Boutique hotels are small, personal, luxurious, often run by a few people or the owners themselves. A boutique hotel in Switzerland has usually less than 30 rooms with standard of 4-5 stars. What is the secret of profit of all boutique hotels?
The concept of small luxurious facilities contradicts, according to Maria Büeler Zischler, director of Alden Splügenschloss boutique hotel in Zurich, the usual targets taught at every hotel school and the policy of the bigger, the better. How can the boutique hotels be successful?
To combine luxury, small size and personal attitude is definitely not an easy task, claims Manuel Berger the general manager of the 4-star hotel Matthiol in Zermatt, whose restaurant was awarded 13 Gault Millau points, reported Htr.ch.
Berger has run the 23 room hotel for three years now and the essential requirement is clear for him – the hotel must be self-supporting. To assure profit it is necessary to pay attention to two things: first thing is the utilization and second is to keep the cost under control, especially the costs for staff.
That means that it is necessary to have highly qualified staff to assure that the guests are provided high quality service. In Matthiol there are 13 employees for about 55 guests. It means that there are 1.6 people per room. 1.15 is however a standard in this category.
In the 23-room 4-star Hotel Caprice in Wengen, which is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World are, according to the directors Brigitte and Franz Herger, only 7 staff members. Franz Herger claims that in such a hotel it is necessary to participate fully. If he is not at the front desk, he helps the others with the usual tasks. The team must be flexible and be willing to work hard. Quality and well-trained staff is a necessity.