Hotels usually have pretty standard room amenities and furniture like desks, writing pads & pens, pillows, laundry bag, etc. Chocolate and fruit, alcohol and flowers are all commonly seen as welcome amenities, and sometimes at the end of the stay a book to remember the resort is offered. A chaise lounge near the window to enjoy the view, local art pieces to give the room zest are not uncommon. Some hotels have unusual items in the room though, like the W Mexico City.
Guests there will find silk hammocks suspended over the top of their bathtub or strung up in their shower.
It sounds cool, but if I was at that hotel I think I’d be puzzled. Why is the hammock over the tub instead of in a sitting room? Are you supposed to lie in the hammock while the shower is on, or is it for those with special needs that get tired while standing up? Their website offers no hints, and I’d be curious to know how many people have fallen out of them while trying to find out!
The Benjamin hotel in New York reportedly offers guests pillows filled with magnets, which are said to reduce swelling and improve skin tone. Kinda odd. I think sleeping on a bunch of magnets would be uncomfortable unless they are protected well within the fluff of the pillow.
I was staying in a hotel in northern China once, and found a pair of carefully placed earmuffs on the table along with a gentle reminder that the weather outside was extremely cold. Thoughtful since the temperatures were cold enough to freeze off an ear or two, but it wasn’t the weirdest thing.
For me, the weirdest thing was when I was staying at the Holiday Inn Moscow Sokolniki.
I had been there for a day already, and the room itself was just fine. Housekeeping had cleaned well, and the furniture was a bit worn but standard. Everything was well-arranged, and there was the standard ice bucket, tea kettle, and bathrobes. Views out of the windows were nice, and the room was quiet.
In the closet though, right next to the extra pillows and shoeshine kit I was surprised to find two gas masks. Surprise!
Rather than being an escape respirator, it was the type of gas mask with filter that would have clogged if used for smoke particles. Although the picture I took of the mask in the closet sadly turned out too dark, the mask looked similar to a GP-5. I’m not an expert in gas masks or respirators and suppose it would have done in a pinch if trying to escape a fire, but I’m not too sure exactly what it was meant for. Under the list of room amenities it wasn’t listed, and I didn’t really feel the need to ask the staff.
The property was right across the street from the Metro, and maybe there were nuclear power plants nearby. Perhaps the masks were there in case of a possible terrorist attack. I guess “better safe than sorry” fits this item, and thankfully the masks stayed in the closet for the rest of my stay!
What hotel have you found the most unusual item in, and what was it?
