Many five-star hotels are now creating their own signature fragrance, switching up the ambience and making an unforgettable impression on guests.
These days it’s not enough for hotels to look good – they’ve got to smell good, too. Scent and memory are intertwined, not least when it comes to our travels. A whiff of citrus might take you back to that glorious summer spent on the Amalfi coast, or perhaps the rich, warm notes of vanilla or cinnamon trigger recollections of a cosy, countryside weekend. It's little wonder then that five-star hotels and resorts are creating bespoke fragrances in an effort to forge a lasting connection with guests. And with many of these signature scents available to take home, they’re nostalgia in a bottle (or candle). From Morocco to the Maldives, discover the hotels taking guests on olfactory journeys around the world.
Cheval Blanc Randheli, Maldives
@chevalblancrandheli
When this 46-villa paradise in the Noonu Atoll decided to create its own scent, they called on the best: François Demachy. The French perfumer, who was head nose at Dior at the time, took inspiration from the sights and sounds of this Jean-Michel Gathy-designed retreat. And so his Island Chic fragrance was born, layering driftwood, cedar, tonka bean, rose and cardamom to evoke the essence of island living. You’ll smell it in the candles that dot the resort – their bright yellow hue echoing the Maldivian sun – as well as the bathroom amenities.
Le Sirenuse, Positano
@lesirenuse
Feasting al fresco, swimming in pretty coves, sunset Campari spritzes… it’s popular, yes, but the Amalfi coast still holds an irresistible charm. Perched above this beguiling stretch of coastline is Le Sirenuse, a palazzo-turned-hotel in the terraced town of Positano. To mark the property’s 50th anniversary back in 2001, Marina Sersale – who is part of the Sersale family that founded and still owns the hotel – created Eau d’Italie. A mix of bergamot, magnolia, blackcurrant buds and musk, the timeless perfume is sea breeze meets citrus groves meets sun-warmed terracotta tiles.
The Fife Arms, Braemar
@thefifearms
The wildly beautiful, gloriously eclectic Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands teamed up with Julian Bedel at Fueguia 1833 to develop a signature scent as part of his Collaboration Collection. To create Alba (the Scottish Gaelic word for Scotland), the master perfumer visited the Invercauld Estate and Braemar during the flowering season. One spritz will bring to mind heather-carpeted mountains, grassy glens and pine forests, mingled with a hint of smoky peat. Like what you smell? The fragrance is available to buy, presented in a handmade wooden box.
La Mamounia, Marrakech
@lamamouniamarrakech
Imagine one of the most aromatic places in the world and you might conjure the image of Marrakech: the orange blossom and rose-scented courtyards; the souks where spices and incense hang heavy in the air. Amidst the exoticism is Morocco’s grande dame, La Mamounia. The hotel has been welcoming travellers for more than a century so having its own scent, or even scents, plural, seems de rigueur at this point. Grasse-based perfume maker Maison Fragonard has created a trio of homages to the hotel’s prized gardens, including the sweet, slightly spicy Dates and a tangy-floral Intense Orange Blossom.
Hotel Costes, Paris
@hotelcostes
Paris has a rich history of perfume-making, so it was important for the city’s legendary Hotel Costes to have its own aroma. Hotelier Jean-Louis Costes tasked French nose Olivia Giacobetti to create it. Renowned for storytelling through scent, she wanted to add a patina to the hotel, and so she developed Brown. Available as a candle and a home fragrance, its notes of waxed wood, rum, mahogany, bitter orange peel, paprika and oak moss are evocative of the baroque elegance of both the hotel and the City of Light.
The Abu Dhabi Edition
@editionhotels
Known for its hand-crafted olfactory creations, Le Labo has sprinkled a little of its magic on the Edition boutique hotel brand. The Edition fragrance was crafted by the founders of the New York-based perfume house Eduaord Roschi and Fabrice Penot, who took black tea as their starting point, adding Sicilian bergamot and cedarwood. The smoky-floral-peppery scent creates an ambience that is unique yet comforting, whichever hotel you’re in. Buying the oh-so-chic black hand-poured candle as a take-home is a must.
Le Méridien Mexico City Reforma
@lemeridienmex
The hip fragrance and beauty brand Malin+Goetz, based in New York, formulates products that are inspired by the inclusivity, diversity and energy of city living, making them the ideal travel companion to Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts. You’ll smell LM002 wafting down the corridors in more than 100 hotels, whether you’re in Mexico City or Malaysia. Neroli blossom, cypress, fig, star jasmine and freesia, all come together in this zingy, energetic scent that encapsulates the golden age of air travel and the spirit of a French Riviera summer.
Aman Hotels also has a lifestyle brand, which sells everything from cork yoga mats to athleisure clothing, and, of course, fragrance. Created by Jacques Chabert, each of the seven scents reflects one of the group’s serene destinations, whether desert or jungle, island or city. Haru belongs to the urban oasis that is Aman Tokyo, its name taken from the Japanese word for spring. Here, delicate florals, soft apricot and green-tea accents are underpinned by musk to call to mind the city’s sakura season in full bloom.
The Ritz-Carlton New York
@ritzcarltonnycentralpark
The American perfume house Antica Farmacista was founded in 2003, combining natural ingredients with the time-honoured techniques of Italy’s storied apothecaries. The brand creates scents for the body and the home, including an exclusive collection for The Ritz-Carlton, which comes in room sprays, candles, diffusers and perfume format – all available to purchase. 50 Central Park is the fragrance crafted specifically for their NYC hotel, a blend of strawberry, elderflower and mint designed to capture the world-famous park and the upstate mountains.
Estelle Manor, Oxfordshire
@estellemanor
Estelle Manor is the quintessential rural retreat with its Jacobean-style mansion, sweeping parkland, pretty-as-a-picture pool and Roman-inspired spa. But banish all thoughts of a stuffy country house hotel. Both here and at its London offshoot Maison Estelle in Mayfair, the vibe is fresh and fun. Now they have a signature scent to reflect this: a combination of amber, petit grain thyme, cedar and oak moss created by British perfume maker Lyn Harris, founder of Perfumer H. Available as a candle, you can fill your home with the essence of Estelle, too.
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