In an age of luxury with high-end hotels that seem to open every day all over the world… how does a hotel stand out from the five-star crowd? When everyone has a million threads, locally produced products that promise to make your skin glow like a glowing firefly, submissive butler service, and all the other things that make a four-star hotel a five-star hotel – some savvy hoteliers add to their perks, service and experience.
Because it is no longer just about the rooms – it is about so much more. Here are 10 hotels all over the world with really great perks, in which everyone wants to participate.
Singita Kwitonda
Kinigi, Rwanda
This newly opened hotel at the foot of the Rwandan Volcano National Park is simply stunning. It is built from mostly locally sourced materials between three magnificent volcanoes and only minutes away from the starting point of the famous Gorilla Treks – and this is where the great advantage of this hotel comes into play. Packing the trekking equipment for a hike on a steep mountain at the equator is tricky. It is hot. It is cold. It is raining. It is sunny. And then there are the nettles, thorns and mosquitoes. Packing for such a hike can easily fill a suitcase – and leaves little room for anything else. But in Singita Kwitonda you will be provided with the equipment – including waterproof jackets and pants, alligators, gloves and even hiking boots – so you only need to arrive with a bag full of toiletries and day clothes. This is a seriously considered advantage that we have not seen anywhere else.
Viceroy Riviera Maya
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Nowadays everyone is obsessed with wellness and hotels are getting in. On the Mayan Viceroyal Riviera there is a real shaman who usually takes care of his Jardin Pak’al (the garden where he grows herbs used in the Wayak Spa). The shaman greets all guests upon arrival with a free traditional Mayan blessing to bring back the spirit and soul and is available for private meetings.
The Royal Mansour
Marrakesh, Morocco
This property, owned by the King of Morocco, is not only one of the most impressive hotels in the world, but also offers you, in collaboration with the Yves Saint Laurent-Pierre Berge Foundation, exclusive local benefits such as free tickets for the YSL Museum, which is impossible to enter.
The white elephant and the wauwinet
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is beautiful, yes, but it can be difficult to tackle if you don’t have a car to take you to the city(ies). Instead of facing the summer traffic and driving there yourself or getting a rental car, fly in and stay at the White Elephant or Wauwinet. For the duration of your stay, you may drive a BMW SUV of model year 2019.
GoldenEye
Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica
This iconic hotel is all about experiences – and now offers them for free. So enjoy things like guided snorkeling excursions, guided singing bowl meditation and visits to nearby Firefly, the house on the hill where Noel Coward was supposedly Captain Morgan’s lookout – all on the house.
The Chat Whale
New York City, U.S.A.
If you’re a music lover traveling to New York City, visit one of Chatwal’s 14 specialty suites where you’ll receive a red Crosley radio and a vinyl LP collection of famous Broadway musicals. Options include Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Fiddler of the Roof, West Side Story, South Pacific and more. Meanwhile, if you’re with children, they can enjoy a theater playhouse with puppets.
Barcelona Almanac
Barcelona, Spain
This chic hotel is not only within sight of Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, it is also thoughtful. Instead of charging their guests roaming fees, the Almanac gives them an iPhone that guests can use throughout their stay, including free international calls and mobile access to the hotel team.
Belmond Hotel the Cataratas
Iguassu Falls, Brazil
As the only hotel within the Brazilian Iguassu National Park, Belmond Hotel offers Cataratas exclusive access to the park’s waterfalls, both before and after opening hours. As part of the partnership between Belmond and Leica, guests will also receive Leica Trinovid 8x42HD binoculars and a curated map, which will allow them to observe the wildlife over the rainforest up close at daybreak.
Nayara Sources
Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
In the National Park of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, guests of Nayara Springs can
