Many individuals like to travel. But few wish to pack.
But travelers are getting help from an unlikely source — hotels.
“Hotels [are] making it easier for guests to leap into their favorite activities without packing or planning upfront,” said Henley Vazquez, CEO and co-founder of the Recent York-based travel agency Fora.
Some hotels have been providing items to travelers “for ages,” she said, but now more are partnering with brands to offer items to travelers during their trips, she said.
“It has been fun to see more brands jumping into the combo, working directly with hotels to offer guests with bespoke products and experiences to make their stay exceptional,” she said.
1. Bulky sporting goods
Some travelers struggle to search out time to exercise on holiday. But for others, there’s simply not enough space for sports attire.
Turks and Caicos’ Amanyara hotel provides tennis balls and racquets, just like other hotels, nevertheless it also has tennis shoes for guests as well, said Vazquez.
Amanyara, a luxury hotel in Turks and Caicos, provides guests with tennis shoes made by Babolat and K Swiss, based on Fora.
Dan Istitene | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
She said hotels in rustic settings provide a few of the most effective perks for guests.
“Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming has a closet filled with weather-proof outerwear for guests to don once they hit the resort’s private ski mountain,” she said.
The all-inclusive luxury resort provides pants, jackets, gloves, helmets, goggles, boots, skis and snowboards made by the French brand Rossignol, based on its website.
Vazquez said the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Connecticut has a partnership with Barbour, an organization with designs which have graced generations of British monarchy.
A representative of the inn told CNBC Travel that guests have access to a “borrowing closet” stocked with Barbour boots and waterproof jackets that guests can wear for outdoor activities, corresponding to horseback riding, mountaineering and cycling.
For guests preferring to bring their very own fitness attire, The Thompson Denver by Hyatt in Colorado has day by day laundry service for gym clothes, says Vazquez.
“Now you simply must worry about packing one set,” she said.
2. Clothing and luxury handbags
Basic blow-dryers and toiletry kits have long been a staple in hotel rooms.
But some luxury hotels — corresponding to London’s Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Lake Como’s famous Passalacqua — include luxe amenities like Dyson Airwraps, which dry and curl hair.
Other hotels even have products beyond the toilet.
Travelers staying on the 4 Seasons Resort Orlando near Walt Disney World should purchase clothes once they arrive through a shopping service available via the brand’s app. Guests of the hotel can initiate a “Style Chat” to debate three looks: Poolside Chic, Park Hopper or Night Out.
Some luxury hotels are providing Dyson Airwraps, which each dry and magnificence hair.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A stylist then curates and delivers items to the traveler’s hotel room for guests to browse and buy, based on a press release published by the hotel. Guests who select to not make any purchases must pay a $25 styling fee, it said.
For handbag aficionados, 4 Seasons Hotel Houston allows guests to rent luxury handbags at no extra cost through a partnership with the rental service Vivrelle.
Guests can rent one bag — and trade it out as they need — from the hotel’s handbag collection, a representative of the hotel told CNBC Travel. The rotating collection includes designer brands corresponding to Prada and Gucci, he said.
Six Senses Vana in Dehradun, India provides a day by day set of garments, or “kurta” as its known in India, so guests need not fret about packing, says Vazquez. The hotel encourages guests to wear these flowy sets in all places, based on its website, from restaurants to outdoor yoga spots.
The hotel also provides slippers, Crocs and wool capes for guests to wear, based on its website.
3. Baby gear
Babies and toddlers could also be small, but their gear — from high chairs to beginner potties — normally is not.
Hotels just like the Fullerton Hotel Singapore have this stuff and more, from toddler step stools to bottle sterilizers and baby bathtubs, based on its website.
Kimpton Hotels, a brand from the British-based hospitality group IHG, provide “Family Fridges” which can be cold enough to securely store breast milk. The brand also has items to assist childproof its guest rooms, from outlet covers to rest room latches, based on IHG’s website.
The “Family Pantry” on the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.
Source: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Shangri-La Singapore goes a step further. Guests who stay in themed suites and Family Deluxe rooms can access a pantry that’s stocked with Stokke strollers, cots, baby bouncers, bathtubs and automotive seats. The pantry also has bottle sterilizers and warmers, a washer (and baby laundry detergent), and a microwave to warm baby food and formula.
Guests who haven’t got access to the pantry can get some baby items upon request.
“For instance, the bottle warmers, bath time toys and diapers will be arranged at no extra cost,” a representative of the Shangri-La told CNBC Travel.
4. Pet supplies
The marketplace for pet travel services — valued at $2 billion in 2023 — is predicted to climb to $4.6 billion by 2032, based on the travel media company Skift, citing Polaris Market Research.
Kimpton Hotels provide pet beds, food and water bowls, plus litter trays, dog leashes and cat scratchboards, for no extra charge, based on its website.
Even though it won’t lighten your luggage, Kimpton Hotel Palomar in Beverly Hills even welcomes pets to its nightly wine reception.
Some ultra luxury hotels, like Capella Singapore, are getting in on the act. The hotel, which ranked No. 33 in The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2024, also provides pet beds and bowls, an agent told CNBC travel.
Correction: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the title of Fora’s Henley Vazquez.
