The Best Hotels and Resorts Excel at Subtlety

Vacations are typically highlighted by memorable staff and details. Beyond the marble, brass, crystal chandeliers and extraordinary hospitality – ever think about the difference between a three- and a five-star hotel? It’s the size of the shampoo bottle.

Shampoo and Soap, Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
A lot can be learned about a resort by the size and quality of the body soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.

At Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa in Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula – a lot of thought goes into the roster of bathroom products. Guests are presented with a selection of artisanal, organic soaps made locally. From invigorating and energizing scents, to soothing and calming varieties – guests can pick one or several soaps and their butler will hand-carve as needed.

The typical hotel shampoo size is .75 ounces, at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa it’s eight ounces. Want to know a lot about a hotel or resort, this simple question will help, “How many ounces are your shampoo and conditioner bottles?”

Dress Form Stand, Brooks Hotel; Dublin, Ireland
“How does this dress look? What do you think of this?” All those questions are easily answered with this rare hotel amenity – a dress form stand. A big night on the town in Dublin is about to go down: reservations are in at The Exchequer Gastropub and then a night of Temple Bar pub-hopping awaits – an ideal wardrobe should not be left to chance – cue the dress form stand.

Paper Towel Seal, Reunion Resort; Kissimmee, Florida
The rooms at Reunion Resort are huge and full kitchens are available. All the comforts of home are there: full set of silverware, knife block, washer and dryer, full refrigerator and paper towel holder on the marble countertop. An added touch of class is with the paper towels. The keep the loose paper towel from waving about – everyday housekeeping staff attaches a Reunion seal to the paper towels.

An unexpected detail in an unlikely place that did not go unnoticed.

Tim Horton’s Coffee, Fox Harb’r Resort; Nova Scotia, Canada
Fox Harb’r Resort sits on the Northumberland Strait not far from Prince Edward Island. The resort was founded by Ron Joyce, Co-Founder of Tim Horton’s. “Timmy Ho’s” as it’s affectionately known by locals is a Canadian icon known for its coffee and donuts. Rooms are equipped with full-size coffee makers and full-size packets of Tim Horton’s ground coffee. There is no better way to start a day in Canada than with a fresh brewed cup of Tim Horton’s coffee and a beautiful Nova Scotia view.

3,000 Newspapers Daily, Four Seasons Resort Lanai; Lanai City Hawaii
The world’s most beautiful destinations are accustomed to hosting guests from all over the world. Some come from a thousand miles away – others from 4,000 miles. One of the great things about traveling abroad is getting away from the stresses back home, but for some, an occasional peak at the news is a must. Whether it’s business or a guilty pleasure – a glance at “what’s happening back home is a must.”

iPads in each guest room at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai offer more than 3,000 newspapers every day. Home could be Hong Kong, Dallas, Toronto or Dublin – your local fish wrapper is just a few clicks away.