Camera? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Comfy shoes? Check.
Whether we’re preparing for a quick weekend getaway or a monthlong trek through the Amazon, the decision about what to pack is crucial. Airline luggage fees and the laws of physics prevent most of us from bringing absolutely everything we want. We end up bargaining; we say to ourselves, Okay, I’ll leave this pair of shoes at home so I can bring two more shirts and an umbrella.
Toiletries always present the hardest decision, since travel bottles are too small for extended trips and full-size ones take up too much room. What to bring and what to leave behind? Well, if your hotel happens to offer great complimentary bathroom amenities, you don’t have to bring much. Forget minuscule bars of scratchy soap—these grooming products are just as good, or better, than the ones you have at home.
Bliss
W Hotels
Aveda
Hotel Indigo (Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Nashville, Miami), Kimpton Hotels
L’Occitane en Provence
Four Seasons Hotels, Hilton Hotels with on-site spas, Sofitel Hotels
Crabtree & Evelyn LaSource
Hilton Hotels
Kiehl’s
The Carlyle (New York), The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Los Angeles), The James Hotel (Chicago), The Oceana (Santa Monica), Smyth Tribeca Hotel (New York), The Soho Grand (New York), The Tribeca Grand (New York)
Molton Brown
British Airways, The Tides (South Beach)
Yes To Carrots
Virgin America Airlines
C.O. Bigelow Apothecary
The Bowery Hotel (New York), Donovan House (Washington, D.C.), Thompson Beverly Hills, Thompson LES Hotel (New York)
Bulgari
Ritz-Carlton Hotels
H2O Plus
Disney Resorts and Cruises
Frederic Fekkai
The Alex Hotel (New York)
Bath & Body Works
Holiday Inn Hotels, Marriott Hotels
Fresh
The Art Hotel (Miami Beach), Bacara Resort & Spa (Santa Barbara), Sagamore
Laboratoire Remède
St. Regis Hotel (San Francisco)
Malin + Goetz
Ames Hotel (Boston), Delano Hotel (South Beach), Hudson Hotel (New York), Clift Hotel (San Francisco), Mondrian Hotels (Los Angeles, New York, South Beach), Shore Club (South Beach)
Hermes
Bellagio Las Vegas, Halekulani (Honolulu)
La Prairie
Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles)
Hotel amenities have come a long way since the days of mini-sewing and shoe-shining kits. Hotels love using luxurious products to enhance their image and brand identity, and cosmetic companies love having their products available in hotels because so many people end up buying them once they get home. But even if you’re traveling to a hotel that offers these superior amenities, don’t rush to fill that extra space in your suitcase with other stuff—you’ll want to leave room so you can bring all those little bottles back with you.
