In its annual Luxury Travel Trends Report, SLH outlines six themes which it believes will be shaping the market for the coming year.
The report says dispersed hotels, which offer rooms in separate properties around one region, will become increasingly in demand.
They offer a new way to experience a destination by creating a micro-community which stretches beyond the walls of one property.
SHL has also predicted that upskilling will be popular, with products already on the market offering opportunities to learn new skills or access specialists.
For example, guests at 121 Hotel in Nashville can have private songwriter sessions.
A range of wellness packages will continue to attract customers, SHL said, such as indigenous spa rituals including hay baths, volcanic mud treatments and Ayurvedic therapies.
The report cites The Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa in California, which is the first hotel to introduce a sleep fitness programme.
Other trends include eco-conscious travel and a focus on more natural food.
“SLH has been the trailblazer for small independent hotels and we champion the imaginative and diverse voices that help shape our collective and bring inspiration to the world of wanderlust,” said Jean-Francois Ferret, chief executive at SHL.
“As we celebrate three decades as the pioneer of boutique in 2020, we are delighted to share these insights and in doing so praise our hotels that continue to bring the most individual, intimate and intense travel experiences to our discerning guests.”
SHL also names destinations to watch as Bhutan, Nepal, Azerbaijan, Tel Aviv and Montenegro.
Small Boutique Hotel openings in 2020 include The Celino South Beach in Miami, Torre Del Marques in Spain and the Lost Horizons Resort and Spa in Nepal.
