Some hotel chains try to recreate stay experiences to make their guests feel as much at home as possible. But many regular guests feel more at home in a hotel than they do when they’re not on the road. I know I’ve certainly brought the hotel feel home, and I enjoy experiencing new things from design elements to foods and even glassware.
The bathrooms in the condo I own and now rent out was designed to feel like several of the modern hotel bathrooms I’ve seen, my wife found the perfect glass vanities with bowl sinks, the shower tiles we like, and shower systems that we’ve liked the best.
When I was staying at W hotels more frequently I started using Bliss products at home, though I’m now less enamored (most recently preferring L’Occitane). And amenity kits have influenced personal care product choice, I love Hermes moisterizer and Bvlgari chapstick, fortunately I’ve gotten enough of it in amenity kits that I don’t need to buy it…
This morning was the first time I drank my coffee from new coffee mugs, my wife found some that were the same as those we’ve used at the Andaz Fifth Avenue.
And here’s the lemon poppyseed pancakes I’ve loved so much when staying there, I got the recipe from the hotel and re-create wonderfully.
I know that some of my readers will diagnose what it means to make home more like the road, rather than the other way around, or to be ‘taken in’ by the consumer products I experience. But I experience lots of different products, I get to try many things, and find several that I actually like.
Regular readers know that my favorite New York hotel at the moment is the Andaz Fifth Avenue, not because it’s the greatest hotel I’ve experienced but because it’s really quite nice by New York standards (most New York hotels are awful, and especially for the price) and I’m up in New York frequently so it’s nice to find a place that’s not hitting $400 a night but still has nice, large rooms and genuinely good and friendly service, not to mention excellent elite benefits. And since I was in New York last month, I’ll be there this month, and next month, and.. it’s only natural that I’d build it into my life.
The same way some of the W design elements crept into my last home. Not the older Ws, mind you, while I’ve stayed in the Extreme Wow suite at the W San Diego the less technological and less modern Ws are less to my liking, I still think the design of the W Hong Kong (and especially their Fantastic Suites) suit me best, followed by the W Seoul (jr. media suite) and lobby bar.
I don’t travel as often as some friends and colleagues, who have been known to put the local phone book underneath the clock radio so that when they wake up in the middle of the night in a panic not knowing where they are, they can look at the spine of the phone book and then go back to sleep. But travel is neither is hassle nor an occasional experience, it’s something I’ve incorporated into my life.
please share pancake recipe.
@Melanie YGM!
yes, please share recipe
@Barb YGM!
Can I also get in queue for the recipe?
After a few trips last summer to La Quinta Resort and Spa. I made contact with the head of housekeeping to inquire where they purchase their beds. he set me up with the make modle and contact person. i now spend every night on a hotel matress.
So Gary, a personal question, but on topic – do you have a W or Sweet Sleeper bed?
@Erndog W bed!
@Rick YGM
Ditto about the recipe
Yet another request for the recipe 🙂
i’d love the recipe too! thanks!
I’d be interested in the recipe as well, thanks!
@will @paul on the way! 🙂
I’d like the recipe as well. Thanks!
Gary, I would LOVE that recipe!!
Gary, I’d really appreciate the recipe as well!
Everyone that has asked for the recipe has had it sent. Cheers!
Thanks for the recipe! Made it this morning, my wife and I loved it! Naturally, the kids refused to touch the pancakes, and the hour-long tantrum only ended when we suggested to our eldest (6½) that she make some “regular” pancakes herself. Oh the joy…
Gary, do you add poppyseed to make them lemon poppyseed or just do without per the recipe? (just noticing the recipe doesnt have them in it…)
@Heather funny you are correct the recipe doesn’t include it, I seem to recall poppyseeds the first time I ordered the pancakes and oddly I don’t think the second time they had any. My wife was wondering when anyone would comment on that! We didn’t add poppyseeds in the picture of this post. 🙂
Hi Gary, is it too late for a recipe request? The pancakes in the picture looks yummy.
@rite on the way!
Hi, Gary. I too would really appreciate the recipe if you wouldn’t mind passing it along!
Alright, everyone that asked has it..
Hi Gary,
Playing catch-up on your blog, so apologies for the late request for the recipe – is it possible to still get it?
Thanks
This post is now several months old, but any chance you can still send the recipe? Thanks!
Hey Gary. I’m a bit late to the game but I would appreciate it if you could send me the recipe.
Thanks!
Can I also please get the recipe?