Our Favourite Freebies Around the Globe

At Hotel Palomar Dallas, the staff knows how lonely you can get when travelling on business. All you have to do is ask, and they’ll offer you a goldfish companion for the length of your stay. (Be warned, though, he’s not much of a conversationalist.) 

You’ll leave your breakfast table at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC’s Seasons Restaurant just a little smarter than when you got there, thanks to the loan of a Kindle, featuring 80 different newspapers from 15 countries. Or staff will download your favourite for free.

Toronto’s Hazelton Hotel goes the distance to help you sleep soundly: Its pillow menu includes the Therapeutic Siesta Body Pillow, the Snore No More Pillow, the Flo-Touch Memory Foam Pillow and the Neck & Back Support Pillows. 

Poolside, the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu on Big Island, Hawaii, treats its guests to the works: flavoured ice water, suntan lotion, frozen pops, fruit kabobs, cool-water spritz service and even keiki tattoos.

The folks at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, believe patrons should live with art to really enjoy it – so they’ll place a painting or sculpture of your choice from the hotel’s collection in your room upon request.

The Explora Atacama Hotel de Larache, in Chile, offers free guided visits to its observatory, which boasts the biggest amateur telescope in the desert. It’s an area so well known for its clear skies that the world’s largest pro telescope is also located nearby.

At Cosmopolitan Toronto Centre Hotel and Spa, you’ll find an energy stone – not a chocolate – on your pillow.

At Le Méridien Bangkok, room keys also serve as complimentary passes to the Thailand Creative and Design Center, a cutting-edge art space and library nearby. One of its current exhibitions seeks to answer the not-so-simple question, What is Design?

At the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, you’ll get seven themed gifts a day: Be Good (a piece of fruit), Be Bad (a handmade chocolate), Keep Cool (a paper fan), Share (an SLS postcard), Feel Better (bath salts), Be Lucky (lucky dice) and Take a Peek (a kaleidoscope).

The Whatever/Whenever service at W Hotels around the world is designed to make guests’ wildest dreams become reality, but you may not know it includes free services too, like staff running errands to get your favourite perfume or foreign newspaper – so you can always stay up on the news at home.

Best Eats and Treats

Some hotels really know the way to our hearts. 

Free Fitness

Hotels that are going the extra mile to get us in shape. 

Kids Stuff

Showing the kids a good time can be easy (and free). 

Tech for the Taking

For business or pleasure, hotels that meet your tech needs.

Car Service

So many hotels offer free rides in their own luxury town cars. But how far can you go?