Even though the pandemic canceled many travel plans this year, there are still numerous ways you can help friends and relatives experience your favorite hotels. You could try something as small as buying the popular handmade granola at a destination hotel restaurant or as big as ordering the same sumptuous bed that’s in your regular hotel haunts.
We scoured properties all over the world to find gifts that will transport the travelers in your life to places like The Berkeley in London, One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius and The St. Regis New York. The choices below are sure to delight the people you love this holiday season, or perhaps serve as a well-deserved gift for yourself after the momentous events of this year.
Granola from The Inn at Little Washington
Chef Patrick O’Connell’s mother advised him that if his new Northern Virginia restaurant didn’t work out, he should peddle his mouthwatering granola door to door. Forty-two years later, his Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant is among the world’s best dining destinations, and the granola remains a breakfast staple.
Order a tin of oats studded with coconut, nuts and sesame seeds or upgrade to the Flight from the Kitchen gift box, which includes the granola, jams, roasted nuts and a spiced pineapple treat.
Pique Kimono Bathrobe from H by Frette
While hotel bathrobes are synonymous with thick terry, properties like The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego, Wymara Resort and Villas in Turks and Caicos, Jumby Bay Island in Antigua and Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach offer their guests this lightweight kimono. Crafted in Turkey, the robe is made of breathable cotton pique. It’s an excellent gift for travelers who already have a collection of traditional robes or prefer a looser and more airy alternative.
One&Only Heritage Collection by Jay Ahr
These bespoke vintage Louis Vuitton Keepalls are like passport stamps from One&Only properties. Every resort has two bags embroidered by Jay Ahr that celebrate the destination.
One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos Resort’s bag bears the same gold insignia on the Mexican passport that says “Estados Unidos Mexicanos” and another is covered with colorful Day of the Day skulls. One&Only Le Saint Géran waves the Mauritius flag on its canvas monogram, with the distressed embroidery signifying the individual journey of the nation, while its paisley print edition nods to the Seven Coloured Earths, a geological formation made from rains that carved patterns into the hillside.
Lobster baby bib from Cliff House Maine
Plastic lobster bibs are de rigueur around these parts, but this adorable cotton version is solely for little ones who don’t yet have enough teeth to sink into one of Nubb’s fresh lobster rolls or sinful totchos (tater tot nachos with lobster chunks, cheese sauce and jalapeño cheese curds). But it’s good to get them hooked when they are young. (The sold-out bibs will be restocked in the second or third week of December.)
St. Regis Bloody Mary Set by Saint-Louis
The bloody mary became the signature drink of The St. Regis brand after bartender Fernand Petiot perfected it at the NYC hotel in 1934. In honor of the vodka-and-tomato-juice libation, the brand teamed with French crystal maker Saint-Louis to craft Tommy highball glasses. The set of four comes in brilliant shades of sky blue, red, chartreuse and dark blue, and it’s accompanied by 10 bloody mary recipes from St. Regis properties worldwide (each finding local inspiration), including the original from New York.
Prêt-à-Portea china set from The Berkeley
The London hotel’s Prêt-à-Portea brings the trends of the catwalk onto the plate, making for the city’s most fashionable afternoon tea. While the rotating pastries and other bites take shape as the season’s hottest dress or purse, the diamond-patterned Bernardaud china used in the service never goes out of style. The teapot, creamer and four cups and saucers will please both fashionistas and tea aficionados.
“Wish You Were Here” sweater from The Mark
These unisex cashmere sweaters capture the ennui of jet-setters who have been grounded by the pandemic. The front says, “Wish You Were Here,” and the back reads, “The Mark.” They are made by ready-to-wear label Lingua Franca in subdued gray with navy stitching or the bolder navy with orange.
Wood straws from The Capitol Hotel Tokyu
When the Tokyo hotel ditched plastic straws in its bars and restaurants in 2019, it replaced them with these wood alternatives. Not only are they eco-friendly (they come from timber sourced from forest thinning), they are elegant: the straws can be inscribed with a message or a name. To buy some personalized straws, visit or call the hotel’s business center.
Silver Oyster Shell Sea Salt Cellar at Adare Manor
When dining at The Oak Room, the noted restaurant inside this sprawling Limerick estate, you’ll notice a silver-plated oyster shell on the table. Crack open the top and you’ll find the gilded interior holds sea salt from Sylt, Germany, which you can sprinkle onto your food using the accompanying silver-plated spoon. Elevate your own dinner table by adding this salt cellar to the spread.
Art from The Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa
To commemorate its 40th anniversary, the Houston hotel commissioned a series of watercolor paintings showcasing the property and its lovely grounds and gardens. Giclées of these works hang in the newly renovated guest rooms, but you also can take them home — the Gift Shop of The Houstonian Hotel and The Shop at The Houstonian Club sell the colorful pieces.
The Fairmont Signature Sleep Experience
If you can’t check in at Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver; Fairmont Royal Pavilion, Barbados; or Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland and crawl into their sleep-inducing beds, re-create the experience at home. The hotel brand will deliver a Fairmont Signature Bed — the same one used in its top accommodations — along with linens and pillows. Slip under the down duvet, close your eyes and the plush pillowtop mattress will transport you to other lands.
Signature Paraiso Tote from Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort
Carry around this roomy tote bag bearing an image of Las Ventanas’ breathtaking pool as a reminder of carefree, sun-filled days in Los Cabos. When you’re ready to return to the Mexico hideaway, the hand-held tote with water-resistant white leather trim will transition into a beach bag. It’s part of a limited-time collection of handbags inspired by the resort from celebrity designer Tyler Ellis.
Royce’ chocolates from The Venetian Resort Las Vegas
Although you can’t fly to Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, you still can get a taste of it at this boutique inside the Vegas mega resort’s Grand Canal Shoppes. Since 1983, Royce’ has been one of Japan’s top chocolatiers. Try its Nama line, which uses smooth chocolate and fresh cream. The Nama matcha blends white chocolate, cream, green tea and a touch of brandy into neat green squares.
Ornament from The Tokyo Station Hotel
Get into the holiday spirit by purchasing this wood heart made of cypress chips. Since 2015, each year the Tokyo hotel has designed and sold a Christmas ornament to benefit a charity. This year’s proceeds will help More Trees, a forest conservation organization led by Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto that works with local communities. After the holidays, you can repurpose the ornament into a diffuser by putting essential oils on it. Call the hotel for details.
Marble pouf from The Miami Beach EDITION
Peek inside the chic white-on-white lobby at this Miami Beach hotel and you’ll spot this marble pouf, which looks like an oversized Carrara marble ball sculpture, resting on the ground. But the soft 19-inch sphere actually serves as a footrest or flexible seat. Nab a made-in-Italy pouf to decorate a living room or bedroom.
Honey set from Twin Farms
Set on 300 bucolic acres in Southern Vermont, this boutique hotel has its own apiary. The resident bees collectively travel about 40,000 miles and visit more than a million flowers to produce this 12-ounce jar of raw wildflower honey, which is then gently filtered and minimally warmed. The set also comes with a honey jar from a local potter and a wooden dipper for easy drizzling.
Manor Candle from Rosewood Miramar Beach
Hotels know that one of the key ways to conjure up ambiance is through scent. Do the same at home by lighting up this candle and taking in the oceanfront Montecito hotel’s official fragrance, which has notes of oud, sandalwood, cedarwood, vanilla, amber, musk, nutmeg and frankincense. The candle will burn for up to about 60 hours.
