In The Independent’s travel trends column, Trendwatch, we dig into the types of trip, modes of transport and top buzzwords to watch out for.
I still remember the scent of a bar of hotel soap I’ll probably never be able to get my hands on again. It was at the Ritz-Carlton Phulay Bay resort in Thailand, and it was made from rice milk. Rubbed between your palms, it sent up the comforting, creamy smell of simmering rice found all over this beautiful nation, infusing the moment with a sense of place I can snap back to at will, even today. I’d bet you anything that soap was either homemade, or sourced nearby.
This was in 2014, which would make the Ritz-Carlton a little ahead of its time. Eight years on, stocking your hotel with products made by and representing the local community is a serious trend. The shift towards hyper-local and “slow” food – minimising importing miles and carbon emissions – is no secret, with nearby farms regularly shouted-out on breakfast menus (ideally your crashpad grows its own veggies right on site, with extra points for zero-waste concepts). But the all-local trend has grown to cover amenities such as hotel toiletries, furnishings, bar stock and even gift shop trinkets.
This trend is being largely spurred on by boutique, independent and luxury hotels, which have taken notice of two things guests appreciate: a personal touch and an eye on sustainability
It’s being largely spurred on by boutique, independent and luxury hotels, which have taken notice of two things guests appreciate: a personal touch and an eye on sustainability. You’ll spot local gins and liqueurs popping up in hotel bars; locally designed furniture in lobbies; and smatterings of artworks created by local talent or resident creatives.
Some hotels are obsessed with keeping as many things local as possible. Austrian ski pad Naturhotel Forsthofgut serves drinks with straws that are quite literally straw, picked from its own land. It has an “R50” stamp on its menus to highlight produce that comes from within a 50km radius, and all water used for drinking and bathrooms comes from its own spring on the premises. Somewhat quirkily, all guests are also given an organic potato pack from a neighbouring farm.
“Petrichor” scented soap was created specifically for The Bull hotel in Sedbergh, Yorkshire, by a small local business
(The Bull, Sedbergh)
At Yorkshire hideaway The Black Bull at Sedbergh, the owners commissioned Sedbergh Soap Co to create a…
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