Check-In Time

Check-In Time

Hotel industry news and insight, direct from the Source

A Cure For Hotel Boutique Blandness

With the homogenization of boutique hotels and the often-debated definition of what a lifestyle hotel should be, it’s refreshing to find entrepreneurs who are committed to creating unique lodging in this crowded world of boutique blandness.

“It’s not the room, it’s the experience,” is the vision of Austin-based Bunkhouse Management. This unconventional organization operates the spectacular Hotel San Jose in Austin, which I’ve visited many times. The San Jose is located in the heart of gentrified South Congress Avenue and is a fabulous place to take a mini-vacation. After grabbing a coffee at Jo’s, also operated by Bunkhouse, stroll down South Congress Avenue and make frequent stops but be sure to include time for snacks at Big Top Candy Shop. Then head over for chill-time at Zilker Park and the Barton Springs Pool. This natural spring stays a refreshing 68 degrees (f) year-round and draws people from all walks of life. Directly across the street from the San Jose is the Continental Club, Austin’s premier venue for live music since 1957… don’t miss Li’l Cap’n Travis if they’re around. The next morning be sure to dine on migas con hongos at the adjacent El Sol y La Luna.

The latest lodging concept of Bunkhouse is El Cosmico, located an eight-hour drive and worlds apart from Austin in Marfa, Texas, population 2,100. El Cosmico is currently under construction on fifteen acres of land and is becoming “part yurt and hammock hotel, part residential living, part art-house, greenhouse and amphitheatre – a community space that fosters and agitates artistic and intellectual exchange.” It will also include restored trailers for overnight stays.

Since 1979 Marfa has been home to The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati, founded with the specific intention of preserving and presenting to the public permanent large-scale installations by a limited number of artists. Also in Marfa is the Judd Foundation, which maintains and preserves Donald Judd’s living and working spaces. Judd is best known for revolutionizing the practices and attitudes surrounding art making and exhibiting.

Visit the Interesting Places page here on the Hotel Source, Inc. website to discover more places worth knowing about.

Check-In Time starts now

On behalf of Hotel Source, Inc., I’d like to welcome you to our brand-new blog, where starting today we’ll be serving up fresh doses of “hotel industry news and insight” on a regular basis.

I’m Steve Marx, and along with my colleagues Seth Glickman and Dave Ditmars, will be bringing you a mix of news, links, and commentary on topics related to the hospitality industry.

The idea for this blog grew out of the process of updating the content on our website. As we began our online renovation, we started talking about ways to communicate better —and more regularly — with our network of professionals in the hospitality industry. And we realized we had plenty to say: stories to share, articles and ideas to discuss, interesting places to review.

In fact, there were so many things we wanted to talk about that we decided a blog would be the perfect forum —a place where readers can check in with us on a regular basis to find out what’s on our radar and let us know what they think about it.

Thanks for checking in with us, and checking out our new feature. Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the Comments section — or contact the front desk by emailing us directly at info@hotelsource.com.