An Exploration of the Experiential Nature of Boutique Accommodation

Abstract

There has been increased attention given in the tourism literature to the experiential consumption of tourism. This article addresses the lack of attention in previous studies to the experiential nature of accommodation products, especially with regard to boutique or specialist accommodation. Attention to tourists’ experiences with accommodation is essential for determining guest satisfaction and the personal benefits that guests derive from their stay. In-depth interviews with 19 hosts and 30 guests at boutique accommodation establishments in Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand highlighted the emotive aspects of the experiences gained by guests and revealed five key experiential dimensions that are seen as important to the success of boutique accommodation product: unique character, personalized, homely, quality, and value added. Ways in which the experiential qualities offered by boutique accommodation are perceived to differ from that provided by other traditional and specialist types of accommodation are also discussed.

Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF): The Alternative Farm Stay Experience?

“…The sampling and case study approach are consistent with previous studies of the visitor experience (e.g. Beeho & Prentice, 1997;McIntosh & Siggs, 2005;Thyne, 2001). The interviews were undertaken at 12 WWOOF farms in the Canterbury region of the south island of New Zealand during the autumn season of 2001.…”

“…An increasing number of studies have examined the nature of the experiences provided for tourists at cultural and landscape attractions or boutique accommodation (see, for example, Beeho & Prentice, 1997;McIntosh & Siggs, 2005;Prentice et al, 1994Prentice et al, , 1998Schanzel & McIntosh, 2000). These studies provide an understanding of how tourism encounters are personally meaningful to visitors and the unique benefits and satisfaction that can result from such encounters.…”

A Visitor Experience Scale: Historic Sites and Museums

“…Also focusing on the tourists' accommodation stay experiences, albeit from a different angle and being tailored to boutique type hotels, McIntosh and Siggs's (2005) research detects five core experiential factors, namely, unique character, personalized, homely, quality, and value added.…”

Butik Otellerin Karakteristik Özelliklerinin Saptanması

“…Bir kısmı işe "butik" kelimesini tanımlayarak ya da "neler butiktir" sorusuna cevap arayarak başlarken, bir kısmı butik otel ve butik konaklamaya ait özelliklerden yola çıkarak bir tanım oluşturmaya çalışmıştır [4,10,13,17]. Kimi araştırmacılar ise butik konaklamayı sıradan bir otel konaklamasından ayıran özellikleri belirlemeye çalışarak tanım geliştirmek istemiştir [7,18].…”