Townhouse and Boutique Hotels

The Townhouse Hotel
In Britain, most Townhouses are connected or terraced, but, not all. Bath, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Bristol and London have the grandest Townhouses of all. These homes are and have always been City centre dwellings for wealthy families, aristocrats and nobles. These properties tended to be used during the social season, a period of parties, balls, and sporting events. The majority of the time, aristocratic families spent time living on their country estates. 

Scale
Some townhouses in London can have seven or eight levels and cover anything from 6,000 sq. ft. to 50,000 sq. ft. or more. Why may you ask? Why so much space? When high-society lived in Cities, there was a requirement for armies of servants to cook, clean and serve, of course. Even though some buildings are massive, to create an alluring hotel space, adjoining homes have been knocked together to provide the area needed, much like 11 Cadogan Gardens. 

The Boutique Hotel
The first city to have a “Boutique Hotel” was? Yes, you have guessed it, London. So you take the Townhouse Hotel, and you add designer features, elements that are individual, cutting edge. The Blakes Hotel in South Kensington opened its doors in 1981. Today the lines are blurred between newly refurbished petite Townhouse hotels and Boutique; both often have unusual quirks.