Hotel merch went from tacky to essential: The luxury collaborations worth buying

There was once a time, not all that long ago, where the mere notion of a hotel having a gift shop evoked Trumpian levels of poor taste.

Of late, however, the blast radius of merch culture, once confined to neighbourhood coffee shops, natural wine bars and trendy tattoo parlours, has grown to engulf the luxury space.

No hotel, however luxurious or elite, is complete without some sort of collaboration or something chic a visitor can take home — or simply buy online to pretend they’ve been there.

Whether sourced on a trip to Byron Bay or a jaunt on the Cote D’Azur, caps, tote bags, candles, and even luxury apparel collections have become the norm in the coolest luxury properties.

And with shows like The White Lotus shifting the focus back towards where we stay rather than where we travel, these drops have become equal parts memento and understated status symbol – an instant signifier of taste, chicness and a prevailing love of leisure.

A logo on an aged dad cap or a subtly-scented candle is a way to broadcast that you know the spots others, in their mega-resorts and their Lego-set hotels, simply don’t.

But which pieces are actually worth scoring for yourself? Here, we run through a selection of our preferred recent merch collections, many of which you can cop without even travelling.

Read the latest edition of ROAM here

L.G.R for Raes on Wategos

Raes has evolved beyond a simple Byron Bay institution, now standing as ground zero for the air of beachy Hemsworthian luxury that swathes Wategos and its surrounds. The hotel has plenty of suitably beachy merch, as well as collaborations with brands such as Maison Balzac and Matteau, but it’s their unisex collection with Italian eyewear house L.G.R that’s caught our, ahem, eye in recent times. raes.com.au

Frame x Ritz Paris

Now in its fourth year, the Parisian Ritz’s apparel collection with covetous American denim label Frame has become the benchmark by which all other luxury hotel merch drops are measured. And rightly so. Each piece from the 35-piece separates collection, from its iconic denim dad caps to the preppy, sports-inspired knitwear, is drenched in insouciant cool. They don’t currently ship to Australia, so you’ll need to visit, or get creative with delivery. ritzparis.com

The Dorchester Collection

As impressive in its scale as it is in its commitment to collaboration and quality, The Dorchester’s gifting collection is vast, almost to the point where it transcends the status of being mere “merch”. Comprising food, drink, apparel and accessories, each piece in the collection has been curated with the help of some of the world’s most esteemed creatives, whether it’s pyjamas by Derek Rose or sunglasses crafted by Italian eyewear house Sestini. dorchestercollection.com

Aquariva Super made for Eden-Roc

If a custom Aquariva speedboat made in collaboration with Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc doesn’t convey Riviera luxury, nothing will. All the classic Aquariva hallmarks are here, from the lacquered wood finishing to the exquisite leather upholstery – while subtle white and blue accents and the addition of Eden-Roc’s iconic life buoy nodding playfully to the hotel that inspired the collaboration. Prices start start from half a million Euros. edenrocrivieracollection.com

Byblos by Hector Saxe

A short way down the coast in Saint Tropez, the Hotel Byblos has emerged as a local landmark of sun-drenched glamour, partnering with some of the world’s most esteemed brands. The hotel has partnered with watch brands like Audemars Piguet and Jaeger LeCoultre on collaborative pieces in the past, as well as accessories with names like Goyard, Missoni and Van Cleef. One of their more recent drops, a suite of luxury backgammons handcrafted by luxury gamesman Hector Saxe, is the perfect companion to a long afternoon by the pool. byblos.com

Lingua Franca for The Bowery Hotel

Beloved for its lush interiors and distinctly old-school opulence, NYC’s Lower East Side stalwart The Bowery Hotel has been a muse for many a creative over the decades. Local womenswear label Lingua Franca is the latest to collaborate with the property, developing a line of suitably cosy essentials like cashmere knits, robes, a corduroy suit and, of course, an eminently squeezable stuffed rendition of the hotel’s beloved “Bo” bear. theboweryhotel.com

Aman Essentials

So understated that to look at their website you wouldn’t even know there’s a luxury hotel group attached. Thailand’s Aman hotel group has infused its own line of essentials with the same serene attention to detail that guests at its 36 luxury resorts experience on a daily basis. Evolving from a line of natural skincare and fragrance products inspired by the group’s famed spas, the Aman Essentials line has grown to encompass ready-to-wear men’s and womenswear, luxury leather goods and homewares, all handcrafted by artisans in France and Italy with a sense of distinctly European flair. aman.com

Hotel Il Pellicano

Few hotels have inspired the levels of millennial swooning as that of Italy’s Hotel Il Pellicano: a discreet hideaway that, from its perch looking out on the pristine Tyrrhenian Sea, has grown to encompass both a host of other hotels along with Issimo: a digital extension of the company that has embarked upon collaborations with brands such as Highsnobiety and Italian shoemaker Allagiulia. Eminently cool yet surprisingly affordable, the hotel’s souvenir line encompasses tees, totes and homewares for the whole family, each piece radiating playful Tuscan charm. issimoissimo.com