From a fiscal perspective, there’s the everyday responsible you. You dutifully write that $100k pre-school tuition bill, pay your multiple mortgages, and plan for that far-off rainy day. But then there’s the vacation you, and all bets are off. Here are noteworthy hotel gift shops where your credit card will come out to play.
Agora Ibiza at Six Senses Ibiza
Six Senses Ibiza is a wellness retreat driven as much by the local culture as it is by local artists and musicians. The core of the Six Senses Ibiza is sustainability, which extends to their high end hotel gift shop. Agora Ibiza, is more like a high fashion brand boutique. And it brings the very best of local Ibiza designers and artisans together.
Agora Ibiza has arranged four chapters of fashion buying experience into their store: recycle, restore, rent, and reduce. While luxury was once synonymous with a plethora of rich and shiny things, the team at Agora recognizes that this is no longer the case. Instead, guests are after experiences in nature. As a result, their philosophy of sanctity enables them to sell items that have been produced scientifically to either contribute zero waste, or up-cycle existing garments. That’s what we call a high end gift shop.
And while their items for purchase elevate a routine shopping experience, it’s their renting experience that really sets them apart from the rest. As a resort gift shop, Agora has the unique opportunity to dress guests up for their Six Senses experiences. For New Year’s Eve, the boutique dressed guests for the ball in designer gowns rented especially for the evening. Each gown fit the theme of “Xaracca Futura”, an ode the beloved hidden bay Six Senses is located on.
Their Cinderella Wardrobe experience enables guests to feel like a Princess for the night in a gown fit for them. At the end of the night, the guests and gowns go home. The beautiful boutique is also the perfect backdrop for guests to dress up and take photos as if they, too, were runway models being fit for a red carpet experience.
GOOP at Rosewood Miramar
No matter what your opinion is of Gwyneth Paltrow, it’s indisputable she’s built herself quite the empire at GOOP. We’d be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t at least a little bit intrigued by a product at GOOP. Gwyneth and her team curate the best in class in everything from cookware to vibrators. There’s even a candle, that’s called, “Smells like My Vagina”, so clearly they don’t take themselves too seriously. (What else would you buy from a high end hotel gift shop?)
It makes sense that in Gwyneth’s hometown of Montecito GOOP would represent, which it does at the Rosewood Miramar. You could outfit your entire life, from your skin care regime, to your top-of-the-line gauzy sweaters. Of course, and more items of a personal nature.
For a luxury boutique hotel in Montecito, Goop is a high end hotel gift shop. The shop takes inspiration from French makeup counters of past decades with cupboards and floorboard in glossy periwinkle paint. The team stocks shelves with Goop’s top picks of sunscreen and face scrub for light packing travelers in the “goops, I forgot” section. There are also Gwyneth’s favorite bikinis and coverups, and beachside tote bags.
Gwyneth has designed Goop to have something that even the most well prepared guests of the Rosewood forgot. Maybe you brought toothpaste, but you didn’t bring a zero waste, charcoal toothbrush, did you?
Emporio Sirenuse and Eau D’Italie at Le Sirenuse
Ever been to Sirenuse? No where else can you find everything you need to feel like you stepped out of Call Me By Your Name. This is more than a high end hotel gift shop. It’s true, Positano is a fantasy land unto itself. One, where embroidered terrycloth two piece sets, and floral pleated shorts suit every occasion. Emporio Sirenuse is not a gift shop, or really even a high end hotel gift shop. But rather it is fashion brand run by two designers who get what it means to be on the Mediterranean.
Their philosophy is that the Amalfi coast is about more than just a Vespa ride, and a basket of lemons. (Though that sounds pretty good to us). The designs found at their store take influence from Mesopotamia, Marrakech, Palermo and Damascus. The rich history of cultural influence is reflected in the unique and intricate patterns and textiles which span from nautical stripes, to a bright space themed print. The 5 inch short trend is timeless, and classic caftans, polos, and graphic tees are also part of the permanent collections. And yet, their sophisticated styles are unique. This is a one stop shop for a summer dress for any occasion.
At Eau d’Italie, they match clothes with award winning fragrances blended by the Sirenuse family, themselves. Before daughter Marina started the fragrance company, she was a documentary film maker. Her desire to capture the sensuousness of her surroundings bled into the characteristic fragrances of the Sirenuse. She derives her scents from the surrounding natural landscape and they are part of the DNA of the hotel environment. This high end hotel gift shop will take you to another world.
House of Dior at Cheval Blanc, Saint Barths
The boutiques at Cheval Blanc are island institutions in their own right. Small designers showcase women’s wear collections both in the in-store showroom, and on live models who walk spontaneously through the hotel once a month. To really get a sense of the hotel, it’s important to know that it is regarded as a palace of the West Indies. It is a place where once might be seated next to Beyonce and Jay-Z while dining in the afternoon.
Now, they have upped the anti, bringing in a Dior boutique pop-up of women’s ready-to-wear resort wear. They bring the store both indoors and outdoors, with views of Flamande beach. It’s a no brainer, that this is a high end hotel gift shop.
Cheval Blanc is known to draw together guests from Paris, New York and London during high season. The confluence of such strong cultural influences is demonstrated through the collection of Dior’s finest designs. If the experience wasn’t high end enough on it’s own, the new high end hotel gift shop pop-up is sure to bring the level of opulence over the top.
Singita Boutique and Gallery at Singita Lebombo
Hotel gift shops can be one stop shops for the snacks and sunscreen you might have forgotten, or lost in TSA. Rarely are they boutique stores wherein you might need a whole other suitcase to travel home with. This high end hotel gift shop, Singita Stores, might just do that. Or, they’ll have you ordering their homewares to be sent to you as momentos of a trip you’ve taken after you return home.
The range of locally made home goods and jewelry are sourced from artisans who aim capture a bit of the bush in their designs. While it may be possible to find necklaces and wrap dresses at other stores, their unique stools and chairs make for eye catching additions to any living room.
We love that the shop is created with design enthusiasts in mind. It also pays respect to the great artistry and talent held by many designers in the region. Many wooden, wicker and woven stools make up their collection of surprisingly sleek and modern pieces. There are small overtly South African motifs, but many of their pieces are much more subtle in influence, and are designed to fit in with any design influence. It’s a high end hotel gift shop meets actual home store.
If you fall in love with the hotel, you can almost recreate your experience at home with a hanging chair or leaf lamp. And for those looking for a small take-home item, we love their unique candle holders.
Related: Where to stay in South Africa
