Don't Pack It—Borrow It

What if you suddenly needed an additional suit for an unexpected meeting on a business trip? Or suppose your meeting was cancelled and you had an extra hour to hang out at the hotel pool but no swimsuit? 

These days, you may not need to race to the nearest shopping center in situations like this, because an increasing number of hotels and resorts have you covered. The Kimpton Gray in Chicago, for example, offers a “Forgot It? We Got It!” service that allows you to borrow high-end-brand clothing. “We implemented this program to anticipate the needs of our business travelers who are always on the go,” says Bobby Gonzalez, the hotel’s director of concierge services.

For unexpected events or unprepared guests, the Mondrian South Beach, in Miami Beach, Florida, will provide designer clothes. Forgot the swimsuit? The nearby Gates Hotel South Beach delivers swimwear and accessories in less than an hour with its “Bikini on Demand” program. 

At four W Hotels (South Beach; Aspen, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Hollywood, California), the clothing can check in before you do with “Rent the Runway,” which lets you preselect apparel items that will be in your room, dry cleaned and ready to wear, when you arrive. “Skipping the packing process is a whole new level of luxury for our guests and is another way we continue to reinvent hospitality,” says Anthony Ingham, global brand leader at W Hotels.

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Westin Hotels’ Gear Lending program allows you to maintain your fitness without having to pack workout clothes. One guest who arrived at the Westin long before her room was ready said under her breath, “I wish I’d brought my workout clothes.” The bellman overheard her and offered her sneakers, a t-shirt, and capris while storing her suitcase. The guest happily hit the gym and, when she finished her workout, her room was ready.

The lending trend means you can travel with just a roller board and get your fashion fix at your destination. Even better, it means you’ll have fewer dirty clothes to lug home for dry cleaning or laundry.