Our Favorite Hotel Toiletries

These scents stay with you long after you check out. And you just might find your new favorite on your next hotel stay, such as one of these brands. Here are some of our favorite hotel toiletries we've discovered during our travels.

Our Favorite Hotel Toiletries

When you stay in high end hotels and resorts, you come to expect high end toiletries. But not all hotel toiletries are created equal. Here are some of our personal favorite hotel toiletries.

Le Labo

New York City based Le Labo is a dominant force in the luxury hotel toiletry scene, with signature scents and personalized labels. We love Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. And Fairmont Hotels and Resorts’ use rose-scented Le Labo products. While the scent is a bit feminine, we still love Rose 31 Le Labo products and look forward to them when we stay at our favorite Fairmont property, the Fairmont Pacific Rim.

The Park Hyatt New York has their own collaboration with the brand, which created the Tubereuse 40 – a woody/floral scent – exclusively for the hotel. Park Hyatt St. Kitts uses the brand’s Santal 33 amenities, which we are excited to try out later this week.

And Marriott's EDITION hotels (read our Miami Beach EDITION Hotel review)  have their own custom Le Labo scent that’s reminiscent of Noir 29 – a scent made with fig, bay leaves, bergamot, cedar wood, black tea leaves, vetiver, and musk. In terms of masculine smells, it's probably our favorite Le Labo scent.

Asprey

London-based Asprey, a luxury goods company dating back to 1781, has a partnership with The Ritz-Carlton. Guests of the brand’s properties around the world enjoy Asprey’s Purple Water Collection, a fresh citrus fragrance with spicy notes.

Ferragamo

Famed fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo entered the world of high-end toiletries after forming a partnership with the Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts. The company’s Tuscan Soul line of bath products greet guests from the marble shelves of the hotels’ posh bathrooms. And we are a big fan of the Ferragamo toiletries. They smell fresh and light, but aren’t overly floral.

Julien Farel

Loews Hotels feature toiletries by celebrity hairstylist Julien Farel, whose past clients have included stars such as Kate Moss, Richard Gere, and Giuliana Rancic.

Loews Hotels and Julien Farel describe the toiletries as a custom assortment of Julien Farel Anti-Aging Haircare and Body Products. And they feature clinically proven Anti-Aging Bioactives, such as Hyaluronic Acid. Plus they work to intensely hydrate and protect the skin, scalp and hair.

And we always look forward to using them when staying at Loews Hotels like our recent stay at Loews Hotel 1000.

Aromatherapy Associates London

At Conrad Hotels & Resorts, you'll actually get your choice of three different brands of toiletries including Shanghai Tang, Temple Spa and The Refinery (by Aromatherapy Associates London).

We are big fans of Aromatherapy Associates London and we really enjoy The Refinery Line. The Refinery, inspired by the renowned men's grooming salon in London, is blended with the latest cutting-edge ingredients and essential oils to care for pre and post shave skin. Designed for any age, skin is soothed, calmed and protected.

Lather

And finally, Andaz Hotels & Resorts features the Pasadena-based organic skincare line Lather in their rooms. The Lather bath and body products (including bamboo-lemongrass body wash, mint-thyme shampoo, and yuzu-bergamot conditioner) smelled fantastic. And they are definitely one of our favorites.

What are your favorite hotel toiletries? Comment and let us know!

8 Reasons To Visit Iceland

We just got back from Iceland. And we absolutely loved it. The island in the North Atlantic, which was originally settled by Vikings in the 800's, is home to volcanoes, glaciers, lava fields and waterfalls....tons of waterfalls. So here are 8 Reasons To Visit Iceland.

8 Reasons To Visit Iceland

The Land of Fire and Ice has become a tourism hotspot over the past couple of year. And for good reason. Iceland is an incredible country, with features that you won't find anywhere else in the world.

Picturesque Towns & Cities

Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, feels more like a large town than a capital. It's extremely quaint and very picturesque.

But Reykjavik isn't the only cute town. Coastal towns like Vik also make for very Instagrammable photos.

Extremely Safe

If you're worried about visiting a foreign country, this is one of the main reasons to visit Iceland. Iceland is an extremely safe country. The crime rate is historically one of the lowest in the world and violent crimes are nearly nonexistent. The country does not have a standing army, and its police officers do not carry guns.

The Rainbows

In the five days we spent in Iceland, we saw dozens of rainbows. Dozens. And these aren't your normal rainbows. These are insanely bright and vivid rainbows.

And sometimes double rainbows.

Delicious Water

Don't buy bottled water in Iceland. It's almost insulting. Iceland's water is so clean, that you can drink it straight from the tap or even creeks and streams. Icelandic water is not only safe, it’s also delicious. It does not have the faint taste of chloride that many associate with tap water, since it’s never chemically purified. It comes straight from sources where the water has filtered through lava and is clean as can be.

One day we even took an adventure to track down the Olkelda mineral spring, a natural source for sparkling water.

Thousands of Waterfalls

There are around 10,000 plus waterfalls in Iceland, and they are as varied and beautiful as they are many. Iceland's climate and location is especially suited to waterfalls with frequent rain and snow, combined with the multitude of glaciers that melt in summer.

No McDonalds

Yes, Iceland is the only country in Europe not to have a McDonalds or Starbucks. But that doesn't mean you won't find good food. In fact we were a bit worried about the food options when we were planning our Iceland trip. But don't worry, we found delicious locally prepared food and cute local coffee shops.

Geothermal Pools

Just like the delicious drinking water, Iceland also has limitless access to hot water! You can find hot springs basically everywhere and bathing in them is simply awesome. The Blue Lagoon is probably the most famous geothermal pool but there are other ones that are also worth checking out.

We visited the Krauma Baths and the the pools and hot tubs were extremely well maintained and relaxing. And Krauma Baths has a relaxation lounge, steam rooms and a delicious restaurant.

Black Sand Beaches

Iceland is one of the few spots in the world where you can visit a Black Sand Beach. Okay, it’s not exactly the sand as it’s more of a mix of small black stones. These stones were created when lava collided with the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a really stunning place on earth and each stone is cold, smooth, and has a shine to it.

We visited Reynisfjara which is a world-famous black-sand beach found on the South Coast of Iceland, just beside the small town of Vik. With its enormous basalt stacks, roaring Atlantic waves and stunning panoramas, Reynisfjara is widely considered to be the most beautiful example of Iceland's black sand beaches.

Our Favorite Summer Destinations For Long Weekend Getaways

Summer is almost here. And summer is our favorite time of the year to plan long weekend getaways. So in case you need some travel inspiration, here are some of our favorite summer destinations.

Seattle, Washington

Seattle Guide

You can't go wrong with Seattle in the summer. The weather is normally comfortable and not overly hot. There is plenty to do including visiting Pike's Place Market, the Seattle Space Needle and of course consuming excessive amounts of delicious Seattle coffee.

Where We Stay: Thompson Seattle or Grand Hyatt Seattle Our Favorite Place To Eat: Il Corvo (the best pasta we've ever eaten - but they are only open for lunch Monday - Friday) Where We Go To Get Coffee: Caffé Vita or Starbucks Reserve Tasting Room Weekend Guide: See our complete Seattle Weekend Guide

Portland, Oregon

Where We Stay: The Duniway Our Favorite Place To Eat: Mother's Bistro and make sure you get ice cream at Salt & Straw Where We Go To Get Coffee: Stumptown Coffee Roasters Weekend Guide: See our complete Portland Weekend Guide

Washington D.C.

It's hard to see all of Washington D.C. over a long weekend trip, but it's still a great place for a quick getaway. There is plenty to do in the Nation's capital with dozens of museums and historical sites. Our recommendations, spend half a day at the Newseum, one of our favorite museums in the district. And take time to explore Old Town Alexandria.

Where We Stay: The Fairmont Georgetown or Canopy by Hilton The Wharf Our Favorite Place To Eat: Founding Farmers, or just skip real food and get ice cream at Ice Cream Jubilee Where We Go To Get Coffee: La Colombe Weekend Guide: See our complete Washington D.C. Weekend Guide

Charleston, SC

What's not to love about cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum houses. Charleston is full of history and southern charm. Take time to check out the Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both which overlook the Charleston Harbor. And of course you'll be able to shop and eat your way through Charleston's French Quarter.

Where We Stay: The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel Our Favorite Place To Eat: Magnolias Where We Go To Get Coffee: Mercantile And Mash

Park City, UT

Park City is more than just a ski town. It's another one of our favorite summer destinations. When the sun comes and the snow melts away, it reveals an adventurer's paradise! Try your hand at fly-fishing, soar above the mountains in a hot air balloon, explore the mountain on foot, a bike, or horseback, test your balance with stand up paddle board yoga, or tackle one of our golf courses. 

Where We Stay: Waldorf Astoria Park City or Main & Sky Our Favorite Place To Eat: Yuki Yama Sushi Where We Go To Get Coffee: Pink Elephant Coffee Weekend Guide: See our complete Park City Weekend Guide

Austin, Texas

Austin is a big city with a small-town heart. And Austin earns the love with great music, culinary prowess, whip-smart locals and a sociable streak impossible to resist. And with so much going on, it’s little wonder that the Texan capital also happens to be a great place to eat, with its famous barbecue joints, fantastic food trucks and excellent high-end restaurants.

Where We Stay: Fairmont Austin or The Driskill Our Favorite Place To Eat: Torchy's Tacos & Lambert's Downtown Barbeque Where We Go To Get Coffee: Caffe Medici Weekend Guide: See our complete Austin Weekend Guide

Scottsdale, Arizona

Andaz Scottsdale

Sure, there's lot do in Scottsdale including hundreds of great places to eat, high end shopping and plenty of hiking. But we go to Scottsdale for the world class resorts, which by the way are extremely affordable during the hot summer months. But what better way to spend a long weekend than relaxing in the pool with a cocktail? Scottsdale is definitely one of our favorite summer destinations for a long weekend getaway.

Where We Stay: Andaz Scottsdale Our Favorite Place To Eat: Farm & Craft Where We Go To Get Coffee: Cartel Coffee Lab Weekend Guide: See our complete Scottsdale Weekend Guide