Vacation mementos are nothing new – many hotels have long offered more than a standard souvenir for staying guests, whether through tightly curated gift shops or items quietly placed in top suites. But over the past few years, hotel merch, now dubbed ‘resortcore’, has evolved into something far more influential.
Today, the most forward-thinking hotels are building fully formed retail identities through limited-edition capsules, playful collaborations, and designer drops that feel closer to fashion launches than lobby keepsakes. The strongest resortcore pieces don’t rely on oversized logos; they operate as insider shorthand, a specific shade or stitched motif that only those who’ve stayed would recognize.
For hotels, the logic is simple: brand visibility that travels well beyond checkout. For guests, the pull is more personal. In an era shaped by curated identity, investing in hotel merchandise, particularly the harder-to-get pieces, becomes a subtle signal of taste and access. Hamptons tan lines fade; the Roundswamp T-shirt, ideally, does not.
Last year marked a clear inflection point, with a surge in high-profile fashion and lifestyle partnerships. In 2026, we don’t expect the appetite to cool. Dr Carolyn Mair, chartered psychologist and author of The Psychology of Fashion, credits the human drive for meaning, escapism, and aesthetic belonging for the continued popularity of limited resortcore collections.
“Going forward, collaborations are likely to lean more into local culture, reflecting consumers’ growing emphasis on authenticity and ethical alignment,” predicts Dr Mair. “With the wellness industry showing no signs of slowing, we can also expect deeper integration into spa, sleep science, and sensory design.”
With so many hotel merchandise collaborations landing each season – some not worth the purchase – we’ve edited the most playful and exclusive pieces that you’ll actually want to use, from destination-exclusive handbags to designer perfume for dogs.
Hotel merch collaborations of note
The Butler Did It Collection, Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Raffles Hotels & Resorts has kicked off the year with a fashion and lifestyle capsule, teaming up with a host of luxury brands to celebrate its campaign, ‘The Butler Did It’– a visual tribute to the dedication of the hotel’s butler service.
The Butler Did It Collection spans ready-to-wear and lifestyle pieces, including pajamas, T-shirts, polos, cashmere jumpers, velvet smoking jackets, and accessories like bucket hats and cashmere baseball caps. Developed in partnership with Printemps, the edit is available in-store at its New York and Paris locations, with select pieces online.
“Designed to reflect the effortless glamour and sense of ease that define a stay with us, the collection plays with color, texture, and our signature palm motif, capturing the same sense of whimsy, surprise, and care that sits at the heart of the Raffles experience,” said Claudia Kozma Kaplan, chief brand officer at Raffles.
Highlights include a collaboration with Globe-Trotter on a bespoke deep green suitcase lined with Raffles’ palm print. Italian textile house Frette created custom velvet slippers embroidered with the campaign message, while French silverware company Christofle reimagined its iconic coffee cup for the capsule.
While the edit may be select, Raffles has positioned it as a preview of bigger things to come, signaling a broader move into hotel retail. We’re keeping an eye out for the hotel’s full ready-to-wear collection, expected in fall 2026.
One&Only Resorts x Tyler Ellis
This year, One&Only Resorts partnered with Florence-based accessory designer Tyler Ellis on two resort-exclusive collectibles. The capsule introduces a new silhouette, the Victoria, alongside reinterpretations of the designer’s Stella and Winnie handbags.
Each piece is available in Dubai-exclusive colorways inspired by the natural hues of One&Only Royal Mirage and One&Only The Palm.
One&Only The Palm and One&Only Royal Mirage each have a singular atmosphere, from the architecture and surrounding nature to the way light moves through each space,” says Ellis. “I wanted the bags to echo that feeling, becoming keepsakes that feel deeply connected to the resorts themselves.”
Staud for St. Regis: The Alpine Collection
After a successful spring capsule in early 2025, St. Regis and LA-based fashion brand Staud reunited for a winter release timed to ski season: Staud for St. Regis: The Alpine Collection. The limited-edition drop draws inspiration from the St. Regis Snow Polo World Championship in Aspen.
Designed to transition from slope to après, pieces include a multicolored half-zip fleece with traditional alpine detailing and pale blue trim, plus a long-sleeve crew neck in the same hue featuring a custom St. Regis x Staud logo across the back.
Claridge’s
Claridge’s has built what feels like a department store’s worth of curated merchandise, spanning homeware, fragrance, pajamas, jewelry, and drinks. Most recently, the Mayfair institution partnered with jewelry designer Anoushka Ducas on an exclusive collection of seven 18ct yellow gold charms inspired by symbols throughout the hotel, as part of her Life in Charms series.
Each handcrafted piece carries intricate detailing – from miniature luggage tags on a gold suitcase charm to spinning elements on the crest and revolving door pendants – finished with mother-of-pearl and gemstones. The charms are available individually or as a complete set.
Issimo, Il Pellicano
Il Pellicano is another hotel brand that has fully embraced hotel retail. Issimo is its standalone boutique and e-shop stocking Italian home decor, fashion, beauty, and food. Alongside its own-brand products, the platform offers a curated selection of collaborations shaped by founder Marie-Louise Sciò’s vision.
Many partnerships stem from long-standing friendships, giving the pieces a direct link to the hotel’s character. One example is Issimo’s exclusive sunglasses collection: three pairs created with Italian eyewear brand LGR, rooted in 1970s silhouettes inspired by Sciò’s mother and developed with Marie-Louise’s friend, LGR founder Luca Gnecchi Ruscone.
Another collaboration began with a weekend conversation on the Argentario coast. Sylvain Delueze, founder of Les Belles Heures, and Sciò went on to create a collection of striped silk scarves designed for open-top drives along the Italian coastline.
Speaking to Sciò, she says, “It’s really fun doing collaborations and also really important that people feel that they have that love letter from the hotel. It’s about remembering the simplicity in what people want.”
Bois Cachemire, Rosewood x L’Objet
Last year marked a significant rebrand for Rosewood, introducing a distinctive dark green palette across the brand. To mark the shift, the hotel group partnered with fragrance and home goods house L’Objet on a scent-led collaboration.
The result is Bois Cachemire, a new signature fragrance created by L’Objet founder Elad Yifrach, inspired by Silk Road voyages and built around dried patchouli. The range includes a large candle, room spray, and complimentary pillow mist, each finished in deep green with gold Rosewood lettering.
Le Bristol Paris Cluedo
In a playful approach to hotel merchandise — and a world first — Le Bristol Paris partnered with Hasbro to create a bespoke edition of Cluedo.
The board replaces the traditional English manor with the Parisian hotel, centering on the disappearance of Socrate, the property’s resident Burmese cat. Players navigate familiar spaces, including Café Antonia, the Paris Suite, and L’Épicerie des Ateliers du Bristol.
Fefé, The Mark Hotel x Dolce & Gabbana
Sometimes the best way to stand out is to lean into the extravagant — and slightly humorous. The Mark’s collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana does exactly that with Fefé, the fashion house’s first alcohol-free fragrance for dogs.
Created by perfumer Emilie Coppermann, the scent features delicate notes of ylang-ylang, carefully balanced with canine sensitivities in mind. The limited-edition bottle is available at the Upper East Side hotel and via its online Le Shop.
The partnership is certainly authentic. The Mark has long welcomed four-legged guests, offering a Spoiled Dog’s Menu by Jean-Georges, plush toys, sustainable pet beds, signature water bowls, Woof Woof Kits for Central Park outings, and even pedicab rides with pups in tow.
