Some stays have cool complimentary offerings for guests that often go under the radar. We rounded up a few of the best hotel freebies around the globe—just don’t forget to take advantage of them once you’re there.
Books
Forgot to pack a great read while away? Many hotels have complimentary on-site libraries. The Dagny in Boston, Greydon House in Nantucket, and Cloud Camp at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs have reading rooms filled with books readily available for all your literary needs. The Andaz 5th Avenue in New York City has a library curated with books on loan from the New York Public Library.
A few hotels come with surprising musical perks.
Courtesy of the Pendry Chicago/Christian Horan Photography
Vinyl records and musical instruments
Vinyl record lending libraries are popping up at many hotels around the globe. The Roxy in New York City, Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, Yours Truly in Washington, D.C., and the Royal Park Canvas in Sapporo, Japan, all have curated vinyl collections with in-room listening equipment.
Central Station Memphis, Curio Collection by Hilton, has a listening lounge called Eight & Sand with a collection of 500 records, all related to the city in some way.
For those feeling inspired enough to try their hand at music-making, the Pendry Chicago grants guests access to Taylor guitar rentals, free of charge, so you can write your next hit in your hotel room.
Wardrobe staples
Clothing lending libraries are available at a few hotels. The Kimpton Hotel Theta in New York City has a collaboration with Anthropologie to provide accessories such as purses, necklaces, and belts. The Eastwinds Oliverea Valley in the Catskills partners with Hunter Boots to make sure guests stay dry with rain boots and umbrellas, plus backpacks.
Outdoor equipment
Some hotels really want you to get out of your room, and they offer complimentary gear to help make it happen. For example, at Hotel Lilien in Tannersville, New York, patrons can borrow winter equipment from a sled menu, which stocks both classic and contemporary sledding gear. The Ryder Hotel in Charleston offers a Gear Garage, equipped with longboards, bicycles, and Polaroid cameras, for individual adventures across the city. The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey, California, has a Dog Stick Library, loaning out sticks to on-property pups for fun games of beachside fetch with their devoted owners. At Wildflower Farms Resort in New York, guests can forage for wildflowers with gardening gloves, mini sheers, and straw hats all provided by the resort.
Bicycle rentals
There’s no better way to get acquainted with a city than by bike. Luckily, many hotels across the world offer free bike rentals for their patrons. The Kimpton Hotel Theta in New York, Hôtel Dames Des Arts in Paris, Borgo Pignano in Tuscany, and the H2hotel in Healdsburg, California, are among the spots giving guests free bike access.
Drinks
Guests staying at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal receive a complimentary bottle of Claze Azul tequila upon check-in.
Photo by Blake Marvin
Hotel chains such as Kimpton Hotels and the Hyatt Andaz have daily happy hours for guests to enjoy a free drink and meet other travelers. The Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Georgia, hosts a complimentary bourbon tasting every day for guests. In Mexico, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal gives guests a complimentary bottle of Clase Azul Reposado tequila at check-in.
Trinkets and souvenirs
At Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa in Trancoso, Brazil, guests receive postcards with portraits and landscapes of Brazilian life designed by local illustrator Joey Yu. At Nayara Bocas del Toro in Panama, guests can take home a one-of-a-kind batik mask. During turndown service at the Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé in the Loire Valley, guests receive complimentary mementos, such as sablé cookies from nearby bakery La Sablésienne, mini magnet versions of a Baron Jacques oil painting, custom puzzles of the Château building, or a small book about the philosophical history surrounding Hotel Château. The Four Seasons Hotel at the Bosphorus in Istanbul leaves an “evil eye” necklace (a traditional token of protection) for each guest at turndown.
Museum passes
If you love museums, take that into consideration when booking a hotel stay because many have partnerships with museums and major cultural institutions. A stay at the Limelight in Denver gets you free access to the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. Similarly, La Reserve Eden au Lac Zurich in Switzerland gifts its guests with complimentary access to both the Kunsthaus Zurich art museum and the Seebad Utoquai bathing pavilion, and the Almanac Palais Vienna in Austria grants guests free guided tours of the upper and lower levels of the Belvedere 21 contemporary art museum.
Cooking classes
One of the best hotel freebies is a gift that keeps on giving: cooking classes! Villa La Massa in Tuscany offers traditional Italian cooking lessons with its executive chef, Stefano Ballarino.
Car rides
Complimentary car rides can make getting around easier. The Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica, California, offers a free Tesla service to drive guests to locales within three miles of the hotel. The Baccarat Hotel in New York City provides patrons with chauffeured Maybach car service that takes them anywhere within 15 blocks of the hotel. The White Elephant Nantucket in Massachusetts lets guests borrow BMW vehicles for four-hour stints, so they can explore the island on their own. Guests staying in Deluxe suites at the Hotel Café Royal in London have access to daily private chauffeur service for up to five hours each day in either a Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan, V-class minivan, or a Rolls-Royce. At Hotel Poseidon Positano in Italy, guests have unlimited driving access to a vintage 1971 Volkswagen convertible for rides along the Amalfi Coast.
Hotel tours
Hotels across the globe have unique histories, and some of these stays offer free opportunities for guests to learn about them. Son Bunyola Hotel in Mallorca, Spain, offers guests complimentary historical walking tours of the secluded Tramuntana mountain range, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, provides free eco-tours of the nearby mangrove forests that showcase the region’s rich biodiversity. Ellerman House in Cape Town grants guests free tours of its private collections of South African art, which detail more than 100 years of South African history. At the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso, Texas, guests can take free historical tours that chart the 130-year-history of the property, which includes a look at the lives of several of the hotel’s A-list guests, including Elizabeth Taylor and Conrad Hilton.
Child care
Planning trips with children can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be terrible. Some stays offer guests complimentary child care options, so caregivers can get some time to themselves. Villa D’Este in Lake Como, Italy, provides babysitting upon request. Kaya Palazzo in Bodrum, Türkiye, and the Belmond Mount Nelson in Cape Town both give guests access to a child care center.
Concierge services
Specialty concierge services can improve a trip by providing guests with highly-specialized experiences, free of charge. At the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champillon, France, they have a (you guessed it!) Champagne Concierge. For no added cost, its concierge Lise Legrand will help guests plan an incredible trip throughout France’s Champagne region. At Edson Hill in Stowe, Vermont, guests can request a Fireplace Concierge to prepare their in-room blaze. Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas, offers a Culinary Concierge service that helps guests snag coveted reservations at restaurants in the San Antonio area and prepare foodie itineraries for their stays. The Islands of Islamorada Resort in Florida has a Coastal Concierge service to arrange ecological tours and ocean excursions in collaboration with local nonprofit REEF.
