Our Favorite New Way to Choose a Hotel
There's nothing more exciting than discovering some dope-ass soaps in your hotel bathroom. Sure, the view is amazing and you're pretty sure they serve the newest, hottest sour beers at the bar, but you're still at your most delighted when shrieking "check out these tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner!" from the marble-lined commode.
The right bath products can take your hotel experience from "I loved the mattress" to "now I live here," and hotels know this. After all, staying in a hotel should make you feel like a rich leisure person (even if just for a few days), and the best hotels do everything in their power to encourage the fantasy. Yesterday you were a sweaty nobody trapped in coach, but today you're a (very clean) VIP thanks to these luxurious toiletries. In fact, you are now a guy who takes hour-long showers, leaving you dewy and smelling of figs and cedar, or cucumber and lemongrass, or clary sage and sea buckthorn—whatever that is. And the best part of staying in a cool hotel with the coolest grooming products is you're supposed to steal them. The implicit agreement goes like this: These special soaps and body lotions are not free, but they are included. You are invited to steal them with zero consequence and brag to your friends about it. Got it? Great. Here's a list of nine totally bonkers hotels you should visit and wash yourself in.
The ExclusivesMade exclusively for these two outstanding hotels, the products stocked in their rooms don't exist anywhere else in the world. And if the tiny bottles aren't enough, you can buy more at the spa shop before checking out.
The Dewberry Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina
Courtesy of The Dewberry
Courtesy of The DewberryThe Place:
155 rooms and suites occupy this renovated mid-century modern former federal building overlooking Charleston's Marion Square and historic peninsula. The Dewberry is the tallest building in town, offering hotel guests an exclusive view of the city's steepled skyline. Chill out in the traditional walled garden or treat yourself to an afternoon in the spa before indulging in Henrietta's (The Dewberry's on site restaurant) mash up of brasserie style favorites made with farm to table ingredients.
The Products:The custom Dewberry bath products are inspired by the native southern dewberry plant, which has notes of chamomile and warm woodsy spices.
Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah
Ken Hayden
Ken HaydenMost Popular
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You may have missed watching the eclipse along the path of totality this week, but you can still plan a life-changing vacation at the Amangiri resort. Hidden away at the bottom of a valley in Canyon Point, Utah, the 5-star hotel is built into the desert landscape. The swimming pool surrounds a towering red rock formation delivering a bonkers level of drama and otherworldly calm. Nearby adventures include horseback riding in Monument Valley or ariel views of the canyons from a private plane. But if a spiritual retreat is more your thing, rest assured they've got that too.
The Products:Sage is a central scent in these desert-inspired bath essentials, perfect for cleansing yourself of the stresses of your daily grind.
The Grooming GrailsThe following products are on every beauty blogger and grooming god's short list. Sure you can buy them online, but here are tk spots where you can swipe 'em for free.
Nikolas Koenig
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11 Howard, Soho, New York
The Place:Set in the southeast corner of Soho, this danish modern designed hotel used to be a Marriot. But you'd never know it from the natural wood furnishings, brass fixtures, and airy interior design. Downstairs you can dine at Parisian chef Daniel Rose's first stateside restaurant Le Coucou, and even further downstairs you can test out a HighDose sauna known to efficiently fight jet lag.
The Products:Organic soaps, shampoos, and conditioners crafted by cult favorite Grown Alchemist are loved for their revolutionary approach to anti-aging. Chock full of antioxidants and all-natural ingredients, you'll feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
The Wythe Hotel, Brooklyn, New York
The Place:With sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline from the rooftop bar, immediate access to the most #Brooklyn neighborhood in Brooklyn, an Andrew Tarlow eatery (Reynard) in the building, a shop in the lobby with rotating vendors (right now it's Indian Larry Motorcycles, and a film-screening room in the basement, the Wythe Hotel is way more than just a place to stay. Floor to ceiling windows in the rooms mean you'll wake up immersed in the Williamsburg sunrise and with neighboring Greenpoint just blocks away you can eat and shop to your heart's delight.
The Products:The Wythe stocks local Brooklyn brand Goldies in every room. All their products are produced in small batches by hand in the Rockaways using all natural ingredients.
The Hotel Bel Air, Los Angeles, California
The Place:Old Hollywood is still alive at the Hotel Bel Air. From the pink stucco walls to the palatial pool surrounded by hanging palms, there's no better spot to escape whether it's from paparazzi or your regular guy stresses. Ball out in the Stone Canyon Suite with its outdoor fireplace and jacuzzi and you'll leave a whole new man.
The Products:Much beloved for their fresh (non-cloying) scents and very efficient skincare line, Kiehl’s products are hotel bathroom gold. Lather up in the refreshing odor of grapefruit and cucumber before heading out for an arduous day of lounging by the pool.
Ace Hotel, Portland, Oregon
The Place:What's a stay in Portland without good coffee, handmade bikes, and local food? Just around the corner from Powell's books and pretty close to everything else, the Ace is the place. Oh yeah, and you can bring your dog, too.
The Products:Seattle-based Rudy’s makes cleaning up your act as easy as 1, 2, 3—literally. Their bath gel No.1, shampoo No. 2, and conditioner No. 3 features a refreshing mix of citrus, cedar, and juniper. And it's made locally in the USA without any parabens or sulfates.
Urban Cowboy, Nashville, Tennessee
The Place:Reclaimed wood and lovingly worn leather are among the southern charms you'll find at this victorian mansion-turned-hotel. Each suite features a majestic claw foot tub, some of them romantically within view of a king-sized bed. Sexy!
The Products:C.O. Bigelow has been making shampoo since 1838, so it's safe to assume that by now they've perfected their formulas. And like anything that's been around that long, their grooming products are unpretentiously very good.
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The Angler's Hotel, Miami, Florida
The Place:The best way to do South Beach includes a convenient escape from South Beach. The Angler's Hotel is tucked snuggly into the heart of the Art Deco district, providing guests with much needed spaces for decompression and private jacuzzi time.
The Products:Aveda's rosemary mint shampoo is a hangover cure in a bottle. Wash off the night's partying with the help of salon quality plant essences.
Out of vacation days? Here's where to shop the goods without leaving home.
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