Hotel Types Explained
From boutique hotels to overwater bungalows, ryokans to glamping — a comprehensive guide to every type of accommodation you'll encounter.
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Boutique Hotel
An independently-owned property typically with fewer than 100 rooms, emphasising unique design, personalised service, and a distinct character. Unlike chain hotels, every boutique hotel is different. Read our full guide.
Luxury Hotel
A five-star (or above) property offering the highest standards of service, amenities, and design. Typically features multiple restaurants, a full-service spa, concierge, and attention to detail that anticipates guest needs.
Resort
A self-contained hotel complex designed for leisure stays, typically in beach, mountain, or countryside settings. Resorts offer on-site dining, activities, pools, and entertainment, meaning guests may never need to leave the property.
All-Inclusive Resort
A resort where accommodation, meals, drinks, and often activities are included in a single price. Popular in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Mediterranean. Are they worth it?
Ryokan
A traditional Japanese inn featuring tatami-matted rooms, futon bedding, communal onsen (hot spring) baths, and kaiseki multi-course dining. A quintessentially Japanese hospitality experience. Japan hotel guide.
Riad
A traditional Moroccan house built around a central courtyard, typically converted into a guesthouse. Riads offer intimate, atmospheric stays with ornate tilework, plunge pools, and rooftop terraces.
Aparthotel
A hybrid between an apartment and a hotel, offering kitchen facilities and more space while retaining hotel services like reception, housekeeping, and sometimes restaurants. Popular for longer stays.
Capsule Hotel
Originating in Japan, capsule hotels provide compact sleeping pods with minimal amenities — a bed, light, and power outlet. Modern capsule hotels have evolved into design experiences, especially in Tokyo, Singapore, and European cities.
Design Hotel
A hotel where architecture and interior design are the primary attraction. Design hotels are curated for aesthetics-conscious travellers and often feature work by notable architects or designers. Browse design hotels.
Eco-Lodge
An environmentally-focused accommodation, often in remote natural settings, built using sustainable materials and powered by renewable energy. Eco-lodges prioritise minimal environmental impact while providing comfortable stays. Eco-friendly collection.
Heritage Hotel
A hotel housed in a historically significant building — a palace, fort, monastery, or mansion — that has been converted while preserving its architectural character. Historic hotels.
Overwater Bungalow
A freestanding room built on stilts over water, typically a lagoon or ocean. Popularised by the Maldives and French Polynesia, overwater bungalows often feature glass floor panels and direct water access. Best overwater bungalows.
Lodge
A hotel in a wilderness or safari setting, designed to immerse guests in nature. Safari lodges in Africa, mountain lodges in Patagonia, and wilderness lodges in Alaska offer proximity to wildlife and landscapes that conventional hotels can't match.
Pension / Guesthouse
A small, family-run accommodation typically offering bed and breakfast. Common in Europe (pensione in Italy, pension in Germany/Austria), pensions provide a personal, intimate alternative to larger hotels.
Hostel
Budget accommodation offering shared dormitory rooms and communal facilities. Modern hostels have evolved significantly, with many now offering private rooms, stylish design, and social programming — blurring the line with budget boutique hotels.
Serviced Apartment
A furnished apartment available for short or long stays, with hotel-like services (cleaning, concierge, reception). Ideal for business travellers, relocations, and extended stays where kitchen access and extra space are priorities.
Glamping
Glamorous camping: luxury tent or structure accommodation in natural settings. From Moroccan desert camps to African safari tents and treehouse hotels, glamping combines outdoor immersion with comfortable amenities.
Wellness Retreat
A hotel or resort specifically designed around health and wellbeing programmes. Typical offerings include yoga, meditation, spa treatments, clean eating, and digital detox. Wellness hub.