The five-star hotels I stayed at included lots of extra amenities like free car rentals and hiking gear.
I found that the luxuries of five-star hotels often extended well beyond my hotel room.
At the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, my friend and I went to the concierge desk to ask for hike recommendations. While there, a staff member let us know that we could rent microspikes, which are helpful for hiking in the snow, for free.
We grabbed two pairs and headed out. The hotel also served free s’mores by fire each night, operated its own ski rental shop, and had an indoor pool.
In Aspen, both The Little Nell and The St. Regis Aspen advertised free car rentals for guests. Although I didn’t take advantage of the perk, I could’ve saved money during my trip to the ski town by not bringing my car. Guests here also had access to babysitters, an electric vehicle charging station, and shoe shines.
The Little Nell also offered amenities like oxygen rentals to combat altitude sickness, local newspaper delivery, unpacking services, and an on-call physician.
At Hotel Britomart in Auckland, I spent an afternoon exploring by bike, which was rented by the hotel for free.
And when I went to the gym at The Darling in Sydney, I spotted luxe free perks like ice-cold bottles of water, a bowl of fruit, towels, newspapers, and spare headphones — all complimentary for guests. After running a quick 5K, I made sure to take advantage by grabbing an apple and newspaper on my way out.
While the services and amenities felt “free,” I was, of course, paying for them. Many hotels have mandatory resort fees on top of expensive nightly rates. For instance, at The Little Nell, I paid a $42 resort fee in addition to my $719 room cost.
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