The title of Chic Retreats‘ website is:
Boutique hotel collection – Chic Retreats is a portfolio of hip hotels, small luxury hotels, boutique hotels and charming hotels all with less than 30 rooms.
Now that is a cry from my heart, as the term “Boutique Hotel” (I found a description at Hospitality Net in an article from Lucienne Anhar dating back to 2001) seems to have been devaluated to “Just another Boutique Hotel”, certainly now Ian Schrager, somehow the inventor, or at least an avid promoter, of the term “Boutique Hotel” has announced a new cooperation with good old Bill Marriott..the multi hundred room hotel advocate…
I tagged Chic Retreats on my Deli Icio Us page on August 19, 2006. However I am sure I had the link between my favorites much earlier.
Last week I clicked them again coincidentally and I quickly found two hotels from my wish list – Sezz in Paris and Hollmann Beletage in Vienna – in their portfolio. So, on a spur -or should I say a whim?-, I filled out their form to become a member hotel. I got an immediate answer that showed acceptable flat rates and no commissions. I answered back our interest immediately. Today, cecking my e-mail: Big surprise: I found that Lulu , the owner of the site, had put our Haagsche Suites already on the website. Now that is really quick! Chapeau!
Side note:
Editing this post is slowed down considerably by the America’s Cup Anywhere application while waiting for the postponed start of what is probably the last race in the 32nd Auld Mug Match (who said man cannot do two or more things at the same time?) …Ok, “race abandoned” it says now. I am glad I am not on the race committee there! AC Anywhere clicked away and further concentrating on this post:..
The Chic Retreats site is nice, user friendly, quick, with one disadvantage though: It doesn’t offer links to the properties….and the site does not offer much information about Lulu.
Some research brings to the surface from Live Style Retreats:
Lulu Townsend is a qualified tennis coach and a qualified reflexologist.
She speaks French, Spanish and Italian and has lived in all three countries – 36 yrs young, dynamic and passionate about small hotels – she was responsible for marketing of her parent’s hotel Palazzo Terranova, one of the finest country house hotels in Italy.
She really believes that quality doesn’t always have to only mean luxury and high prices but personal service and attention to detail – guests like to be a person and not just a room number.
Lulu is married with a two young beautiful daughters.
Additionally I found a Food and Wine interview with her.
More admiration here, as she is attending the Luxury Travel Fair in London this weekend, changes her website in between while undoubtedly changing some diapers under way, and does not even go to see tennis at Wimbledon (or taste the strawberries there)!
Congrats to Chic Retreats on making it this far in the Boutique and Luxury Hotel game. However, other sites such as that promote the boutique hotel concept deserve credit as well.