You used to have to be a paying guest to get the five-star hotel experience.
That rule — at least for the moment — has changed.
With millions of travelers confined to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic, luxury hotels are reaching beyond their property walls to entertain from afar. If guests can’t come to them, the hotels will have to go to the travelers instead.
From cooking to craft cocktails
Silvia Grossi is the executive chef of Il Salviatino, a 15th-century villa in Tuscany, Italy. While the hotel is closed, Grossi is teaching Italian cooking lessons twice a week from her home kitchen.
Il Salviatino, located 15 minutes outside of Florence.
Courtesy of Il Salviatino
Using easy-to-locate ingredients, Grossi creates short videos — many are under five minutes — on how to prepare dishes like gnocchi, chickpea velouté and homemade pizza. Some videos are in Italian and others are in English, but recipes are provided in both languages.
To master the art of the craft cocktail, The Artesian at The Langham London is teaching armchair travelers the tricks behind the staff’s favorite mixed drinks with cocktail demos from the hotel’s bar.
Those with young kids can watch how the pastry chef at The Langham Chicago makes Lucky Charms cereal bars. You can also learn how to shuck an oyster or prepare an Easter ham from the chefs at Rhode Island’s Ocean House as part of the hotel’s new “how-to” video series.
Learn a new skill
The Resort at Paws Up is helping at-home travelers brush up on their wilderness skills through its Instagram Live series entitled “Live from Big Sky Country.” The luxury Montana resort is sharing tips on fishing, how to forage for cooking ingredients in the wild and and how to make gourmet campfire s’mores.
The Four Seasons Washington, D.C., is also teaching life skills, though of a decidedly different variety. Learn the 12 tips to turn-down service to create “a soothing sleep haven” in your home, courtesy of the hotel’s learning and development team.
Learn how to turn down a bed Four Seasons-style.
Don Riddle
Mexico’s Rosewood Mayakoba is sharing videos with informative guides from the staff, including exercise recommendations and upcoming tips from the resident biologist on how to create a home herb garden.
Rosewood CordeValle in Northern California is posting tutorials on everything from arranging charcuterie boards to perfecting your golf game.
Playa Hotels & Resorts’ spa director teaches those stuck at home how to make natural skin scrubs from coffee and coconut oil, reminding readers that self-care needn’t be avoided or difficult during isolation.
The 16th-century Dromoland Castle.
Courtesy of Dromoland Castle
Dromoland Castle, a 16th-century castle hotel in County Clare, Ireland, seems like it’s been plucked from a fairy tale. While you can’t climb one its turrets or play with a resident falcon right now, you can learn to build your own castle out of everyday materials from home. It’s a fun way to keep kids engaged, while fueling their curiosity at the same time.
Families will also find Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort’s webcam in Thailand entertaining. The onsite Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation has daily livestreams of the elephants roaming free as they bathe, eat and play.
Keep calm through music, self-care and sleep
Guatemala’s Casa Palopó has created a regional playlist of songs for would-be guests to enjoy via Spotify. Similarly, the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino and Wymara Resort and Villas Turks & Caicos are curating lists of island music.
Catch one of Bobby Hotel’s virtual concerts; the Nashville hotel features local musicians on its social platforms to “keep the music playing” despite local restrictions that prohibit gatherings.
Bobby Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
Courtesy of Bobby Hotel
The stunning Monteverdi Tuscany hotel is supporting performers — many of whom have had shows canceled or postponed — who include opera singers and musicians performing remotely from their homes.
The Estates at Acqualina in Miami is hosting a Bedside Reading Virtual Book Club with free, downloadable e-books.
Rather than canceling, Monteverdi Tuscany has moved its musical performances online.
Courtesy of Monteverdi Tuscany
Miraval Arizona and Miraval Austin have taken their well-being advice online by featuring tips about mindful grocery shopping and how to maintain positive relationships while quarantined with others.
The new Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences in Florida is getting a head start before its official opening in mid-2020 with a series on wellness experiences. Follow along for sessions on sound bathing, breath work, and stress reduction.
Family yoga classes with Six Senses.
Courtesy of Six Senses
Six Senses Spas have a new series called “At Home with Six Senses.” Its bedtime breathing rituals and dream analysis talks are drawn from the company’s sleep programs offered at many properties. The series discusses forest bathing at home and yoga for the whole family to help everyone in your home de-stress during this time at home.