These luxury hotels offer high-level turndowns

Upon returning to your hotel room in the evening, wouldn’t it be a fun plot-twist to be greeted by a surprising, creative service with a personal touch that goes above and beyond the generic chocolate on the pillow? An unconventional turndown is guaranteed to add richness and depth to a lodging experience.

During the wearisome ebb and flow of the pandemic, a flurry of domestic luxury hotels featuring innovative turndown services have opened their doors, pampering travelers with hospitality away from home.

Hotel Lulu in Anaheim, Calif.

With an innovative Pops & Sparkle turndown, Hotel Lulu makes your evenings explosive because guest rooms offer views of Disneyland’s nightly fireworks show. But that’s not all: This boutique hotel, which reopened in May after a full renovation, also adds edible pop with its artisanal pastry treats, handmade daily by local Crema Artisan Bakers.

“After enjoying a day at the park, sometimes the best place to view the fireworks is from your very own room, with a special treat. We thought pop-tarts and the sparkle of the fireworks go hand in hand,” says general manager John Chan.

Keswick Hall in Keswick, Va.

Though Keswick Hall has been bewitching guests since 1912, it recently reopened, revealing luxurious upgrades. Reflecting its commitment to sustainability and fair trade, Keswick Hall makes its locally inspired turndown chocolate in-house. Owner Molly Hardie says the chocolates incorporate seasonal herbs and flavors. For cozy winter months, the treats will feature crushed peppermint. “Each chocolate is embossed with the clever fox that is the mark of our logo,” she says, “a true nod to the legacy of our estate hotel.” Hardie hopes the warm memento of time spent at Keswick Hall will linger with guests until they can return, because, she points out, who doesn’t remember incredible chocolate?

Hilton Aventura Miami in Aventura, Fla.

The chic Hilton Aventura Miami opened in March and is making an artful impression on guests with its creatively crafted Fruit Puzzle, an eye-catching patchwork of culinary art conceived by renowned executive chef Philip Thompson. “As a kid, I was always fascinated with puzzles — the shapes and colors — and it seemed like a natural progression to incorporate them into food,” he says. Originally conceived as a wedding amenity to symbolize the bride and groom finding the last piece to each other’s puzzle, the novel turndown is meant to provoke thought and bring smiles. Taking the traditional fruit plate to the next level, the yummy treat fits precisely cut fruit together to form an Instagram-worthy puzzle presentation.

YOTEL Washington DC

After a multimillion-dollar remodel completed during the pandemic shutdown, YOTEL Washington DC welcomed guests in February. Shawn Jervis, the hotel’s general manager, says a special focus is on the most important part of your stay: sleep. “Our signature SmartBed transforms from a daytime sofa to a full-size bed at the push of a button, while our mood lighting system allows you to go from chill to snooze with a quick tap to provide maximum flexibility to turndown when and how you want,” Jervis says.

Legoland Hotel in Goshen, N.Y.

At the brand-new LEGOLAND New York Resort, which opened in July, kids will actually look forward to going to bed because the fun doesn’t stop when the park closes, promises hotel director Scott Case.

The Next Generation Sleepover experience is the ultimate interactive turndown, and like every other resort offering, designed especially with kids in mind. “A Google Nest named Alice helps get kids ready for bed by way of an immersive bedtime story or will send them on an in-room scavenger hunt for prizes to get them tuckered out for the end of their bricktastic day!” Case explains.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luxury hotels with top-notch turndown services