Dear Hotels: Your Merch Sucks, Let’s Fix That

Picture this: I’m at Amangiri—an oasis of luxury in the Utah desert. It's the kind of place where your every whim is catered to, but when I casually asked if they sold hats, I was handed a cheap Nike cap with their logo slapped on it. A Nike hat. At Amangiri. I could barely hide my disappointment. I wasn’t expecting a dusty logo slapped on a $30 cap; I was imagining a Brunello Cuccinelli collaboration—a chic, perfectly crafted accessory that screamed luxury, exclusivity, and frankly, something I would have willingly shelled out hundreds for.

Here’s the thing: Travel has become the new status symbol. It’s not just about where you’ve been, but about flaunting it afterward. Forget the postcards and t-shirts. Today, it’s all about the exclusive merch. The right hat, bag, or silk pajamas from a top-tier hotel says, “I’ve been somewhere worth going—and I’m in.” And trust me, we all want to be in.

The truth is, hotels and resorts are sitting on a huge opportunity they haven’t fully tapped into. Hotels like Aman, Four Seasons, and The Peninsula may have started toying with branded merch, but let's be real: when you're operating at the level of these luxury destinations, you should be collaborating with the likes of Loro Piana, Isaia, Cuccinelli, The Row, or Jenni Kayne. Don’t hand me a generic branded cap; give me something that speaks to the experience. Something that feels curated, just like the stay.

There’s a hunger in the luxury space for exclusivity. It’s not just about the hotel anymore—it’s about the lifestyle that comes with it. Fashion brands have been dying to break into the hospitality world. They want their audience to live and breathe their brand 24/7, and hotels offer the perfect avenue for that. Imagine stepping into your suite at the Amangiri and finding a handcrafted Loro Piana blanket or slipping into a Cuccinelli robe—you're not just staying somewhere luxurious; you're living it. And guess what? That luxury travels with you.

Now, I’m not saying hotels should start stitching their own hats, scarves, and robes. Please, no. What I am saying is that they need to collaborate with venerable fashion brands, creating a symbiotic relationship where both worlds benefit. Fashion brands get to extend their reach into hospitality, and hotels get to sell aspirational luxury—not just a room for the night, but a piece of that night to take home.

Just think about it: That branded tote from a dream resort isn’t just a tote. It’s a conversation starter. It’s proof that you’ve experienced something others can only aspire to. You’re not just flexing your sense of style—you’re flaunting where you’ve been. It’s a flex that keeps on giving, long after you’ve checked out.

Hotels, listen up: The right collaborations with high-end fashion brands can turn a one-time stay into a lasting relationship. People want to buy into the experience, and the merch is a ticket into that exclusive club. So, while you’re charging $1,500 a night for the room, why not sell a $500 Brunello Cuccinelli cap that says, “Yeah, I was there. And it was fabulous.”

Because, honestly, we would all pay it.