Hotel Gizmos and Gimmicks
Remember when the most hi-tech feature in your hotel room was the kettle for the tea- and coffee-making facilities? Now, at many five-star hotels and resorts you're increasingly likely to find an espresso machine, along with a giant plasma TV screen and a host of other gizmos and gimmicks. Here is a selection of some of Travel + Leisure's discoveries.
1. GRAMERCY PARK HOTEL, NEW YORK This pricey, designer hotel provides an iPod dock in its rooms, and a complimentary iPod, if you're uncool enough to be staying at such a style-conscious hotel sans one. www.gramercyparkhotel.com
2. HOTEL MAYA, KUALA LUMPUR In what is becoming a more common hotel feature, at the bottom of the walk-in wardrobe is a safe that not only allows you to protect items such as mobiles and laptops, but also charges them courtesy of a plug inside. www.hotelmaya.com.my
3. TARRALEAH LODGE, TASMANIA Mood-boosting "chromatherapy" lights in the bath allow you to match the water in the tub to your state of mind, or what you want it to be (and you can also order a wind-up bath toy, served on a silver platter, from the butler). www.tarraleahlodge.com
4. HOTEL CARUSO, RAVELLO, ITALY At the end of the bed is a stand-alone unit that conceals a pop-up television set that can be hidden when not in use. At other times you can place the room service tray on it. www.hotelcaruso.com
5. THE LUXE MANOR, HONG KONG The wall-mounted flat-screen TV is ornately-framed like a work of art, and is positioned above a stencilled, faux fireplace that hides wiring and electrical equipment. www.theluxemanor.com
6. THE PENINSULA, TOKYO This hotel boasts the world's most hi-tech rooms with gadgets that include a nail-dryer, an in-room phone that you can take with when you go out, three different mood-lighting settings, an espresso machine, internet radio and a console displaying the outdoor temperature. www.peninsula.com
7. PARK HYATT, SEOUL Each of the rooms in this stylish hotel feature a handy non-fog mirror in the rain-shower. And If you're not too bashful you can leave the (electronically-operated) floor-to-ceiling curtains up and enjoy the amazing views of one Asia's busiest cities. www.hyatt.com
8. SIX SENSES RESORT, YAI NOI, THAILAND At this group's luxury resort on the island of Yai Noi, 45 minutes by boat from Phuket, the television is hidden in a compartment in the wall when not in use. There's also your own uber-mini-bar: "wine-fridge" with a selection of top drops from around the world. www.sixsenses.com
9. ALEENTA RESORT AND SPA, GULF OF THAILAND As well as your own in-room iPod, each suite at this luxury resort has its own music system loaded with more than 400 hand-picked tunes from the cool to the classical. www.aleenta.com
10. FOUR SEASONS AT MARUNOUCHI, TOKYO The hi-tech Japanese toilets not only have heated seats, but various spraying functions as an (ahem) alternative to paper. www.fourseasons.com
Come across any great (or not so great) hotel gizmos and gimmicks in your travels? We'd love to know about them. Send your picks to tleditor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
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