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In-room guitars. Yoga with live flamingos. Daily slime sessions. Gold-flake-infused cappuccinos. Around the world, hotels are redefining what it means to offer unforgettable amenities.
We’ve compiled a list of the most surprising hotel perks—many at properties where you can redeem or earn points. Whether you book with points or the right travel credit card, these amenities promise to make your stay remarkable.
Here are some of the wildest hotel amenities you can experience around the world:
On this page
- 1. Make a fairy house in Los Angeles
- 2. Get a free Fender guitar delivered to your room in Nashville
- 3. Become a podcast host in Fort Worth
- 4. Hit the rock wall in Huntington Beach
- 5. Take yoga with flamingos in the Bahamas
- 6. Give your dog a massage in Connecticut
- 7. Harvest oysters in Maryland
- 8. Make coffee like a pro in Costa Rica
- 9. Get slimed in the Dominican
- 10. Make 3D cocktails in Quebec
- 11. Dine on vodka donuts in Arizona
- 12. Get popcorn delivered in London
- 13. Use an unconventional keycard at Graduate Hotels
- 14. Nosh on free movie munchies in the Maldives
- 15. Embrace the manicure in Tokyo
- 16. Drink a Gold Cappuccino in Dubai
- 17. Customize your own pillow in Sydney
- 18. Sleep in a Tipi Tent in Mauritius
- 19. Don free face masks in Oahu
- 20. Mini golf in Missouri
- 21. Browse a 24/7 museum in St. Louis
- 22. Go surfing
1. Make a fairy house in Los Angeles
At Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, Soolip Arts hosts $565 workshops in the hotel’s greenhouse where guests create intricate fairy houses.
2. Get a free Fender guitar delivered to your room in Nashville
As they say, a little music is good for the soul, and the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, gives guests the chance to lift their spirits without ever leaving the room. Have a Fender guitar delivered to your room for free, along with amps and microphones — all just on loan, of course. Experts will love it. And for novices, there’s an app loaded with playing instructions, meaning a stay here could have you on the track to country music stardom.
3. Become a podcast host in Fort Worth
These days, road trips are becoming especially popular. If you’re the type who does your best thinking on the open road, The Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, has a way to help you share your thoughts with others. The lobby of this hotel has its own studio booth where you can record your own professional podcast.
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4. Hit the rock wall in Huntington Beach
Who says working out can't be fun? Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort in Orange County, California offers a rock wall in its fitness center. It's free for guests to climb.
5. Take yoga with flamingos in the Bahamas
If you’re an animal lover, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas can put your Zen to the test. Its outdoor yoga class includes some unlikely participants: the resident flamingos that mingle with guests striking a pose. A standard room here is available for 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
» Learn more: World of Hyatt: The complete guide
6. Give your dog a massage in Connecticut
At pet-friendly Delamar Greenwich Harbor in Connecticut, guests can select from a pet services menu. In addition to grooming and pet-walking options, there is also a pampering doggie massage to treat man’s best friend with the ultimate relaxation.
7. Harvest oysters in Maryland
Guests can explore the world of oyster harvesting at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge, Maryland. Free tours take guests through a small exhibit before giving them the chance to catch and harvest their own oysters. That’s not something you do every day.
8. Make coffee like a pro in Costa Rica
Located within a coffee plantation, Costa Rica Marriott Hacienda Belen welcomes some elite guests with an unusual amenity: A traditional drip coffee maker is a fitting way to get your morning java kick each day of your stay. Better yet, you can take it home with you; it’s a gift from the hotel.
» Learn more: The best ways to rack up Marriott Bonvoy points
9. Get slimed in the Dominican
At the all-inclusive Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, guests can participate in “daily slimings,” just like those from the channel’s TV show “You Can’t Do That on Television.”
10. Make 3D cocktails in Quebec
Check out these 3D cocktails at Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, which participates in the Accor Live Limitless program. Once you add the liquor, a small model in the shape of the hotel and consisting of sugar and other natural flavors dissolves as the perfect mixer into your cocktail.
11. Dine on vodka donuts in Arizona
If it’s a hair-of-the-dog experience you’re looking for, W Scottsdale in Arizona has a unique option: Drunken Donuts. Guests can order these doughnuts delivered to their door from a nearby bakery. They come with injectable vodka shooters sealed in their own containers.
12. Get popcorn delivered in London
At The Lanesborough in London, guests can enjoy popcorn delivered to their room by private butler. It comes with a complimentary gin and tonic, which could be the perfect way to get your evening started, whether you’re headed out on the town or staying in with Netflix.
13. Use an unconventional keycard at Graduate Hotels
Graduate Hotels, now part of Hilton, use room keys that double as school ID cards, reflecting the hotel chain's university-themed branding.
Appropriately, the faces on the ID cards are those of notable alumni of the nearby campus.
14. Nosh on free movie munchies in the Maldives
At Niyama Private Islands Resort in the Maldives, many accommodations feature these family-friendly old-fashioned popcorn makers. Whether you prepare a bucket for a bedtime movie or to enjoy by your private infinity pool overlooking the turquoise Indian Ocean, it’s certainly an unusual in-room amenity. Prefer sweet to salty? There’s free homemade ice cream in the freezer, too.
15. Embrace the manicure in Tokyo
At The Peninsula Tokyo, the best suites include dressing areas with nail polish dryers. Just sit at the dressing table and wave your hands near the dryer, then head out looking your best without worrying you’ll smudge your perfect manicure.
16. Drink a Gold Cappuccino in Dubai
File this one under “Where else but Dubai?” At Burj Al Arab, in the hotel’s atrium lounge — said to be the tallest of its kind in the world — guests can sip the “Ultimate Gold Cappuccino,” with 24-carat gold flakes blended into the brew and sprinkled on the foam on the top, too. Not bad for the recent price of just $23, though who knows where commodities prices will go.
17. Customize your own pillow in Sydney
Who knew there were so many choices of pillows? Shangri-La Sydney’s Pillow Menu lets guests pick from options including contour pillows (designed for back sleepers) annd Buckwheat pillows (designed to conform to the shape of your head and neck to reduce shoulder and neck pain). Meanwhile, the lavender pillow promotes relaxation and deep sleep. The Shangri-La Sydney Pillow Menu is available to all guests upon request.
18. Sleep in a Tipi Tent in Mauritius
This one is appealing to kids spending the night at the Shangri-La Mauritius. There, they can opt for an in-room Tipi Tent, which comes stocked with a Tikoulou local adventure story book, beach towels, t-shirts, Jute bag and hats all branded with a cartoon of the property’s resident Aldabra tortoises, Toto, Fifi & Lola.
19. Don free face masks in Oahu
At the Courtyard Marriott Oahu North Shore, guests can find complimentary face masks in the bathrooms, a thoughtful addition for beachside relaxation.
The property is not actually a resort (and it doesn't charge resort fees), but that uncommon amenity is pretty darn relaxing. Plus, that's on top of other amenities you wouldn't find at any other Courtyard Marriott, including hula and ukulele classes.
20. Mini golf in Missouri
Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri features a Big Bass-themed mini golf course, offering a whimsical way to unwind with family or friends.
21. Browse a 24/7 museum in St. Louis
You don't have to be a hotel guest to enjoy the contemporary art museum located on the second floor of the 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis. It's open round the clock and accessible free of charge, consisting of curated exhibitions that regularly rotate. To get there, stroll up that maximalist staircase. Stick around for a drink at the Spanish restaurant on the hotel's ground floor.
22. Go surfing
At The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa in Oceanside, California, you're entitled to two hours of a surfboard rental. And that's not the only way you can stay active or outdoors. Guests also get use of beach chairs and umbrellas. If you'd rather be active on land, you can go rock climbing at the nearby Vital Climbing Gym. Not only do guests get a free day pass, but shoes and chalk are also included.
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