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Hotel Fragrances

post #1 of 23
7/31/08 at 10:34am
Thread Starter 
One of the best things about staying in hotels are the toiletries. Most of the time they're generic and horrible, but sometimes, particularly in high-end hotels you may be pleasantly surprised.

I know that one hotel in London offers Burberry and one hotel in Rome offers Dior.

There have been some hotels which offer some nice stuff - sometimes on commission by the Hotel chain. Sometimes (Although rarely) some hotels may offer some lovely EdT's. I know that the Carlton Group in London offers the wonderful Cefiro by Floris.

Does anyone have any experience or was surprised by what was offered in Hotels?

My dad, knowing my fascination with fragrances got a nice EdT from The Plaza Hotel in Istanbul. Unfortunately the fragrance isn't labeled - although it's a lovely light unisex floral/fresh fragrance.
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post #2 of 23
7/31/08 at 10:40am
My wife and I recently stayed at a resort in Mexico that gave us Bvlgari soaps, body washes, shampoos and conditioners. They smell really good.

For the life of me I can't remember the name of the place, but it was in Cancun.
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post #3 of 23
7/31/08 at 2:37pm
Most of the ***** places I've stayed at have had Molton Brown bath products. Nice stuff, indeed!
On the opposite end, when I'm doing my NY to Miami drive twice a year with my dog, we usually stay overnight in one of the Carolinas at a Motel 6 and enjoy the single bar of Cashmere Bouquet that is provided - which btw, smells an awful lot like Mugler Cologne.
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post #4 of 23
7/31/08 at 3:13pm
I tend to be more of the 2.5-3 star hotel kind of guy (with the occasional 4-star splurge)... more money for fragrances that way.

That said, I love the scent of the toiletries found in Holiday Inn Express hotels... they smell like the cinnamon rolls offered in their breakfast bar (and a wee bit like Musc Ravageur). And the actual breakfast bar is pretty darn good, too (and free), so I tend to stay there whenever possible on road trips.
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post #5 of 23
7/31/08 at 7:20pm
Aqua Di Parma was what the hotel I stayed at for my friend's wedding had. I was JUICED when I got inside my room and saw the ADP products. Not one of my friends, male or female understood why. One girl reacted saying how the way my face lit up you'd think my hotel room was stocked with Vogue cover models. That would have been nice too.

Cheers,
Al
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post #6 of 23
7/31/08 at 7:22pm
Ritz Carlton has the Bvlgari Au The Blanc line of toiletries.
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post #7 of 23
7/31/08 at 7:33pm
We stayed at the Sheraton in San Antonio recently, and my wife fell in love with the toiletries. They were the Mandarin and Mint series by bliss and blisslabs. I may investigate to see if they offer an EdT.

Ruggles, you're definitely brave to put up with Motel 6. But it sounds like they're flexible on pets, and that does count.

I also like Holiday Inn Express, and the Marriott Suites are nice as well. They're just very dependable for a good night's sleep wherever you are - business or pleasure. And I think that the mid-range hotels in Manhattan have a certain charm that I just love. I've never 5-starred, to be honest. Maybe for our next big anniversary.

We recently stayed at a chain which shall not be named. I can attest to the fact that Tokyo by Kenzo makes a great room scent, particularly when confronted by damp carpet odor from prior tenants who were too proud to call for plumbing assistance. [At two in the morning, complaining about the last room left never even occurred to me! ]

Bvlgari toiletries! Mmmmm - now that's nice!
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post #8 of 23
7/31/08 at 7:51pm
The only hotel I stayed at with mainstream designer toiletries was the Nikko Bayside in Osaka near Universal Studios. They had all sorts of Ferragamo stuff and also Japanese branded amenities like facial mask, facial cleanser, bath salts, and foot pads. I was quite surprised.
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post #9 of 23
7/31/08 at 8:27pm
I recently travelled to Kotor in Montenegro. I was there for only one night, playing it by ear accommodation-wise, and wanted to stay within Stari Grad (the old town), but because of time limitations and various other considerations, couldn't be bothered messing around looking for private accommodation. So I decided to pay a little extra to stay at Hotel Vardar (although for a ***** rated hotel the rates were very, very reasonable). Everything was great, and the experience enhanced by my discovery of ETRO toiletries in the bathroom (Palais Jamais). I was delighted.

Kotor is a beautiful place, by the way...
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post #10 of 23
7/31/08 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lunarpanic View Post

Everything was great, and the experience enhanced by my discovery of ETRO toiletries in the bathroom (Palais Jamais). I was delighted. Kotor is a beautiful place, by the way...

Kotor and Etro, you lucky guy! I haven't been to the former Yugo yet, it certainly looks beautiful.
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post #11 of 23
7/31/08 at 8:44pm
Have any of you guys tried Gilchrist and Soames products? I first tried them in a hotel in London (the 'London' line, which smells like grass, tea, and pepper, awesome!) and now I'm completely hooked. I can't use a lot of the more heavily perfumed bath products because my skin reacts badly to them, but G&S is great stuff. Smells great, no skin problems.

I especially like the 'London' line, the Forest Essentials Soap (which smells like iced green tea), and Verte, which smells green like tomato vines in the sun.

http://gilchristsoames.com/

I heartily recommend this company. (And do not benefit materially, blah, blah, blah...)
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post #12 of 23
7/31/08 at 9:25pm
My Dad brings me back stuff from his business trips. Recently he brought back products that were from www.lather.com at the last hotel he stayed at.

Cheers,
Al
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post #13 of 23
7/31/08 at 9:38pm
Raffles Hotel in Singapore (5 star) has a mini Creed bottle in the bathroom...cant remember which one
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post #14 of 23
7/31/08 at 11:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by T. Rex, Esq. View Post

Have any of you guys tried Gilchrist and Soames products? I first tried them in a hotel in London (the 'London' line, which smells like grass, tea, and pepper, awesome!) and now I'm completely hooked. I can't use a lot of the more heavily perfumed bath products because my skin reacts badly to them, but G&S is great stuff. Smells great, no skin problems.

I especially like the 'London' line, the Forest Essentials Soap (which smells like iced green tea), and Verte, which smells green like tomato vines in the sun.

http://gilchristsoames.com/

I heartily recommend this company. (And do not benefit materially, blah, blah, blah...)


Yeah their stiff is great. I experienced them for the first time in a hotel in the UK. Unfortunately I haven't found a local retailer yet.

I'm loving this thread thanks for your replies
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post #15 of 23
8/1/08 at 6:15am
I need to increase my income...

I have never had the pleasure of staying at a hotel that provides Creed or Etro hotel toiletries. If I did, I'd probably hijack the housekeeping cart!

I do frequently stay at a nice hotel in Rockville, MD (Woodfin Suites) that uses Judith Jackson Spa products. Very pleasant fragrance; ambery vanilla, if I recall correctly.
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post #16 of 23
8/1/08 at 6:30am
The Four Seasons in Bangkok provides L'Occitane toiletries. I don't know if that applies to the other hotels in the chain, though.
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post #17 of 23
8/1/08 at 6:36am
Our room in Caesar's Palace in Vegas had -- surprise! -- a full-sized bottle each of Caesar's Man and Caesar's Woman and giftset-sized items like talc, shampoo, etc. We also had full-sized bottles of Aveda bath products.
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post #18 of 23
8/1/08 at 12:07pm
I have run across Molton Brown and Gilchrist and Soames. I also like the products at the Holiday express. Personally I am not the least bit bothered by staying at a motel 6 or super 8. Most of the time I will be on the road and only care about a clean bed, a toilet. and a shower. Not necessarily in that order. I like cashmere bouquet too. Stayed in Vegas once. They had nice stuff there too but I can't remember what it was. Anyway. It seems I am easily impressed. Bwah ha ha.

Rick
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post #19 of 23
8/2/08 at 6:31am
Unico hotel in Silom uses Bvlgari Au the Vert toiletries.
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post #20 of 23
8/2/08 at 6:37pm
Marriott sometimes have Neutrogena. and Lather products....
Hyatt generally Portico Spa.
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post #21 of 23
8/2/08 at 6:50pm
Like Isp_NY, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Bulgari Au the Blanc scented toiletries when I checked into the Four Seaons in Puerto Rico last year. Somehow the scent of that fragrance is tied to that part of my vacation. Good stuff!

In Copenhagen where I was on vacation last week, the hotel toiletries were an organic brand I'd never heard of in the States, REN. The shower gel was a neroli/grapefruit blend that was ok, but nothing to write home about.

Oh also - on the Celebrity Cruise ship we took, they have Celebrity branded products (the scent is not listed) but the shampoo they provided smelled INCREDIBLE. It was like a smooth sandalwood scent, with a dusty suede aura that the hot water in the shower generated. I brought some home and my goal is to find a sandalwood fragrance that captures the scent of this shampoo.
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post #22 of 23
8/2/08 at 7:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

In Copenhagen where I was on vacation last week, the hotel toiletries were an organic brand I'd never heard of in the States, REN. The shower gel was a neroli/grapefruit blend that was ok, but nothing to write home about.

REN is sold in the US at Sephora. I buy the shower gel on occasion. Good price, organic - why not?
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post #23 of 23
8/2/08 at 11:34pm
My first encounter with Roger and Gallet was a soap with name of "Jean Marina Farina" on it, in Paris. I think they make fantastic scented products. I can't forget that, how much I was shocked when I understand this beautiful scent was formulated a century ago!
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