ronkala

The Hotel Le Chabrol in Brantome, France. Five years ago when they found out it was our 40th anniversary, we were upgraded to the bridal suite.

Two weeks ago, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Beloit, WI. We were pleasantly surprised to learn there would be cocktails at five, plus snacks and soup. What a treat. It was quite charming with Winslow the parrot entertaining the guests while we were socializing.

jallard

The best amenity ever was at The Peninsula in Chicago. When I returned from a long day of shopping on the magnificant mile, the doorbell rang and a member of the staff brought a complimentary treat. It was a beautiful array of fruit, chocolate and cheese situated on a glass tray. I was really impressed and pleasantly surprised.

nina

Not very exciting but when we travel as a family, I hate staying in a room that has double rather than queen beds. Honestly, who sleeps in a double bed? Can't stand them and I wish the Hotel Industry would burn them all...I don't know if that technically qalifies as an amenity.

The other thing that I love is when Hotels include a complimentary breakfast, even a continental one. It's so much more convenient to grab a cup of coffee and a bagel before heading out. It takes so long to sit and order, or worse, start searching for a restaurant or coffee shop. Again, not exactly an amenity but it makes me book a hotel.

For pure amenities I love the Aveda products that Kimptons provide.

Patrick

suzanne's post reminded me of a most important issue. All the amenities in the world won't make up for:
a bed that isn't comfortable and doesn't have nice linens appropriately made up, a shower with minimal pressure, or noisy or ill-working air-conditioners/heating. I'm amazed at the places I've stayed that showered me with the miscellaneous amenities but couldn't get those basics right.

Litespeed_Chick

Best Amenity: Bulgari bath products, particularly the body lotion. That is the most fabulous scent, I am not a perfume person even. I was out on my bike and someone riding 20 feet behind me asked "what smells so good?". Then I wore it to work and our HR VP asked me to get some more for his wife. The stuff is amazing. The weird part: when I check into the Michaelangelo in NY, there is always some other type of amenity in the room. Several hours later, a maid comes up with the Bulgari. I suspect we are on some sort of upgrade list due to our CEO's clout. Last year I copiously tipped the maid and asked for extras.

Worst amenity: At the Plaza Athenee in NY, I'm having a "moment" with my husband when we hear a weird buzz. Call me a rube, but I was unaccustomed to hotel rooms w/ doorbells. While we were still looking around quizically, a bellman breezes in w/ pumpkin bread. Fortunately, I was modeling the hotel bathrobes but husband was naked. Ever since I'm much more careful w/ the do-not-disturb-sign in "service" hotels.

tcreath

I agree with the heated towel racks. Many of the hotels I've stayed at in Europe, even some of the cheaper pensions, had them. Great ameninty, especially when traveling in the chilly winter months!

I also second the L'Occitane and Kiehl's toiletries! I love nice, quality toiletries and to have them available makes the room feel that much more luxurious, especially when it combined with a nice big tub to use them in!

Tracy

MzPossum

Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia--refrigerator stocked with a carton of orange juice, a bottle of water, a packet of decaf and regular coffee--and not charged to the room when we opened them as we thought they might be--just a nice perk.
plus Neutrogena bath products

likeswords

I liked the afternoon glass of wine offered at the SF Argonaut downstairs in front of the fire. I also liked their nice glasses (wine and other) in the room (so much better than the thin toothbrush glasses you usually get), and the fact that I could pick up the phone and order yoga props to help me with my stretches (for which there was enough room!). They even had a card that showed beginners the sorts of stretches that would be most rejuvenating.

elizabeth_reed

A little aqua-colored duck soap from the Peabody in Orlando.

Love the Roger & Gallet products (and orchids) the Sofitels have.

Cassandra

I'm kind of a fool for those fresh-baked (undoubtedly from frozen dough) chocolate cookies some chains offer. Just wish they were available a little more of the time (not just 5 pm in some places).

I'm also an Occitaine convert after a hotel stay in Calif.

Our hotel in Madrid had a card (similar to the Belgian hotel vivi mentioned) with the day's weather on it in the breakfast room, with predicted high in both F. and C. degrees. In places where there's no weather channel on the TV or no TV in the room, that's really helpful.

Was madly in love with the welcome pouch at a ?Hyatt? when I joined some preferred-status level of frequent-stayer -- could specify that I wanted nuts instead of cookies, sparkling water instead of wine, radio tuned to my preferred music instead of TV on when I checked in. Now THAT'S being spoiled -- too bad I don't remember which chain did that ;-) ;-)

cmcfong

At the Crowne Plaza Airport in Minneapolis, we got a sleep kit. It had two sets of earplugs, two eyemasks, a room atomizer, and a relaxation cd. Very cool.

seetheworld

The daily afternoon tea at Ariel Sands (Bermuda). Not only did they offer cookies and a selection of tea, but they had delicious finger sandwiches. I also like the fact that they left cold bottled water in the room everyday.

I also love the fresh orchids and chocolate at the Ritz.

sunnybrook31

The Outrigger Waikiki put a "newsletter" under our door every morning. It had an article about a local spot (with a picture), some information about the area, weather info for that day, and a section "Thanking" return guests or guests with special anniversaries by name for staying there.

We celebrated our 1st wedding anniverary there, and it was neat to see our name on the newsletter. We felt special. We ended up framing the newsletter, and it's now on our bedroom wall.

gualalalisa

Kal: As always you crack me up and help me get through a boring, foggy day here on the coast.

Ditto to the Westin Heavenly beds, heated towel racks and the duck-shaped soap at the Peabody in Memphis.

Also, all the Disney-themed amenities at the Disneyland Hotel - soap, toothbrushes, etc. that make great stocking stuffers for kids.

In Europe, I love the way the nicer hotels put out brandy/port/wine and pastries/cookies/fruit when you arrrive in your room. At the Westin Palace in Madrid they always sent delicious Spanish cookies with any order of coffee or tea. That same hotel also had bath salts in a crystal jar next to the marble bathtub.

I love the "Hall Porter" at Claridges whom you summon by pressing a button next to your bed. Best of all, though, was the built-in plasma screen TV above the marble jacuzzi tub at the Four Seasons in Prague - what a way to relax!

BeachGirl247

Best in room gift....

Hotel ZaZa in Dallas, Texas. Came back to our room each night after dinner and found little candles around my soaking tub as well as by the bed and sitting area. And a nice little candy treat with a "thought for the evening" on our pillow. What a lovely touch the candles were...

jallard

Another favorite was the St. Regis in Dana Point, CA. They had wonderful service and the hotel and views were beautiful. They had the best bath ammenities I've seen anywhere: Acqua Di Parma from Italy. They were nice large sizes and they smelled great!!!

hdm

In the Delta hotel in Halifax, I found the usual array of bathroom stuff -- shampoo, conditioner, lotion, sewing kit -- along with a great big brand-new bottle of Johnny Walker Red. Well, I though, this is one heck of a good hotel! Then the front desk called to say that the guest who left it was on his way up.

In Cuba, we had a lizard.

Also in Cuba, when we checked into our room there was no lightbulb in the single lamp. We mentioned it at the front desk when we went off to the beach and sure enough, when we got back there was a bulb. That night at dinner one of our tablemates said that she couldn't figure out where her bulb had gone -- it had just disappeared that afternoon.

On a more positive note, at the Appleby Inn in the English lake country, during a cold, wet October stay, we had the incredible luxury of a bathroom with a big tub, plenty of hot water and a wall heater. Ahhhhh!

Finally, in Buffalo the hotel made up for a small reservation error by sending up (to me and two girlfriends) three roses in a bud vase, three small bottles of champagne, and three strawberries wearing dark and white chocolate tuxedos. Nice.

fluffnfold

Omni hotels Select Guest program delivers complimentary hot (coffee or tea service) and cold beverages (several types of fruit juice, soft drinks, or bottled water to choose from) for everyone in your party, plus your choice of newspaper (local, USA Today) for every morning of your stay. The program is free to join, plus they even send you coupons for 50% off a weekend stay and room upgrades. They also do a nice turndown (on request) where they deliver a little card listing the weather forecast for the following day along with chocolates and fluffy robes.

I think the Wyndham by Request program is what Cassandra refers to in a previous post. They deliver a welcome package based on your preferences. This program is also free to join. When we stayed at the Wyndham Aruba in March, we got a whole wheel of gouda cheese, whole box of Carr's crackers (presented on china with real silverware and cloth napkins), two bottles of water, and two bottles of beer. (Or you could select chocolates, wine, nuts, as Cassandra mentioned.)

I've received Bath & Body Works products (lotion, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel) at Renaissance (Marriott) hotels (see Ms_Jingles post).

MaureenB

The Westin in Vail years ago, left a wonderful fruit and cheese basket in our room as a welcome gift.

The Mauna Lani on the Big Island welcomed us with fresh guava juice and cookies at check-in.

But my all time favorite, was at the Tremont Park all-suite hotel in Baltimore. For their turndown service, they would leave two little miniature bottles of liqueur or liquor (you could request your favorites), two chocolates and two sodas each night. I don't think they do it anymore, though-- boo hoo.

I'm going to the Fess Parker Doubletree in Santa Barbara next month, and am looking forward to their infamous warm chocolate chip cookies upon check-in.

Cassandra

It was indeed a Wyndham, near Sea-Tac airport -- thanks, fluffnfold.

I'm not mentioning (well, now I am) the worst "amenity," a bottle of wine with a ribbon and a personalized welcoming letter, together with two glasses on a tray by the bed. Since we were in a very expensive room, we assumed, wrongly, that it was complimentary. Showed up as $20 on our bill. Bahh!