ecent trends in the hospitality ind

ecent trends in the hospitality industry indicate that an increasing number of travelers are seeking boutique hotels. The growth of this sector within the hospitality industry has been spurred by an increasing population with discerning tastes, who value sustainability and who frequent hip, trendy and fashionable urban areas. As these individuals become parents, they need hospitality services that facilitate family travel. Parents desiring an urban boutique hotel setting are challenged to find such accommodations that cater to both children and adults. This proposal fills this growing need. A sustainable boutique hotel concept can be adapted to incorporate the best practices in child-centered design, adult design, and sustainability. After careful review of the literature and evaluation of the industry, it is apparent that there is significant opportunity to reprogram and redesign common hotel spaces and guestrooms, while maintaining a modern, highly stylized design aesthetic. In order to address the challenge of creating an urban boutique hotel that caters equally to children and adults, the following framework of analysis was implemented. This framework included evaluating market conditions; establishing site selection, design and sustainability criteria; and applying the results of this analysis to address the design problem. Research sources used to conduct this analysis consisted of journals, books, and results from a public information survey that assessed the desires of the target market. The proposed design solution was informed by the results of this examination. The market research demonstrated that the proposed redefinition of the boutique hotel concept could be effectively implemented in New York and applied to other metropolitan areas. The results from the public information survey reported that 60% of respondents do not believe boutique hotels cater to family needs and preferences, and 79% of them would be willing to pay more for a boutique hotel if they were more accommodating to families. Successfully redefining the boutique hotel concept for an emerging target market will prove profitable for future developers and investors. More importantly, it provides a viable option to parents searching for hip boutique accommodations that can meet their needs, as well as the needs of their children.