighting, sleep masks, oils, sprays, and mood lighting to support better rest and relaxation.

Which hotels offer AI-personalised wellness experiences or smart rooms?

Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort in Hawaii, offers Thermal Body Mapping and advanced sensors that personalise treatments. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando and W Scottsdale use AI-powered robotic massages and fitness assessments. Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland integrates AI with genomic data to create tailored longevity programmes. Mandarin Oriental’s AI-driven concierge adjusts experiences based on your preferences. Hilton’s Connected Room technology and Zoku Amsterdam’s AI-powered app learn your routines, while Wynn Las Vegas features voice-activated smart suites. Six Senses and SHA Wellness Clinic use biofeedback and real-time mood tracking for fully personalised stays.

Are pets welcome at most luxury hotels, and what special services do they offer for them?

Each hotel has its own pet policy, but many luxury hotels welcome pets. Expect dog-friendly rooms, beds, and treats, though some may charge an additional nightly fee.

What VIP or concierge experiences can you expect at a luxury hotel?

Concierges can arrange theatre bookings, restaurant reservations, private drivers, cooking courses, truffle hunting in Tuscany, hot air ballooning, and bespoke culture trips — it all depends on what you’d like to experience.

How can I find the best boutique hotels near me or in a specific city?

Explore boutique hotel recommendations on www.lulusluxurylifestyle.uk. Lulu Townsend has over 25 years of experience in the hotel industry, including marketing and consulting for luxury and boutique hotels worldwide.

Which hotels in Rome are best for a romantic weekend, spa retreat, or wellness break?

JK Place Roma, Rocco Forte’s Hotel de la Ville, and Crossing Condotti are three romantic boutique hotels in Rome that suit weekends focused on style, spa time, and wellness.

When is the best time to book a luxury hotel for the best price or availability?

Book in off-peak seasons or when flight prices are lower for the best rates and availability.

Do boutique hotels offer flexible booking or cancellation options?

Many boutique hotels offer flexible booking and cancellation policies, especially when you book directly with the hotel.

What should I look for when choosing a 5-star versus a boutique hotel?

A 5-star hotel typically includes a bar, restaurant, and spa, ideal for a full-service luxury holiday. A boutique hotel offers a more personal, romantic stay and often lets you live like a local.

Which luxury hotels are leading in sustainability or eco-friendly practices?

Leaders include The Brando in French Polynesia, Soneva Resorts, Heckfield Place in Hampshire, 1 Hotels, and Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland, all combining conservation, regenerative farming, and eco-conscious design.

What are the best eco-luxury hotels for wellness travellers?

Excellent eco-luxury wellness stays include Euphoria Retreat in Greece, Preidlhof in South Tyrol, Kamalaya in Koh Samui, and Ulpotha in Sri Lanka.

How are luxury hotels adapting to conscious travel trends in 2025?

Hotels are moving from being green to regenerative, investing in renewable energy and refill culture, reducing waste, and supporting local communities. Kitchens focus on local sourcing and low waste, while wellness programmes blend science with traditional wisdom. Luxury is now about how a place makes you feel and the positive mark it leaves behind.

Where should I stay in 2025 for the best wellness escapes?

Ulpotha in Sri Lanka is a standout for yoga, Ayurveda, organic vegetarian food, and digital detox in an off-grid setting.

What are the top luxury destinations for solo travellers?

Italy, Bali, Greece, and Sri Lanka are popular with solo luxury travellers for their combination of safety, culture, wellness, and boutique-style hospitality.

What are the best local luxury stays in the UK right now?

Chewton Glen, Heckfield Place, Lime Wood Hotel, Double Red Duke, and Thyme offer standout design, service, and character.

What are trending boutique hotel locations and hidden gem stays this year?

Trending locations include Puglia, Menorca, the Cotswolds, the Scottish Highlands, Lisbon, Sri Lanka, Suffolk, Kyoto, Oaxaca, and Cornwall, each with small, design-led hotels and a strong sense of place.

A large, Mediterranean-style villa with a red-tiled roof and multiple stories, surrounded by lush greenery, trees, and landscaped gardens. There is a swimming pool with lounge chairs and umbrellas nearby, in a scenic rural area with rolling hills in

Modern house with infinity pool, outdoor seating, and minimalist patio on a sunny day amid trees and greenery.

Luxurious outdoor swimming pool surrounded by lounge chairs with umbrellas, lush greenery, and stone buildings on a hillside under a bright blue sky.

Interior of a bright, elegant lounge with large arched windows, a central bar with a variety of bottles, and comfortable seating including pink and patterned chairs, a glass ceiling, and potted plants.

Elegant library room with wooden bookshelves filled with books, ornate ceiling, and a mix of white and teal chairs around a wooden table with vases and flowers, large windows with drapes, and a portrait on the wall.

Overwater bungalow with a private pool, deck chairs, umbrellas, and ocean view under a blue sky.

Lulu’s Luxury Lifestyle & Travel

Articles, Travel Inspiration and Hotel Reviews

Wellness brands, luxury hotels, reviews, features, articles, little hidden gems, shops, travel tips, travel guides, websites, products and restaurants.

#lulusluxurylifestyle

Lulu Townsend 12/01/2026 Lulu Townsend 12/01/2026

The best new small boutique hotel openings in 2026

I always pay attention when Tablet Hotels rounds up its tiniest new openings. Small hotels tell you everything about intent. There is nowhere to hide. Every decision matters.

These are the new small boutique openings that stand out. All small. All confident. All places I would happily book.

Lulu Townsend 23/12/2025 Lulu Townsend 23/12/2025

The UK hotel scene is having a quietly confident moment.

The UK hotel and B&B scene is have a makeover and it’s less about design and more about the experience and community. Here are some top new boutique hotel, luxury B&B and pub openings to look out for in 2026.

Lulu Townsend 01/12/2025 Lulu Townsend 01/12/2025

The Merchant’s Yard: From 1930’s Hardware Store to Boutique Stay

Once a builder’s merchants, now a stunning restaurant with eight rooms. The Merchant’s Yard in Tideswell in the heart of the Peak District is a little hidden gem. The eight rooms all on the ground floor are large and luxurious with the attention to detail usually reserved for boutique hotels.

Lulu Townsend 31/07/2024 Lulu Townsend 31/07/2024

Cubitt House: Where the Art of Hospitality Meets Foodie Heaven

Cubitt House - an exceptional collection of pubs and pubs with rooms across London including The Grazing Goat and The Princess Royal.

Lulu Townsend 13/06/2024 Lulu Townsend 13/06/2024

Beaverbrook, Surrey, UK

Beaverbrook in Surrey, one of the best luxury hotels and spas in the UK. I reviewed in April 2024.

Lulu Townsend 27/09/2023 Lulu Townsend 27/09/2023

Dittisham Hideaway, Devon

Dittisham Hideaway in Devon, an idyllic holiday for all of the family and four-legged friends.

Lulu Townsend 07/06/2023 Lulu Townsend 07/06/2023

Lulu’s Guide to London's Most Enchanting Boutique Hotels | Top 20 Hotels

Top 20 boutique hotels in London

Lulu Townsend 14/04/2023 Lulu Townsend 14/04/2023

Find Your Perfect Boutique Hotel in the UK | Lulu’s Top Picks

Lulu’s selection of some of the best boutique hotels in the UK.

Lulu Townsend 04/04/2023 Lulu Townsend 04/04/2023

City Slickers

Some of the best boutique hotels in the city! A hideaway in Marrakech, a glorious bolthole in London, a cute boutique hotel in Florence, a hip hideaway in Palermo, a little hidden gem in Pimlico, a luxury spa hotel in Bath and an elegant hotel in Lisbon.

Lulu Townsend 13/09/2021 Lulu Townsend 13/09/2021

London’s Calling

London’s calling…it’s open and buzzing! Book a night or two in one of these brilliantly positioned boutique hotels..

Lulu Townsend 06/04/2021 Lulu Townsend 06/04/2021

British Coastal Retreats

Discover some of the best boutique hotels by the British seaside.

Lulu Townsend 30/03/2021 Lulu Townsend 30/03/2021

The Anchor at Walberswick

The Anchor at Walberswick is one of the best places to eat on the Suffolk coast. Dog-friendly, this friendly village local has fantastic outside space, a wood-fire pizza oven and a heated marquee in the garden. Great food, great service and also a great place to stay in Suffolk.

Lulu Townsend 13/03/2021 Lulu Townsend 13/03/2021

Cary Arms Hotel & Spa, Devon

Carys Arms Hotel & Spa, Devon

Lulu Townsend 09/02/2021 Lulu Townsend 09/02/2021

Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall

Grantley Hall, luxury hotel in Yorkshire has an enviable spa. Three Graces focuses on the holistic re-balancing of your emotional, physical and mental wellbeing.

Lulu Townsend 24/01/2021 Lulu Townsend 24/01/2021

Hotel News

New rooms and suites to open at luxury hotel The Newt in Somerset.

Lulu’s Luxury Lifestyle & Travel

Articles, Travel Inspiration and Hotel Reviews

Wellness brands, luxury hotels, reviews, features, articles, little hidden gems, shops, travel tips, travel guides, websites, products and restaurants.

Follow @lulusluxurylifestyle