Hotels free perks is something I know a little about. I worked in hotel catering sales management for the start of my young career. The idea of hotels as a guest is magical to me. It’s a grown up playground like Disney fun land is to kids.
You can take care of yourself in hotels without doing the work! Like helping yourself to a breakfast buffet. With a coffee or warm beverage in hand to read the digital newspaper in your hotel’s free digital newspaper app you may not have known about.
So below are some new ideas of hotel free perks you may not know about…
And you can go anywhere and live luxuriously in hotel stays these days. Today, most of us when we’re considering our next fun travel adventure, look for high value. And free hotel perks are on the top of the list.
Free hotel perks are even more important as hotel and travel costs have risen post-2020.
Free hotel perks make up for the losses. Like the free sauna rooms and hidden spas I found in the hotel basement of the Lillehammer Hotel in Lillehammer, Norway.
The hotel is a hop, skip, and a jump from the Winter Olympics ski events that took place. Norway dominates in winter sports.
The “secret” free hotel spa included a spiral staircase cold plunge (that thankfully wasn’t too cold!), steam rooms, sauna, indoor pool, and jacuzzi… plus fun apple baskets of water you could pour on your head as shower heads.
I wouldn’t have found the spa if a friend didn’t tell me about it while I was there. It’s not advertised when you check-in. So doing your research and knowing what to ask when you’re in the hotel (at the Front Desk) can score you extra free perks.
And I found a spa inside the NH Collection Hotel in Prague that I researched ahead of time. It felt like spending a few hours at the day spa.
And sometimes you get lucky, when you’re bumped up to first class. Like I once did on a flight when that was the only seat available. Sure, I’ll take that! 😊 And in hotel free perks, that means the penthouse with multiple rooms and a kitchen.
When you know someone or ask nicely, the Front Desk can put you in the nicest room with panoramic views of the ocean and priceless bird’s eye views of the bay.
This Opal Sands Clearwater hotel had like Tommy Bahama infused-air scents in the lobby so I didn’t mind spending time in the lobby.
And they sometimes leave a basket full of goodies like a celebration bottle with a nice note you wouldn’t get back at home.
You can also take advantage of free bicycles as free hotel perks at some hotels. You just gotta ask.
And they had bicycles with baskets for guests, so I could take a bike stroll to the local market and come back with some things when I wanted to leave the mansion.😄
A basket is weaved into a good thing when it comes to hotel perks.
A bicycle with basket is also in the Paris Hilton hotel in southern France where you can ride all the way to Marseilles if you like. That’s dreamy!
And then when you’re back from your mini-bicycle excursion, you can go back to your dreamy hotel and relax. Some like the Conrad Hotels even let you choose the creature comforts and premiere shampoo you use during your stay.
You don’t have to pack your own bath products and go shopping when you first get to your destination. You can enjoy!
Many even carry eye masks and toiletries as hotel free perks… and even ear buds like the Doubletree hotel brand where I started my journey! They gave a bag of two free chocolate chip cookies as stay perks long before other stay freebies got added to the hotel list.
At home, I made my own healthy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie that’s a guilt-free breakfast with tea. It reminds me of those days.
And today on your hotel stays, you get tea selection choices. The Sanderling Inn in Duck, NC and many other hotels carry Harney & Sons luxury teas.
What to Bring (But Some Hotels Provide Free):
For travel packing, bring a spice or two that reminds you of home cooking that’ll help calm nerves and is anti-inflammatory. It can balance and prevent small body flareups.
…Ayurvedic spices like turmeric (anti-inflammatory), cumin when it’s Pitta hot, and cayenne pepper when it’s Kapha cool temperatures.
Cinnamon is good for Vata and good for a sweet addition and sugar-alternative for beverages
What to Pack in a Carry-on Bag (checklist)
__ Allowable liquids you can’t do without like medicine, eye drops and nasal sprays. You can also carry a little coconut oil or Vaseline that isn’t considered a liquid.
__Moisturizing lip balm, sunscreen lip balm, face, hand moisturizer, and body sunscreen… that the Four Seasons-type hotel free perks sometimes has.
__A light essential oil scent like citrus, vanilla, or bergamot for calming. Taking a whiff of peppermint oil helps headaches. Many hotels carry these complimentary now!
__Scarf for coolness. In some countries, they require shoulders to be covered going inside churches so it’s good to have a lightweight one for covering.
__ Compression socks (good for flying where air changes and it gets cold).
The Kimpton Hotels provide complimentary socks as hotel free perks. And yoga mats. They’re also highly pet-friendly. They also have a hosted social hour you don’t wanna miss!
__ Gloves for if you get cold hands or it’s winter. An extra pair of gloves is good to bring as sometimes you lose one. But the Ritz Carlton in Lake Tahoe will provide hand warmers and gloves (in case you’re trying to find a winter ski and sport destination).
__A squishable hat or ballcap that you can attach to the outside of your bag makes you American, but so adorable. If you have long hair, remember to pack hair ties to keep you cool. Some IHG hotels provide “Guestie” hats for hotel reward members.
__Vitamins help to boost immunity when you don’t have immunity foods at your convenience and you’re in and around the public more often.
Include: Vitamin C, a mushroom or onion complex, and/or zinc, elderberry.
Take extra vitamin C as it’s water soluble and your body naturally rids of any extra (that’s not the case with B, A, and E that are also essential flying travel vitamins you can get in a multivitamin or immunity support supplement that you can dissolve in water).
Some hotels offer vitamin-C showers for a fee.
__Minerals such as magnesium-calcium will help you on travel and with your circadian rhythm. Lavender can also help your sleeping efforts. The Westin Hotels (with the “heavenly beds”) offer lavender sprays and balms. While some AC Hotels carry “create your own” lavender sachets in the lobby. So look around when you’re at your hotel destination!
You never know what freebies you’ll find that make your day. And with all these free hotel perks, why not relax and go on vacation?