The details at luxury hotels can be so flawlessly executed that the logistics of them might get overlooked. After all, that’s the point – for everything to feel and be effortless on vacation. At such properties, then, it should come as no surprise that behind every detail is a staff member, making sure even the seemingly trivial item is taken care of.
These 7 roles at these hotels across the globe will make you appreciate those little touches all the more.
Walkway Washers at Soneva Jani & Soneva Fushi (Maldives)
At Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, several members of the staff are responsible for washing down the walkways throughout the day, which in turn keeps the boardwalks cool enough for bare feet. The resort is spread over three islands and boasts a barefoot policy to help ground guests to their surroundings throughout their stay. There’s also a Barefoot Bookseller that oversees the onsite bookshop and rotates every six months.
Fireplace Butlers at The Newbury Boston (Boston, USA)
The Newbury embraced its Boston locale’s mercurial weather by introducing a fireplace program, complete with a fireplace butler and curated hearth-side menu for their 42 wood-burning fireplace suites. Guests choose from various wood types, including quick burning birch to long burning oak before the fireplace butler creates the fire and sets the ambiance to match the wood selection.
Soap Butlers at Ciragan Palace Kempinski (Istanbul, Turkey)
Dating back to the ancient water therapies of the Turkish baths, Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul provides guests with a soap butler. The designated soap butler meets with guests where they walk them through the 12 scents available, like lemon mint and orange flower — all of which are 100 percent pure olive oil handmade soap — before slicing them and packaging them up for a soak in one of the hotel’s luxurious tubs or to take home for a reminder of Istanbul.
Tomato Whisperers at Woodstock Inn & Resort (Vermont, USA)
To provide their holistic culinary offerings, Woodstock Inn & Resort in Woodstock, Vermont partners with local growers at Kelly Way Gardens, including their master gardener Benjamin Pauly, who is known locally as the “tomato whisperer.” Pauly builds self-sustaining vine tunnels of more than 55 tomato varieties and oversees more than 200 varieties of vegetables, 50 herbs and edible flowers, 75 types of berries and orchard plantings, plus 200 varieties of flowers. He leads guided tours, tasting events and weekly gardening classes for guests.
Candle Lighters at Riad de Tarabel (Marrakech, Morocco)
In the heart of Marrakech’s medina, Riad de Tarabel charms with its 10-suites connected by palm and fern lined hallways and intimate terraces. Each night around sunset, one of the waiters is in charge of lighting about 50 candles that accent these outdoor halls and ensure they stay lit into the evening, wrapping the entire riad in a soft golden glow.
Cactus Caretakers at Viceroy Los Cabos (San José del Cabo, Mexico)
Cabo’s unique juxtaposition of desert adjacent to the Sea of Cortés has luxury hotels of the area embracing both landscapes. At Viceroy Los Cabos, the surf and beach are visible immediately upon check-in, but so are the various pristine cacti rising from the gardens and walkways surrounding the pools. Jonás Guerrero Ramirez is the onsite landscape supervisor and cactus caretaker, who ensures the prolific, native cacti are in the best health. He also tends to the plentiful orchids on display from the lobby to each guest room.
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