Hotels Go Budget Boutique

A new hotel hybrid, offering boutique aesthetics at budget chain prices, is poised to open across the nation this spring. The hotels trade on the hip design and high-tech amenities popularized by boutique hotels, but at less than $150 a night. The concession will be in location—most are planned for suburban and airport  site—and a lean-staff, do-it-yourself approach.

These so-called "ilfestyle" hotels hope that guests will check themselves in via lobby kiosks and forgo room service to buck hotel room rates that have been skyrocketing since 2002. Loft-like construction, while stylish, will further lowerscosts, with features like polished concrete lobby floors that are cheap and easy to clean. (More Travel stories.)