That feeling of finally walking into a delicious-smelling hotel lobby is unmatched during hot summer travel. Once you’ve got your room keys, it’s time to kick off your shoes, knock out the unpacking (or let someone else do it for you … more on that later), and explore what your hotel has to offer. Free bikes and guest happy hours have become commonplace, but we are seeing even more over-the-top and distinctive offerings emerge as hotels lure travelers back through their doors. Explore these fantastic amenities at hotels across the South.
Don’t Forget To Pack Your Plants
Lexington, KY’s new boutique hotel, Elwood Hotel & Suites, encourages you to bring your beloved plant babies to the world’s first plant-friendly hotel experience. Book one of their natural-light-drenched King Suites, and you’ll enjoy The Gardener’s Premier Corner Room Package, which includes a selection of Instagrammable in-room greenery from a local greenhouse, locally made botanical toiletries, a complimentary potted succulent to take home, specially designed botanical door hangers, and other plant-centric perks like a Garden Mojito cocktail special at the downstairs Fiddletree Kitchen & Bar.
Put Your Records On
In-room record players are found in many hotels these days, but some hotels truly take the listening experience up a notch. Hotel St. Cecilia honors Austin’s musical roots with a lending library of musical history books and vintage LPs to spin on your room’s Rega turntable. Can’t find your perfect tune? A personal shopper will get it for you at Breakaway Records, and Gibson will even loan you guitars. Highlander Mountain House in Western NC has retro Marshall speakers or Victrola record players in each room for high-quality listening.
The Central Station in Memphis leads the vinyl game with its world-class music experience. The Listening Lounge showcases legendarily crafted EgglestonWorks speakers, curated playlists, and an expansive library of 500+ vinyl records (more music than guests could listen to in eight hours per day for 100 years!). Daily DJs spin records from a redesigned DJ booth creatively constructed from an old church organ – nicknamed “Elmertha” after Booker T. Jones’ piano teacher.
Channel Your Inner Rock Star
Hutton Hotel in Nashville provides a selection of guitars, basses, and ukuleles to play throughout your stay. The Fender Play In-Room Experience includes the instruments of your choice, state-of-the-art sound equipment, and a pre-loaded iPad with a step-by-step, song-based learning platform. You also get a swag bag of Fender goodies and a three-month Fender Play trial to continue learning at home.
Stargaze With Professional Astronomers
As night falls on Virginia’s Primland Resort, head to their fully equipped observatory for an out-of-this-world journey. Primland’s altitude atop the Blue Ridge Mountains and the remarkable clarity of the night sky make for incredible viewing of stars, planets, nebulae, and other celestial objects. This year-round, weather-dependent guest experience might be your once-in-a-lifetime chance to have Celestron CGE Pro 1400 and CPC 800 telescopes at your disposal. Sip Moonrise or Stargazer Mocktails and savor macaroons during your observatory experience.
Hit The Champagne Vending Machine
Lennox Hotel in Miami has an automatic dispenser of the finest French bubbles. Once guests purchase their champagne tokens in the lobby, they’re given gorgeous flutes and can head out to the courtyard, where a gold-rimmed Moët & Chandon vending machine awaits. Take your perfectly chilled pick back to your room or head poolside at Lennox’s picture-perfect swimming pool.
“Glamp” With The Kiddos In-Room
Four Season Hotel New Orleans has roomy suites for families to spread out and find some zen within the buzz of the Big Easy. Request an in-room tent with string lights and a camping lantern for your little explorers. It also comes with the cutest Bayou camping cooler filled with local soda, gummy frogs, and trail mix cookies. Teenagers can get a taste of New Orleans with a mocktail flight amenity of sparkling beverages, flavored syrups, and fruit garnishes. (While mom and dad have the real stuff, of course.)
Hit The Town In Style
Dallas’ dreamy Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek has partnered with Lexus to let guests take some of the luxury car maker’s zippiest new models out for a joy ride or two. Or, let the drivers take you anywhere within five miles in the Rosewood’s fleet of Lexus vehicles. Similarly, The Dewberry in Charleston has a fleet of dedicated Volvos and the new 1 Hotel in Nashville is going green with all-electric Audis available for test drives and rides.
Ring Your Personal Butler
Many hotels are taking the guest experience up to stratospheric levels with personal butler services. St. Regis in Atlanta, for example, offers a 24-hour butler service for all guests. Call for anything from shoe-shining and ironing clothes to packing, unpacking, or morning breakfast in bed. You’re on vacation, after all!
“No detail too small, no request too large,” remarks a post by The Spectator Hotel in Charleston on their butler service — the only Charleston hotel to offer it to all guests. One of the leaders and originators of hotel butler service in the South is The Lodge at Sea Island. Call for a rose-petal-drawn bath after a huge day of golf, tennis, or beach lounging. They even have a dedicated Tie Butler for any forgetful men in your life.
While this list does not even scratch the surface of cool and unusual hotel perks, we hope we inspired you to book your rooms with amenities in mind!
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