Once upon a time, the hotel gift shop was all about the bare necessities – a reliable place where a traveler could get mints, toothpaste or something else they forgot to bring on their trip or grab a generic shirt on the way out the door so that they wouldn’t go back home to their family empty-handed. Well, times have changed, and leave it to Los Angeles hotels to make sure their gift shops have the type of one-of-a-kind items that add to the truly unique traveling experience LA is known for.
Jutting out into the Pacific Ocean from the South Bay, Palos Verdes Peninsula can be a windy place, so it’s a good thing the Spa at Terranea can help make sure every day’s a good hair day. The 582-room Terranea Resort’s spa sells beauty treatments from Moroccanoil, whose products include hydrating masks (yes, for your hair, not your face), shine spray and scalp treatment.- Terranea Resort, 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275, 310.265.2800, www.terranea.com
Lots of hotel gift shops sell chocolate, but not many sell handmade chocolate bars mixed with flavors such as chili oil and ginger. Century City’s Hyatt Regency Century Plaza’s gift shop offers exotic candy bars from San Diego’s Eclipse Chocolat, whose flavors include Chile Hazelnut, Gingerbread Crumb, Blackberry Sage and Sea-salt Nib. And if you’re watching the sugar intake, the store also has candles from Lake Forest, Calif.-based Voluspa scented with flavors such as Olive Branch and Persimmon. -Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, 310.228.1234, www.centuryplaza.hyatt.com
Leave it to the Standard to make sure your shorts and shades are going to be a little different from everybody else’s. The company, which has hotels in both Downtown and Hollywood, flips the idea of a vending machine on its head by selling special Standard-branded boardshorts, reversible bikinis and sunglasses made by Quiksilver out of its self-serve machines. The Standard’s doing its part for decency (and relationships), calling the machines and clothing line part of its “skinny-dip-proof strategy.”- The Standard Hollywood, 8300 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.650.9090, www.standardhotels.com
- The Standard Downtown LA, 550 S. Flower St., Downtown, 213.892.8080
Marina del Rey may be the world’s largest man-made small-craft harbor, but when it comes to the beauty products the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey sells at its gift shop, it’s all about being natural. The hotel manages to up its poshness quotient by featuring Water Music, a line of handmade perfumes, lotions and body oils with scents such as grapefruit, vanilla and sandalwood. The brand, formerly known as Glow, is apparently a favorite of Reese Witherspoon and Pamela Anderson.- Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey, 4375 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 310.823.1700, www.ritzcarlton.com
On sunny days, the Hilton Universal sits silver and gleaming atop Universal City, so it makes sense that its gift shop features a little bling. In this case, it’s in the form of handmade jewelry from Artglass and Bombay Duck. - Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, 555 Universal Hollywood Dr., Universal City, 818.506.2500, www.hiltonuniversal.com
One can get pretty beatific looking out over Santa Monica Bay, so it makes sense that Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel gives guests an opportunity to get their ohm on. The hotel’s Ocean Spa & Fitness area sells Dream custom yoga mats that have designs such as hearts, peace signs and even skulls. Loews’ Citrine gift shop sells Chan Luu bracelets, which are made out of materials such as beads and leather. For headier pursuits, Citrine also sells books chronicling the century-long history of the Santa Monica Pier nearby.- Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, 1700 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 866.563.9792, www.santamonicaloewshotel.com
Ron Robinson, whose Apothia beauty products are sold alongside Pamela Love T-Shirts and other cool stuff at Fred Segal on nearby Melrose Avenue, has opened up a so-called “pop-up” shop at West Hollywood’s Mondrian Los Angeles, whose gift selection also includes Missoni towels, one-of-a-kind coffee table books and Philippe Stark-designed Parrot-Zikmu speakers.- Mondrian Los Angeles, 8440 Sunset Blvd., 323.650.8999, www.mondrianhotel.com
Brentwood’s Hotel Angeleno has already shown how it can put an upscale spin on a classic by updating the old circular Holiday Inn just off the San Diego Freeway, so it’s no accident that one of the items it sells at its gift shop does the same. New York-based Dylan’s Candy Bar’s chocolate bars – which include flavors such as Lemon and Ginger and “Camp Cornflake” – are some of the goods the Angeleno’s shop sells that will cure anyone’s sweet tooth.- Hotel Angeleno, 170 N. Church Lane, Los Angeles, 866.264.3536, www.jdvhotels.com
The Marriott Los Angeles Airport may have recently completed a $22 million upgrade to give it a more sophisticated look, but that doesn’t mean its gift shop leaves out the kids when it comes to goodies. Groovy looking Automoblox toy cars and trucks are a perfect souvenir to bring home from this car-culture-crazed town, while Wedding Time Gourmet Popcorn puts a slightly more mature twist on an all-time kids’ favorite. - Marriott Los Angeles Airport, 5855 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, 310.641.5700, www.marriott.com
The Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village goes Down Under for the best stuff that goes over your face. In this case, the hotel’s spa sells Uspa all-natural skincare products and its “I Live in a Suitcase” travel kits. ZO Skin Health, Ling Skincare and Ballmania Twist & Pout lip balm can also be found at the spa. - Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, Two Dole Drive, Westlake Village, 818.575.3000, www.fourseasons.com
Danny King is a freelance reporter whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and Daily Variety. King, who has been a staff reporter for Bloomberg News and the Los Angeles Business Journal, currently writes about subjects ranging from the travel industry to alternative-fueled vehicles. A native Angeleno, King lives with his family in either Los Feliz or Silver Lake – he’s still not sure which.
