(CNN) - Wood-fired hot tubs. Private plunge pools. Cape Dutch architecture, South Africa's top restaurants on the doorstep, and a cell phone pre-programed with numbers for all the local wineries. The Boutique Hotel Awards recognizes trailblazing, independent hotels across the planet, and representatives from some of the world's most luxurious properties gathered at London's Merchant Taylors' Hall on November 9 for the 2017 awards.