Luxury hotel brands try to differentiate themselves in all kinds of ways. One (arguably) minor way they do so is by partnering with other luxury brands on their toiletry and skincare lines. While I’m not suggesting that you should pick a hotel brand because of the toiletries that they offer, I think I’m not alone in preferring some brands to others.
In this post, I’d like to share my favorite hotel toiletry brands, and then I’m curious to hear what brands OMAAT readers prefer. To be clear, my rankings are based purely on my perception of products and brands, from the packaging, to the scent, to how it feels using them, to memories I associate with them. I’m not claiming any authority with my opinion, so please don’t ask me to defend my preferences!
Still, I’m sure I’m not alone in getting more excited about some toiletry brands than others. I think it’s also interesting to reflect on how two major hotel brands have switched their toiletries brands in the past couple of years.
With that out of the way, below are some of my favorite hotel toiletry brands (let me also emphasize that not every single property belonging to these groups has the brand standard toiletries).
In this post:
Le Labo at EDITION & Park Hyatt
Le Labo generally supplies toiletries for EDITION and Park Hyatt hotels, as well as select Fairmont properties, and it’s probably my single favorite toiletry brand. I love how there are different scents, and how they’re often customized for individual hotels (with the branding on the bottles even reflecting that). I enjoy the scents, and also appreciate that they seem to be fairly mild.
Diptyque at Ritz-Carlton
Within the past few years, Ritz-Carlton has started partnering with Diptyque on toiletries. What an absolutely massive upgrade this is, compared to the previous Asprey Purple Rain collection, which I personally found to be completely unremarkable. I find Diptyque to have a very pleasant scent without being overpowering. It’s something I otherwise associate with Qatar Airways, as it’s the only major airline to partner with the brand. Speaking of changes in recent years in the luxury Marriott portfolio, St. Regis has moved to SACHAJUAN, which I find to be unmemorable.
Aesop at Waldorf Astoria
A couple of years ago, Waldorf Astoria made the switch from Salvatore Ferragamo toiletries to Aesop toiletries. I’d consider that to be a significant upgrade. I love the scent of Aesop, and it can’t help but always remind me of Cathay Pacific back in the day (which used to have a close collaboration with Aesop — the airline now uses Bamford, which is great as well, and I wish we’d see a major hotel group partner with Bamford).
BVLGARI at various hotel brands
I love BVLGARI toiletries, including the packaging, scent, and feeling of using them. The catch is that while many hotels have BVLGARI toiletries, there’s not much consistency as to which brands have them. Yes, as you’d expect, BVLGARI hotels have these products, but that’s a small hotel group, with under 10 properties. On top of that, you’ll find BVLGARI toiletries at select properties of Four Seasons, Rosewood, and more.
Acqua Di Parma at various hotel brands
Acqua Di Parma is another one of my favorite hotel toiletry brands, in terms of packaging and scent. The catch is that there’s not a major hotel group that consistently stocks these products, though they’re common enough among hotel groups that I feel good about including it on the list. For example, while not brand standard, the St. Regis Venice uses Acqua Di Parma products.
Molton Brown at various hotel brands
Molton Brown makes great products (I particularly like the soap). While no major hotel group consistently has Molton Brown products, I find that they’re pretty common at luxury hotels, including at many Marriott Luxury Collection properties.
Byredo at various hotel brands
I think Byredo is worth mentioning, as you’ll find the Bal d’Afrique product line at many InterContinental properties, and the Le Chemin product line at many Luxury Collection properties. While I don’t like this quite as much as some of the brands mentioned above, I appreciate that it’s often available at more mid-range properties, where you won’t typically find brands like Aesop and Le Labo.
MALIN+GOETZ at Le Meridien
Admittedly this is a bit lower end than the other options, but I wanted to also throw in a toiletry brand from a more mid-range hotel brand. For upscale hotels, I’d say that MALIN+GOETZ, available at Le Meridien properties, is probably my favorite line.
Bottom line
The above are eight of my favorite hotel toiletry lines. As you can see, some are pretty consistently available at select hotel brands, while others are frequently offered, though not consistently at any brand. I don’t claim that my opinions are right, but the above are the toiletry brands I’m typically most excited to see at hotels.
What are your favorite hotel toiletry brands?
I work for an airline as a flight attendant and one of the hotels I regularly stay in when working stocks Le Lobo products.
They are large bottles fixed in place in holders. Every time I go, my partner has me go to 7-11, buy small bottle of water, empty them, fill em up with the Le Lobo products and drag them thousands of miles back home :-(
That is... quite something. No shots but I think that qualifies as pretty damn tacky.
Personally I think Le Labo is super overrated. Aesop all day. Before I met my better half, I was on a date and espousing the virtues of the Camellia Nut Hydrating Cream that I got in Cathay Pacific's amenity kit.
The woman put her drink down, said "who are, you Patrick Bateman or something?" and stormed out.
Does Burj Al Arab still have full-size Hermes his & her toiletries?
Intercontinental hotels in Mexico use a local brand called Izaba, it smells amazing and better than the usual Byredo
In time for the weekend I’m going to be a slight party pooper. It took me years to make the correlation, but I am super sensitive (=allergic) to practically all these heavily scented toiletries and cosmetics. For years I blamed the rich food and indulgent drinking at luxury hotels for me feeling so ill within a day. Now I know it’s the over the top perfuming.
Not a massive drama- I just buy a simple Dove bar where I go, but thought I’d add that perspective.
Mālie's Koke' at the Prince in Honolulu. After bringing some home, I am immediately transported to Hawaii after using it.
The only time I've loved hotel toiletries enough to take the little bottles home was at the St. Regis Amman. The brand was Trinitæ, and featured Dead Sea minerals and a nice scent that wasn't too overpowering. The brand is produced in Jordan, and that local element was a nice touch.
I clearly have no taste but only request that hotels dump the communal dispenser & revert back to the politically incorrect individual sealed containers.
I don't like using a container that has been touched by thousands of the unwashed (pun intended) before me. Also the inconvenience of having to monitor fluid levels upon check-in versus taking your chances while dripping in the shower is a PITA. Finally I don't trust either style container to...
I clearly have no taste but only request that hotels dump the communal dispenser & revert back to the politically incorrect individual sealed containers.
I don't like using a container that has been touched by thousands of the unwashed (pun intended) before me. Also the inconvenience of having to monitor fluid levels upon check-in versus taking your chances while dripping in the shower is a PITA. Finally I don't trust either style container to necessarily exactly contain what it implies on the label. Hotels & airliners are all Petri dishes ...
The first time I stayed at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, I grabbed the Byredo Le Chemin lotion on my out the door after the long plane trip dried out my skin on my way to hike Muir Woods, and spent the next 8 hrs running around the city. I thought I would have smelt like ass, but 2-3 people at bars I visited asked me what fragrance I was wearing because they liked...
The first time I stayed at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, I grabbed the Byredo Le Chemin lotion on my out the door after the long plane trip dried out my skin on my way to hike Muir Woods, and spent the next 8 hrs running around the city. I thought I would have smelt like ass, but 2-3 people at bars I visited asked me what fragrance I was wearing because they liked it. The next day I went to the Byredo counter at the Barney’s down the street, and when I pulled out the bottle and asked if they carried it, the woman laughed and said that they got at least 3 people a week coming from the Palace asking about it, but that it was formulated specifically for the Luxury Collection hotels and they therefore would never sell it. She tried to get me to buy Bal d’Afrique and Mojave Ghost to layer them saying it was similar, but it wasn’t. I was delighted to find out the Luxury Collection website sells it. I’ve been buying it regularly (when it is in stock, as it goes out of stock often) for 4 years now.
Pretty cool. Some scents are super captivating. I remember when Bond No. 9 was very IYKYK in NYC circles. Personally I'm an Old Spice kind of guy and it never did me wrong in college or in my 20s when I was single. So it's all academic.
Andaz Mexico City has Byredo Eleventh Hour toiletries.
It was Bal D'Afrique last year. Que interesante.
You nailed my latest favorite used by Conrad and Waldorf Astoria: Byredo Bal D’Afrique and Mojave Ghost.
I just bought a robust set of silicon toiletry bottles to fill while traveling next week. The first night will be at a WA, which will come in handy the next four nights at an inferior Hilton Garden Inn.
To the person who posted about the empty pump bottles in their bathroom… sorry, blame me.
The first time I stayed at the Conrad Nashville, I experienced their Byredo Mojave Ghost. That scent was everywhere through the hotel, if “wealth” had a scent it would be that.. good memories.
Le Labo Bergamote 22 @PH. Always tip maid extra to get extra soap to bring home.
Originally, years back, it was Molton Brown Orange & Bergamot. Then, for years, it was Le Labo all the way. But a few months back, I stayed at The Manner, an Unbound Hyatt in NYC. Without doubt, Costa Brazil is my new favorite.
Ben — 1 Hotels partner with Bamford. Certain of their hotels (Brooklyn Bridge, South Beach, etc.) even have Bamford-branded spas.
Stayed at the Westin Josun Seoul a few weeks ago and to my great suprise they had BYREDO Bal D’Afrique toiletries instead of the standard Westin White Tea (which I actually also quite like).
The Andaz Vienna recently changed to Byredo which I was happy to see when I stayed there 2 weeks ago.
The Andaz Ottawa was using Byredo when I was there in January 2024 (though I wasn't a fan - can remember what the specific scent was).
*can't
I feel like Diptyque is very perfumy
I find Diptyque too perfumy as well.
Andaz Tokyo has Aesop products, including the really unique (and hilarious) "Post-Poo Drops."
The Steinberger Icon hotels in Germany generally have Acqua di Parma - quite lovely.
My favourite is Dove.
Lucky - seeing that you listed Le Labo as one of your favorites (mine too) made me think about Fairmont Hotels. They have their own line of Le Labo (a rose scent) which I actually don't care for. Nonetheless, do you ever review Fairmont Hotels? I can't remember you ever writing about Fairmont Hotels. I could be wrong. Generally speaking, it's my favorite hotel chain. The one in Austin, TX is especially nice. I live...
Lucky - seeing that you listed Le Labo as one of your favorites (mine too) made me think about Fairmont Hotels. They have their own line of Le Labo (a rose scent) which I actually don't care for. Nonetheless, do you ever review Fairmont Hotels? I can't remember you ever writing about Fairmont Hotels. I could be wrong. Generally speaking, it's my favorite hotel chain. The one in Austin, TX is especially nice. I live in Dallas and much prefer the Austin location over the Dallas location. Just curious why we don't hear more about Fairmont Hotels from you??
Rose 31. I discovered it at Fairmont in Dubai while nursing a nasty Emirates hangover. But I loved the scent so much that it fixed my misery and quickly became my go-to. Candles, body wash, all of it. It's one of Le Labo's core scents, not just for hotels. They even had it as laundry detergent lol
Rose is far to strong for a hotel. Smell it all day, and overpowers anything else.
Didn't you enjoy Bliss at one point?! I remember you staying at the W Taipei back in the day and they were using Bliss toiletries!
Bulgari and Le Labo products have aggressive scents that aren't always appealing.
Give me Amanjena's Nectarome products any day.
Totally agree. Couldn't wait to wash off the Bulgari lotion after I applied it post-shower in EK F. Weird, off-putting mix of floral and dairy.
You’re missing a very important point - many (not all) of these formulations are just watered down scented variants of the originals, usually by La Bottega. For example Le Labo is really not great quality wise however some such as Aesop stay true to their original ingredients and therefore much much better
Well, cross your fingers. Aesop was acquired by L'Oreal 1 year ago so hopefully they will keep it the same way but I doubt.
I was in this industry for a long time and yes, the versions you get at the hotels isn't necessarily made with the same ingredients and processes. The brands often license their logos and their signature scents and the hotels have white label manufacturers actually produce the stuff you get in your room.
"...the versions you get at the hotels isn't necessarily made with the same ingredients and processes."
Great point - some of the Acca Kappa soaps I've seen in hotels are actually made in China - it's quite literally labeled as such.
I love Le Labo's Neroli shower gel and body lotion. The shower gel I buy at Le Labo's boutique stores is thick and concentrated, and a small amount goes a long way. At a recent stay at the Fairmont Vancouver Waterfront, the Le Labo Rose Bath Gel was thin, and the scent was barely noticeable.
Exactly. But many people can’t tell the difference, the same way they apparently can’t tell the difference between a Ritz-Carlton and an actual luxury hotel by or ultra-processed garbage and actual food.
Not true with the Le Labo scent that’s exclusive to The Edition, which might just be their best.
Eau d’Orange Verte from Hermes is by far the best
10000% Sofitel has it pretty often!
I cannot believe you left off Hermès.
I was thinking that too!
Four Seasons Chicago also has Le Labo although in large bottles.
I think Ben's photos of Le Labo are "vintage" ones. :) All hotels I've visited in the past two months, including Park Hyatt Melbourne and Park Hyatt Sydney, have the large refillable Le Labo bottles as well, now.
Which are horrible since they are not transparent and I had times I went to shower and they were empty. I cannot imagine the housekeepers having to go through every bottle every day to check their levels.
The article is vintage. He's just republished it, and deleted the old one.
Of course, it is a bit sad that I pay close enough attention to know that.
No disrespect intended, Ben. We'll see if this comment makes it past the pending stage