Hotel Indigo

For as long as I can remember, hotel accommodation has been an important aspect of my travels, and the more travelling I accomplish these days, the more importance I attach to the quality and comfort level of hotel choices. This may seem odd, coming from an avid traveller who loves to explore, preferring to optimize her time by spending the majority of it outside the hotel and in and around the city, but when you give it some more thought, it makes absolute sense. Sleep, after all, is a prized commodity, and just one lousy night in a not-so-lovely hotel room can set the tone for the following day and, in turn, the overall experience of your trip.

Unless your company is flying you down to an all-inclusive luxury resort for the purpose of a business conference, or you belong to the jet-setting crowd of the rich and famous, value will factor into the equation when it comes to booking your hotel room, and that's where the concept of Hotel Indigo appeals to one's senses.

Marketed as an "upscale boutique" brand, Hotel Indigo belongs to the InterContinental Hotels Group and is being touted as "the industry's first branded boutique hotel experience," unique in its retail-inspired design concept of keeping up with the pace of change—the change in window displays, if you will—all at affordable prices.

I stayed at one such hotel in St. Petersburg (Florida) and another in Riverhead (New York) earlier this year—two different hotels resulting in two very different experiences ...

While both offered standard Aveda hair and body products (always a bonus in my book of amenities), and service was courteous and professional, the hotel in St. Pete, which appeared to have been converted from a very old mansion, also had the look (chipped paint) and feel (mugginess) and smell (mildew) of a very old mansion, all the while trying to present itself as a trendy boutique hotel. Alas, boutique and trendy it was not.

In fact, I was more comfortable wearing my flip-flops into the shower, which, though spaceous, occupied half the size of the bathroom. This would have been perfectly fine, only it left just enough room to squeeze in a miniature sink, allowing nowhere, besides the hotel's signature wooden stool, which stands awkwardly next to the shower, to place one's bag of toiletries. The bed wasn't much of a consolation either, unless your idea of comfort is sinking into what felt like a 50-year-old mattress, and the dampness in the air certainly didn't help dissipate the distinct odour of mould and mildew in the room.

The hotel in Riverhead, however, was a welcome departure from St. Pete's. The lobby was modern yet inviting, as well as artfully and tastefully furnished. The glass bowl of red jumbo Life Savers candy that graced the reception counter also made the check-in process quite pleasant, if not enjoyable, while the snacks for purchase in the lobby, albeit a bit pricey, offered a great selection of healthy alternatives.

Most importantly, of course, was the guestroom. Clean floors, modern bathroom facilities, bright lights, crisp sheets, and oh-so-comfortable pillows ... all in all, a great experience—one that illustrates the inconsistencies that exist within a hotel chain and that ultimately redeemed, in my mind, Hotel Indigo's reputation as an upscale boutique.