Each hotel is being equally honored in no particular order.
A great hotel room is more than its bare minimum essentials: an inviting room, a comfortable bed, and a clean bathroom may satisfy your basic hierarchy of needs but aren’t enough to make you a repeat visitor. The details, the little touches, the often overlooked add-ons are what separate the properties you’ll recommend to all of your friends from the ones you’ll forget as soon as you leave.
No, maybe you didn’t book the room because of its incredible minibar, but it was a delightful surprise when you discovered it. Perhaps you didn’t plan on dabbling with a new favorite, family-run line of beauty products in your bathroom, but what a rewarding find it was indeed.
These hotel amenities stay fresh in your memory for years to come, and sometimes, may even end up in your bag on the way home as treat-yourself gifts. From small touches of extra service to robes and pajamas you’ll want to take home, and indulgent ways to make more of the time you spend in your room or exploring the property at large, note these spectacular extras as reasons to book your next stay whether you’re heading to New York, Dubai, or beyond.
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, Dubai
Guests of Dubai’s iconic Jumeirah Burj Al Arab will enjoy an opulent stay, with every detail of its famed two-story suites a sparkling and gilded reminder of the palatial environs, no corner unadorned with marble or gold. You’ll feel like a king, or perhaps sultan, when you put on one of the pillowy-soft, his-and-her silk kimonos awaiting you in the closet. When it comes time for turn-down service, how do bottles of Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil perfume and Hermes H24 cologne for men sound?
Hoshinoya, Karuizawa
Settle into the village life of the Japanese mountains at the Hoshinoya Karuizawa. This locale opened as the first outpost for the hotel brand two decades ago, and each guest is provided with two full clothing sets for their use at the property. One is a cozy set of pajamas for the room, and the other is a set to be worn outdoors, including to meals or the onsen, replete with geta, or Japanese clogs, kimonos, and warm wintertime layers when necessary. Give into the conceit and allow yourself to slow down for the duration of your stay, indulging via a more traditional day-to-day existence.
Desa Potato Head, Bali
Leave it to a beach club turned luxury hotel in Seminyak Bali to have one of the world’s absolute best minibars. At Desa Potato Head, a low-slung wooden coffee table slides open to reveal a working bar, and one with an ocean view, no less. There’s a stainless steel ice bucket and scoop, pre-loaded for your arrival; a full assortment of stirring, shaking, straining, measuring, and prep tools; multiple types of handmade glassware made from recycled glass; a cocktail tutorial booklet with recipe cards; bottled, batched cocktails; and local spirits to deploy with a variety of tonics, sodas, and garnishes. The party downstairs might not even match the party in your room.
Park Lane Hotel, New York City
Check into your room at the Park Lane Hotel and soak up staggering views of Central Park that are worth the price of admission alone. That’s a perk, if not an amenity, but Park Lane has you covered there, too. Consider what they’ve dubbed their Self-Care Speed Dial, an offering in partnership with celebrity makeup artist Nikki DeRoest. Just press “5” on your phone to receive a special delivery of curated beauty products from brands such as Topicals, Caudalie, Ami Cole, and Summer Fridays, in addition to the lineup from Jo Loves already in your bathroom.
Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Some hotels are simply operating at an extra level, and there’s no doubt that Soneva Fushi belongs in that rarefied air. If massive overwater villas with enormous pools and ocean water slides aren’t enough to draw you in, then consider perhaps a trio of gratis gourmet specialty shops. There’s an ice cream parlor with dozens of scoops to select from, a cheese cave that’s ready to satiate any craving day or night, and a chocolate room that’s sure to satisfy even the sweetest of sweet tooths. Work it off on the bike rides from your villa to the beachfront dining area.
Park Hyatt, New York City
When you’re staying at one of New York’s swankiest addresses, right across the road from Carnegie Hall, you can count on a luxe stay. At the Park Hyatt New York, you can also ensure you’re getting some of the best sleep of your life. Book one of the hotel’s Sleep Suites equipped with The Bryte Balance smart bed and its AI-powered functions, such as temperature regulation and mattress firmness control. These large one-bedroom suites also include Virtruvi Essential Diffusers, plush sleeping masks, herbal tea, and even books on the art and science of sleeping well. Nighty night.
The Lafayette, San Diego
With San Diego bar and restaurant wizards CH Projects behind the wheels, The Lafayette has fast become one of the country’s centers of unabashed hotel fun. While you don’t come here for a quiet getaway, you could decide to just hang out in your room, thanks to a loaded minibar that would make the setup in most homes burst with envy. There are full bottles of rare spirits, dozens of smaller format bottles, elegant glassware, high-end bar tools, and garnishes and snacks galore. If you don’t have the bar item you were looking for in this room, you probably don’t need it.
The Ned Nomad, New York City
How many times have you checked into a hotel and been uninterested or unable to use its bathroom products because you disliked the scent? The Ned Nomad solves that problem by providing guests with half a dozen full-size Cowshed products in their showers. Mix and match to your heart’s content, and relish a hotel that cares about your personal health and wellness in every form. There’s an abundance of extra bathroom products as well, a lineup that even includes complimentary in-room condoms and tampons, too, because we’re all adults here aren’t we?
Thyme, Cotswolds UK
Experience the best of the British countryside from a property representative of the charming Cotswolds, Thyme. Its 31 bedrooms, housed in Grade-2 listed buildings, deliver an almost impossible level of quaint, countryside charm. Each is outfitted with offerings from sister brand Bertioli, a lineup of beauty products and home goods from founders Caryn and Milly Hibbert, the mother-and-daughter duo behind the hotel. Enriching, nourishing soaps and balms are representative of the surrounding nature, something the company strives to protect via its membership of 1% For The Planet.
Wildflower Farms, Hudson Valley
Wildflower Farms Resort, Auberge Resorts Collection, is a short drive from New York City but transports guests to what feels like a different, far more relaxing planet. The getaway debuted in September 2022 and boasts 61 cabin accommodations across 141 acres of property dotted with its namesake wildflowers. They aren’t just for show, though, as guests are encouraged to pick their own and make take-home bouquets, a job made easier with the provided in-room gardening gloves and mini shears, as well as wax paper wrapping. Continue getting in touch with nature via offerings such as botanical mixology classes and walking trails straight from your porch, with in-room lanterns and binoculars ensuring you never miss your step or fail to see the sights.
Cover image courtesy of Jumeirah Burj Al Arab
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