"For proof that the boutique-hotel revolution has conquered the world, you need look no further than this: a proper luxury boutique hotel in the Azerbaijani capital, the Merchant Baku makes its home in a stately 19th-century building that was once the headquarters of the Caspian Shipping Company, at the heart of the city’s historic district and just a couple of streets over from Baku Boulevard, the seaside promenade." - Tablet Hotels