Boutique Hotel or Guest House?

One of our prospective guests surprised us with the question: "What is the difference between a boutique hotel and a guesthouse?"

Our initial answer was “Come and stay with us, so we can show you!”. The answer is not that simple, though, is it? The question has not let us rest, as both question and answer drill down to the essence of our philosophy. We have reflected over the issue with a glass of red wine, and decided to share our thoughts:

Guesthouse / Bed and Breakfast

Guest houses, often known as Bed and Breakfast in the old world, have usually been lower priced accommodations for guests who could not afford a hotel or where staying in an area not serviced by a hotel. As the name “Bed and Breakfast” suggests, these properties provided a bed and something to eat. The focus is on efficiency and cost effectiveness, less so on the experience of staying somewhere special.

Boutique Hotel

Boutique Hotels, on the other hand, have always been small hotels which are usually focused on design, personalized service and a superior experience. In our mind, hotels are expected to have a restaurant.

So where do we fit in? THE PLATINUM delivers minimalist design, modern architecture and a personalized service. We aim to create a superior experience for our guests. Yet, we have chosen against having our own restaurant, as most of our guests enjoy trying out the many culinary delights of the Cape Town region. Our culinary service is limited to a great start of your daily South Africa adventure in the form of a fresh, lovingly made breakfast.

The answer is:

For us the answer to the question “boutique hotel or guest house?” is simple: THE PLATINUM is a boutique hotel - without a restaurant!