Boutique hotels offer vacationers a fun, comfortable and pampering vacation experience that combines all the qualities of the big hotels with the intimacy and personal approach that characterize accommodation in luxury B&Bs.

The trend of boutique hotels began somewhere in the eighties of the 20th century in the big and touristic cities of Europe and the United States. In Israel, they have been a popular destination for lovers of luxury vacations for many years.

Nowadays, boutique hotels can be found in many touristic and popular areas of the country, both in the big cities and in the rural settlements. Most of the boutique hotels are intended for romantic couples only, but nowadays there are also those suitable for family vacations.

If you're planning a vacation at a boutique hotel, here's everything you need to know before booking.

First, it should be noted that there are different types of boutique hotels, which differ from each other in many parameters.

The main difference is the number of suites in the hotel. There are boutique hotels that contain five to six suites, and there are also those that offer several dozen accommodation units. Generally, the smaller the number of suites in a boutique hotel, the more family-like the atmosphere will be, and the more personal the treatment. On the other hand, a boutique hotel with a larger number of rooms will convey a more elegant and solid feeling and offer guests more services, such as, for example, a restaurant, a cafe, a complex for lectures, workshops or performances.

The second difference lies in the hospitality style of the boutique hotels. For example, boutique hotels located in rural areas often offer a peaceful, relaxing vacation, full of the pleasures of the body and nature. In rural boutique hotels, located both in the north of the country and in the south, guests will often find a spa center that offers a wide variety of body and soul treatments, a restaurant, leisure complexes containing a swimming pool, sometimes even heated and covered. They are usually located in a pastoral and picturesque area, next to panoramic natural landscapes.

Boutique hotels located in urban areas - in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem, offer guests the opportunity to enjoy all the attractions of the city. For the most part, they are located in central locations, close to all the most desirable tourist, cultural, commercial and culinary sites of the city. Often, urban boutique hotels are housed in restored ancient buildings, providing guests with an exceptional experience.

Many of the boutique hotels in Israel offer themed accommodation. For example, in some of them the main topic is health. Boutique hotels of this type will offer, in addition to various types of spa treatments, workshops and lectures on a healthy lifestyle and sometimes even vegetarian and vegan menus for breakfast and dinner. Other boutique hotels focus on a variety of diverse topics such as cuisine, wine or art.

Well, although in Israel there is no official definition of a boutique hotel, it is customary to define it as an intimate and non-mass accommodation, which is characterized by high-quality service, original design, an elegant, peaceful and pleasant atmosphere, and in general - a higher level of hospitality than the standard. Just like in standard hotels, guests are received here in the lobby, by a receptionist. The guests enjoy room service, breakfasts, mini bar, help in planning the trip around the hotel, and the leisure facilities located on its premises. However, boutique hotels offer a different experience than the guests of large hotels. The feeling of privacy and intimacy is created due to the limited number of guests and the strictness of silence and cleanliness in all areas of the hotel.