What is in a good mini-bar?

Hotel deLuxe, photo courtesy Hotel deLuxe

The Little Nell

Jordan Lawson found some great examples of outstanding mini-bars..... may you be inspired! Wilna 

Mini-bars have become standard in luxury hotels, but that doesn't mean you'll find run-of-the-mill offerings across the board. Some hotels kick things up a notch with innovative refreshments that put ordinary sodas and tiny bottles of booze to shame. Our Startle.com team has rummaged through mini-bars in hotels across the country-here are some of the wilder offerings we've discovered. 

Hotel deLuxe, Portland, Ore.
At Portland's Hotel deLuxe, choosing what to eat and what to drink is made simple. Classic libations and snacks are matched up on the honor bar pairing menu for flawless flavor combinations. Our picks? Jack Daniel's and San Pellegrino paired with organic black truffle and white cheddar popcorn, and the Oregon pinot noir and gourmet beef jerky (it brings out the wine's cherry flavors). As an added bonus to hungry travelers, when you pick any of the paired snacks you'll save about 10 percent off the mini-bar bill.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago
Once you've settled on which type of pillow you'll sleep on from the pillow menu at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, make a beeline to the fully equipped kitchen (an amenity in most rooms) for one of the most unique offerings we've come across: a water library. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel's water selection has four distinct types of high-end H2O, including Antipodes, sourced from a deep aquifer in New Zealand; a bottle of Evian designed by French fashion designer André Courrèges; TAU Spring Water, which comes in a minimalist, clear glass bottle; and a bottle of Bling H2O hand-decorated with Swarovski crystals.

XV Beacon, Boston
When you're suffering from a major bout of jetlag, the XV Beacon in Bostonhas just the thing. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel stocks its mini-bars with the Life Detoxer from Sprayology. It's a homeopathic oral spray said to relieve respiratory problems, sluggishness, coughing, and even lung and liver toxicity. Looking to cleanse? Spray the Life Detoxer a couple times under your tongue, curl up by your room's fireplace (there's one in every guest room) and simply relax.


The Little Nell, Aspen
Whether you're hiking the Maroon Bells or skiing down Aspen Mountain, the high altitude can take a toll. The mini-bar at The Little Nell has just the thing to revive you-oxygen. A can of truO2 contains 95 percent pure oxygen-enriched air, and after a day in action-packed Aspen, it can help you catch your breath. Although you'll have to pony up about $14 for a few hits of the energy-restoring oxygen, everything else in the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel's mini-bar is complimentary.

The Peabody Orlando
The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel in Orlando may be famous for the ducks that parade through the lobby twice a day, but The Peabody Orlando's mini-bar program isn't for the birds. The Feed the Fridge menu gives guests the option to call prior to arrival and personalize the in-room mini-bar. There is a range of options, including a package in which you choose a liquor and matching mixers, and a movie-themed bundle that includes your choice of soft drinks, candy and chips. Already checked in? Just call the front desk for your preferred snacks to be delivered to your room.

Source: Forbes Travel Guide