The Rise Of The Luxury Hotel Industry

When going on holiday with family or friends, there is always the growing concern of the kind of accommodation you are looking to stay at and whether you will be needing all of the services offered. It seems that most hotels compete with each other in providing high quality service standards, as well as a comfortable short-term stay.

Hotels have come a long way since the term was coined from the French word, meaning a townhouse or building that welcomes visitors. Historically hotels have existed as far back as the Biblical times, when Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem. Historically the bible states that they were refused accommodation as there were no room left at the inn - these were nothing like a luxury hotel that we would associate with today.

History

The term hospitality derived from the Latin word meaning 'host or 'hospice'. It would not be until the Roman period that hotels became more commonly associated with this term, as prior to this a hotel was nothing more than a house that allowed guests to stay. There was no such thing as a catering service and this certainly was not a booming business venture; until the Romans came along and changed the face of the hotel business forever.

In an effort to bring in more guests, inns and hotels introduced catering services for the more pleasure-seeking travellers. The first recorded luxury hotel in America opened its doors in Boston of 1809, along with the first business hotel in 1908. Prior to this there was an abundance of Inns and lodgings spread out across America, with the first inn dating as far back as the year 1607.

The first hotels in London were not apparent until the 19th century, with more railway inns and taverns used as common rental lodging for the rich. Even then, they were relatively smaller than their counterparts in America and were still very different from the luxury hotel as we are familiar with now. There was not a strong a tourist industry during this period and the rich tended to rent out house lodging or coaching inn.

Hotels began picking up their reputation around later 19th century, with a surge of hotels spreading across the globe in early twentieth century. Famous brands that are still prominent today were one of the first to popularise the hospitality industry. Such names include Radisson, Marriott and Hilton. All of which introduced luxury hotels and business hotels.

Modern Hotels

Today hotels are in every corner of the globe and have become a multi-million pound business industry. Hotels now come in varying segments such as, budget hotels for those looking for adequate catering services without the worry of spending above their budget. Business hotels providing all the necessary amenities for business people including complimentary newspaper delivery, iron, ironing board, coffee maker, alarm clock, high-speed internet connectivity and a comfortable bed. Luxury hotels, with lavish decor and superior amenities making the experience of staying more about pampering the guests and providing exquisite service.

Gone are the days whereby hotels are just a place to sleep and have a roof over your head for a short period. Hotels are more about experiencing good service, entertainment and maintaining a good reputation, which in turn have made them more competitive in their approach to attracting guests to stay.Anna Stenning loves to stay in a luxury hotel once in a while, when travelling abroad on holiday. For more information on different luxurious high quality hotels visit www.treasurebeachhotel.com/