Fauchon L’Hotel, Paris
Fauchon set a precedent in Europe when it opened several years ago with a collection of custom metallic pink armoires packed to full height with complimentary biscuits, foie gras, pastries, chocolates and crisps — customised with sweet or savoury delicacies from the deli next door. Alongside soft drinks are wines and capital-C Champagne, and it’s all replenished every two days.
Palm Heights, Grand Cayman
Are you here to detox or retox? Both? No problem. These rooms have two stocked fridges you can access for free — one for juices and sodas, the other for booze, craft beer and house pre-made mixed cocktails. The snacks are organic versions of your favourites, from crisps to peanut butter cups, and a set of luxury face masks and other toiletries comes with the lot.
The Greenwich Hotel, New York
Competition is fierce in New York, a world leader in hotels and in snacks. At the Aman and Park Hyatt, the minibars are more like entire kitchens. But the indie favourite is the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, with its mix of retro and gourmet snacks, plus plenty of soft drinks and a splash of booze, if you’re in one of the top rooms. One can brag about this to one’s friends back home using the phone in the room, equipped with free international calls.
Upper House, Hong Kong
This small, growing Asian chain is beloved for its communal spaces and better-than-average hotel dining, but the original, in Hong Kong, also gets kudos for its ‘maxi bar’, taking up an entire wall of the bedroom. Along with its collection of sodas and juices, it includes free local craft beers and some wines, and goes heavy on the chocolate in its snack selection.
St. Clement, London
Posh snacks and sodas are on hand in the custom credenza in each room at St. Clement — along with an honesty bar and an ice bucket. Equally generous is the adjacent drawer filled with games and the storage bench at the end of the bed packed with exercise equipment, so you can squeeze every last moment from your (reasonable) room fee.
Regent, Phu Quoc
Your integrated ‘personal pantry’ at the beachfront Regent is a week’s supply of local and imported beers and soft drinks, Vietnamese coffees and teas, chocolate bars and great packets of nuts. Staff turn up daily to replace glass dome-covered dishes with fresh tarts from a nearby baker.
