Guide to hotel toiletries

Here's a helpful guide to some of the leading hotels and the brands of luxury products they have on offer in their maid's carts.

Starwood Hotels

Sheraton: Shine by Bliss

Four Points by Sheraton: Caswell-Massey

W Hotels: Bliss
·
Westin: Heavenly (made especially for Westin
)
Aloft: Bliss
· Luxury Collection,
St. Regis and Le Meridien: Signature bath products

Marriot Hotels
·
JW Marriott, Nervae

Marriott- Bath and Body Works

Renaissance- Lather

Courtyard: Davies Gate

Fairfield Inn: Pantene

Residence Inn: Davies Gate

SpringHill Suites: Pro Terra

TownePlace Suites: Pro Terra

Intercontinental Hotels (IHG)

Hotel Indigo: Aveda

Holiday Inn: Garden Botanika products

Holiday Inn Express: Simply SmartTM

Crowne Plaza: Reneu Botanicals collection

Staybridge Suites: SIMPLY be wellTM herbal bath collection

Hilton Hotels
 Crabtree & Evelyn LaSource
Hyatt Hotels Varies, but some properties use eShave
Wyndahm HotelsS
 Bath and Body Works
Four Seasons Hotels L'Occitane products in Lemon Verbena
Ritz Carlton Hotels Bulgari

LOCAL FAVORITES
New York
The Franklin Hotel, Bulgari; The Shoreham Hotel, Aveda; 
The Mansfield Hotel, Aveda; 
The Bowery Hotel, CO Bigelow
; Gramercy Park Hotel, Mixture, hand-picked by Allure editor; 
Carlyle Hotel, Kiehls; 
The Carlton, Penhaligon; Flathotel, Essential Elements; Soho and Tribeca Grand, Kiehls; Alex Hotel, Frederick Fekkai

Atlantic City
Lather
Water Club, L'Occitane
; The Chelsea AC, Kiehls

Boston
Liberty Hotel, Molton Brown; 
XV Beacon, Fresh products; 
White Barn Inn (Maine), Molton Brown; Fairmont Copely Plaza, Penthaligons Quercus

Miami
The Tides South Beach, Molton Brown
; The Setai, Aqua di Parma
; Angler's Resort, Aveda; 
The Raleigh, Kiehl's; Sagamore, Fresh; The Biltmore, Gilchrist and Soames; Acqualina, ETRO; Trump International Beach Resort, Ecru

Los Angeles
Hotel Oceana, Kiehl's; 
London West Hollywood, Clear; 
Palihouse West Hollywood, C.O. Bigelow
; Sunset Marquis, Aveda;
Sofitel, Rodger & Gallet; Roosevelt, Fresh; Hotel Bel-air, Kiehls; Shutters, Molton Brown Signature

Las Vegas
 Bulgari at 
Mansion; Bulgari
 Signature at MGM Grand; Gilchrist and Soames tangerine and olive flower at Caesar's Palace.

Sonoma/Napa The Sonoma Mission Inn, proprietary Apricot Cream products, Kenwood Inn, Arconna; MacArthur Park, proprietary blends of grape and wine based products and green tea infused skincare products; Carnero's Inn, Red Flower Blood Orange

Other US Cities
Topnotch in Stowe, June Jacobs; Little Nell in Aspen, June Jacobs; 
Stoneleigh in Dallas, Baronessa Cali; 
Hotel Zaza in Houston, Molton Brown; 
 James in Chicago, Kiehls; Bacara in Santa Barbara, Fresh; Chanier in Newport Beach, Pentahligons Quercus

The St. Regis in San Francisco - Laboratorie Remede toiletries.

Election note

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the significance of the election and how it impacted people who're struggling financially.
Those who voted got free ice cream at Ben and Jerry's and a free coffee at Starbucks. Chunky Monkey and coffee make a well balanced, delicious breakfast.
God bless America.

Taking pleasure in the little things—a pep talk

Sure, it’s a bummer not being able to soothe yourself with expensive toys, couture, gourmet delicacies or electricity any more. But look on the bright side. When you’re poor, you really learn to appreciate the simple things.

I’ll use an example from my own life. A moment of epiphany. One fall afternoon, before my car was repossessed, I parked hastily to pick up some free samples being passed out on the corner and returned to a piece of paper on my windshield. My heart stopped when I saw it fluttering in the wind.

My mind raced darkly as I approached the car. I thought to myself, ‘Dear God, if I just got a $40 parking ticket in order to get free samples of Fiber One cereal, shoot me now. I’m going to be so poor, I’ll have to eat the Fiber One. Why me? Life is so freaking unfair I don’t think I can bear another minute. I hate Fiber One.”

But before I could lapse into a deep depression, I reached under the windshield wiper, and saw it was only a handwritten note that said “nice parking, asshole. Fuck you!” A surge of joy and relief rushed through me that I can only liken to winning the Olympics or consuming eight Scharffenberger milk chocolate nibby bars in one sitting. I believe I might have even done a celebratory fist pump.

It was at that moment I realized, had I been solvent, the note would have brought me no joy at all. When I had money, I needed expensive, meaningless possessions to make me happy. But being poor, a scrawled, “fuck you” note” is like a gift from the heavens. Now imagine the potential bliss of an eviction notice or “Dear John” letter.

When you look at it this way, there’s so much to look forward to.