Hotel VIP shopping services can save the day

Fashion to the rescue: The Emergency Style Kit for men at the Elysian in Chicago.

By Mark Chesnut

What to do when you’re on a business trip, checked into your hotel and suddenly realize you’ve forgotten an important item of clothing, or perhaps a gift for family or clients? The solution, in many cases, may lie with the hotel’s personal shopping service.

At The Savoy in London, for example, one of the in-room TV channels isa virtual shopping space, making it possible to get what you need with one phone call. In Las Vegas, customized shopping services are available at a variety of hotels, including Caesars Palace, Trump International Hotel and the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore hotels, where personal shoppers can scour the upscale shops at the nearby Esplanades complex while you conduct business or relax.

In Chicago, the Elysian offers an especially fashionable Emergency Style Kit for both men and women. Included in the women’s kit are a Donna Karan little black dress, Jimmy Choo pumps, MAC lipstick, Wolford tights and a Lanvin clutch. The men’s kit includes a Zegna dress shirt, Hermes tie, David Yurman cuff links, Gucci loafers and Byredo Fantastic Man cologne. Ritz-Carlton hotels offers personal shopping services that highlight the best of the local retail scene.

What constitutes an emergency? Lost luggage, an unfortunate stain on your business suit or perhaps an unexpected last-minute formal event with a client. Depending on exactly what you need in your kit, the fee may be a bit hefty — prices range from $15 to $1,000 for the women’s kit and $170 to $595 for the men’s kit. But when making a good impression counts, it can certainly be worth the investment.

The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles partners with StyleChic, a styling and shopping service founded by celebrity stylist Aly Scott.And the concierge at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park maintains a close relationship with upscale clothier Thomas Pink, dispatching personal shoppers to pick up shirts, ties and gifts for time-pressed guests. So fear not that lost suitcase; help is as close as the hotel phone.

Related resources

• Boston hotels
• Chicago hotels
• New York hotels
• Los Angeles hotels

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyerBlog.com, which focuses on travel to Latin America.