Most hotels are part of chains, which ensures a certain level of services and consistent price ranges. This is great for business travelers who don’t need personalized service and are fine with having a generic experience. But in the last few year even large chains are taking their inspiration from boutique resorts and individualizing their properties for vacationers. But boutique hotels are still different. They can offer a smaller, more personal experience that just can’t be duplicated en-masse.

Boutique hotels are intimate, luxurious, and unique. They usually have less than 100 rooms, but more rooms than a typical B&B. Florida, in fact, is one of the places in which boutique hotels have flourished. Curry Mansion Inn in Key West is a prime example – it has a unique history, a great location walking-distance from nightlife, and quality service. The house was built in 1855 and named after Key West’s first millionaire, William Curry, a Bahamian immigrant who made his money scavenging shipwrecks. The house’s designs reflects a “wrecker’s” aesthetic with Victorian influences that span the East Coast, and even its location – less than a mile from a private beach – harkens to its pirate past. The mansion hosts breakfast and a cocktail party daily for guests staying in its 28 antique-filled rooms. You can’t mass-produce character like this; and character is what boutique hotels are all about. Rooms start at $217.

The best boutique hotels give insight into your destination. The International House in New Orleans is one of those hotels. Every fiver of the place, from its decor to food served at the Rambla restaurant, reflects contemporary New Orleans.

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