Perks are one of the best parts of a hotel stay. Who doesn’t love a complimentary welcome drink, fluffy slippers or an in-room Nespresso maker? But these days, hotels aim to go beyond the expected extras and dazzle guests with one-of-a-kind amenities. From pet wedding officiants to customizable fireworks displays, hotels have raised the bar on amenities across the globe.
Check out these over-the-top hotel perks that are guaranteed to impress:
For Fashionable Outdoor Enthusiasts: Barbour Borrowing Closet
Cape Cod’s Five-Star Wequassett Resort & Golf Club partnered with iconic British lifestyle brand Barbour to create the complimentary Borrowing Closet, an onsite collection of Wellington boots and waxed coats and jackets for guests to use. Opt for the Field Guide package that includes outdoor activities, like tennis lessons and clam boating tours, and thanks to the Borrowing Closet, a wardrobe to match.
For Accessory Aficionados: Designer Bags for Borrow
Packing multiple handbags for different outfits takes up valuable luggage real estate. When you stay at Four Seasons Hotel Houston, you’ll no longer have to stuff your suitcase. Partnering with Vivrelle, a lending closet club of designer handbags and accessories, the Four-Star hotel offers new and vintage purses from high-fashion brands like Prada, Dior and Gucci to borrow during your stay for free.
For Dog Lovers: Marriage by a Mountain Dog
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, a Forbes Travel Guide Recommended property in Beaver Creek, Colorado, has a beloved unofficial mascot: Bachelor, a St. Bernard/Bernese mountain dog. Bachelor doesn’t just welcome guests, he marries them, too. Since Colorado has a self-solemnizing marriage law, dogs can legally serve as wedding officiants. Bachelor stands ready to serve as your witness for your marriage ceremony at the hotel and help you celebrate your puppy love.
For Athletes: Marathon Amenities & Fitness Lending Kits
Westin Hotels & Resorts is doubling down on supporting guests who love to break a sweat. It rolled out revamped gear lending kits at properties spanning from The Westin Miyako Kyoto to The Westin Dragonara Resort in Malta. The Bala kit features yoga equipment ideal for in-room workouts, while Hyperice’s kit contains percussive therapy tools to help your muscles recover after a long flight or strenuous workout.
And the brand recently unveiled marathoner care at select properties, including New York and Boston. These in-hotel marathon zones include training and recovery sessions with Hyperice and Bala instructors, healthy snacks on marathon days, pom poms and cowbells for fans to cheer you on as you race and curated itineraries for post-marathon sightseeing.
For Pyrotechnic Fans: Customized Fireworks
Book the 28,000-square-foot Ty Warner Mansion at Five-Star Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, and you’ll receive lots of perks, like a personal chef and a bar stocked with high-end tequilas. But the most over-the-top amenity is a personalized fireworks show. A special app allows you to choose a pre-designed pyrotechnic display or make a bespoke one with your own playlist from the world’s first “firework menu.” It’s hard to choose between hot-pink crackling-tail comets or glittering rainbow Roman candles, but either one will be downright fabulous.
For Collectors: Art Concierge
New Mexico’s Santa Fe — the third-largest art market in the U.S. — houses more than 250 galleries. That’s a lot to sort through when searching for the ideal addition to your collection. The Four-Star Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe launched the country’s first art concierge program to aid in the task. The concierge customizes your art shopping itinerary based on budget, artwork style preferences and length of visit.
For Bespoke Travelers: Monogrammed Linens
The in-the-know Los Angeles treasure L’Ermitage Beverly Hills excels at making you feel at home. Besides taking copious notes about your preferences to tailor your next stay, the Five-Star hotel monograms your initials on pillowcases in your room and on the dinner napkins at the hotel’s fine dining L’Restaurant. (Just make sure to note which initials you’d like to be monogrammed on the napkins when you make your L’Restaurant reservation.)
For Ancestry Seekers: Tartan Butler
Five-Star The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Edinburgh offers a specialized butler to help guests trace their Scottish roots and associated family tartan. The tartan butler can also arrange a trip to Kinloch Anderson — one of the capital’s premier kilt shops — for a fitting. Or make it a family affair: the tartan butler can plan a bespoke family history tour of your ancestral sights for up to six with a driver and guide.
For Kids: Rolls-Royce Toy Cart
When you check in at the Five-Star Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai, Rolley — a white mini Rolls-Royce cart — greets your kids with an array of take-home books, stuffed animals and other toys that would even impress Santa. Rolley also delivers sweet treats to each floor every afternoon. Although not complimentary, Rolls-Royce Phantoms are available for adults to rent, too.
Stay tuned for our 2024 Star Awards announcement on February 7, 2024.
