Have you ever used the services of a hotel concierge? Most travelers think that the service is reserved for elite guests who want tickets to a sold out show or a corner table at an ultra-exclusive restaurant. And, then there is the perception that to get the concierges’ insider tips for your destination’s hot spots you would need to pick up the phone or track him or her down by foot (or at least hoof it to the lobby desk). But, now all that is about to change—thanks to modern day technology.
The Internet is making life easier on travelers yet again. The InterContinental chain, in partnership with the TurnHere guides, is launching a series of online videos in which its concierges host city tours and deliver recommendations about what to see, where to eat and shop. And the best part… you don’t have to check into the hotel to watch them. Rather, they will be available for viewing on both the InterContinental website and TurnHere.com.
The first video features the chief concierge at The Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The 3-minute guide takes viewers to The Old Ebbitt Grill and Citronelle restaurants and recommends shopping in the D.C. area’s “Rodeo Drive” — the section of Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, lined with hip, high class shops including Tiffany, Barneys, Cartier and Saks Fifth Avenue.
You’ve heard of the hotel minibar, but how about a hotel beauty bar?
The Viceroy boutique hotel in Santa Monica, California is now offering a new room amenity: the beauty minibar. It is located in the bathroom vanity area in each of the hotel’s rooms and includes items such as a walnut scrub ($18), which promises to make you feel like a smooth-skinned baby again. There are also Bath salts ($22), which claim to help alleviate stress from a long flight. And, a vanilla-scented candle ($24), which can help set your room for romance.
If are looking for extra luxuries that are as pleasing to your palette as they are to your mood, consider visiting Manhattan’s Hotel Iroquois. When you book a room on the hotel’s website you are presented with a menu that allows you to pre-order treats, from Belgian chocolates to flowers, Champagne to special-occasion cakes. And who doesn’t dream of walking into a room filled with chocolates and flowers?