Tag Archive for: hotels

Hotels with Unique Extras

 

Hotels with unique extras

 

Trip Advisor recently posted a list of 10 hotels with unusual extras. It’s a little reminiscent of our “4 Hotel Amenities Done Right” post. Though some of these extras seem a little outlandish and unnecessary, it’s exciting to know that these types of creative additions exist. We picked out three from the list that we thought were extra unusual.

 

Giraffe Manor Nairobi, Kenya

Giraffe Manor is a hotel located in Nairobi. This hotel’s primary extra is the fact that giraffes roam around the property, interact with guests, and even stick their heads inside the hotel from time to time. Unsurprisngly, the guest reviews are fantastic. It sounds like a genuinely well-established hotel, that also happens to have giraffes, not the other way around.

Surprisingly, Giraffe Manor is only the #2 ranked specialty-lodging choice in Nairobi!

 

Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai, Thailand

Thailand’s nickname is the Land of a Thousand Smiles. Dhara Dhevi’s unique extra is that guests get to plant rice and learn to cook Thai cuisine. Though these might not sound like smile inducing activities, just being outside in that country is enough to make you smile!

A major part of traveling is experiencing  local culture and customs and making memories. Hanging out inside of a hotel room isn’t exactly a memorable experience, but getting your hands dirty (literally in the case of rice planting) with the locals is something guests will remember for the rest of their lives.

 

Cannery Pier Hotel Astoria, Oregon

Our first U.S. based hotel on our list makes guests feel like big shots. Guests can choose a classic car to be chauffeured to and from their restaurant of choice! Being chauffeured is an impressive amenity by itself, but supplying classic cars makes this addition special.

Staying in a high end hotel and enjoying the night life of Astoria is a great experience, but just add-in classic cars and chauffer service, and that makes for a night to remember.

 

Of course a unique extra by itself is never going to make or break a hotel, and plenty of guests that stay at these properties may not take advantage of them, but it’s an interesting trend that we hope continues!

Make sure to check out the rest of the 10 hotels with unusual extras list at Tripadvisor.

 

What’s your favorite hotel extra? Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

4 Hotel Amenities Done Right.

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Amenities are something many hotel goers don’t usually think about, but they can make a big impact on their satisfaction. Though the first thing the word conjures up for people is likely complimentary shampoos or coffee in the room, amenities encompass much more than that.

One basic definition of an amenity is something that increases attractiveness, value, and convenience or comfort.  More specifically Amenities are features that are included in a guests stay but aren’t an additional cost.

Here are 4 Hotel amenities that are tough to forget.

1. Pet Goldfish (Hotel Triton)– Yep, the Hotel Triton offers you some companionship for your stay with a temporary pet goldfish. This unique amenity is sure to help the Triton stick in it’s guests memories. As an added benefit studies have shown that watching fish in an aquarium can have a relaxing effect on people!

2. Custom coloring books (Mandarin Oriental New York)– The Mandarin Oriental helps take a little bit of the stress out of traveling with children by providing custom coloring books to children at check in.

3. Free drink and meal (Various Hotels)– No such thing as a free lunch? We’ve come across several examples of hotels that provide guests with a free drink (beer or wine) as well as a meal during designated times.

4. A Butler (St. Regis)- A Butler probably isn’t exactly what people think of as an amenity, but come on! Having someone wait on you hand and foot is something that will go a long  way towards guest satisfaction. From drawing a bath, to packing your luggage having a personal butler is the epitome of a luxury experience.

What’s your favorite amenity? Leave us a comment below!