Picture this: you finally settle into your lounge chair overlooking your resort’s infinity pool and you realize you forgot your sunscreen in your bag. A bag that’s back in your hotel room, all the way on the other side of the resort. While it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal… you’re on vacation for crying out loud — you can’t be bothered. Instead of the inconvenient 10-minute trek back to your room, with the touch of a finger you text your butler to bring it down to you as you continue sipping your frozen daiquiri.
As a huge fan of both luxury travel and doing the bare minimum, I feel like butler service naturally appeals to me. And right now is my time to shine — as butler service has become a top travel amenity for luxury resorts, including this Cancun Hotel We Love. Don’t want to walk all the way to the concierge desk and wait in line to make dinner reservations? Just ask your butler. While you’re at it, ask them to steam your clothes, bring you a firmer pillow, chill your tequila shots for when you get back from the beach, decorate your hotel room for your best friend’s birthday, and more.
How much more? To find out we looked at the butler services from five high-end properties and asked them about their service and the requests they’ve received.
Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Cancun – Cancun, Mexico
Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Cancun is among Mexico’s most coveted contemporary resorts. There’s a lot that makes this Cancun hotel luxurious, but the butler service (the same one — we’re guessing — that Floyd Mayweather Jr. used during his stay in the four-bedroom penthouse) sends it over the top. On a recent stay at the hotel, I used the butler to handle small errands like the aforementioned forgotten sunscreen… and asked him to be my Insta-photographer.
If you’re rolling your eyes, let me tell you that asking my husband to take travel photos causes us a whole lot of conflict. One time he took an epic photo (probably because of my ravishing pose) and I got so mad because he didn’t notice the zipper of my jean skirt was down. We literally got into an argument for over an hour about this. So having a butler who was willing to be my photographer on vacation allowed my husband to relax and spared us some tension.
What other luxury amenity can do that?
Rosewood Mayakoba – Riviera Maya, Mexico
All stays at Rosewood Mayakoba feature private butler service — a dedicated associate who can handle anything the guest requests throughout their stay, whether that’s laundry service, restaurant/spa reservations, or a (surprise) private dinner on the beach. Guests are encouraged by the hotel to live their best lives and lean on the butlers to elevate and customize their stay. For example, some guests like to text their butler when finishing dinner to draw their bath so it’s ready and warm (to a specific temperature even, if requested) once they arrive back to their suites.
After a long day at the beach during my recent visit, I had a major allergy attack after sitting down to dinner. The kind that had the nearby tables glaring at me and moving their chairs away. Within mere minutes, my butler hand-delivered a fresh pack of allergy meds to my table before the appetizers arrived. It was clutch and allowed me to savor my meal.
Later, the hotel shared the following anecdote with me:
We once had a guest who adored the hotel towels so much that he decided to purchase a set of 32 towels for his new home. He first requested that the towels be embroidered with the family initials. The hotel was unable to complete such a job in-house, but the butler quickly found a local vendor who successfully personalized each towel to the guest’s specifications.
The guest then requested assistance to ship the towels back to his home in the U.S. due to customs issues, the towels could not be sent via regular mail — however, the butler was able to find a fellow butler who happened to be traveling to the US shortly after the guest returned home. This butler agreed to bring the towels with him on his trip – and personally checked several extra pieces of luggage in order to deliver the towels to the guest’s home.
Jade Mountain – St. Lucia
St. Lucia’s most mesmerizing hotel, Jade Mountain is known for its spectacular guest experiences and stunning views. Trained by the British Butlers Guild, Jade’s butlers (aka Major Domos) will do everything from pop your Champagne to pack (or unpack) your suitcase. Upon check-in, guests receive a specialized mobile device to stay connected to their Major Domos 24/7.
The property even recently developed a hiking butler program where travelers can scale the famed Gros Piton with a personal butler in tow who comes equipped with gourmet canapés, minted face cloths, and Nuun citrus mango sachets to fight dehydration…then doubles (or is that quadruples?) as their personal photographer when they reach the summit.
Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos – Los Cabos, Mexico
Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos is an oceanfront property with stunning views of the Sea of Cortez and the Baja desert. Upon check-in, guests at Solaz are partnered with their very own Artisan Butler who introduces them to the resort, showcases the ins and outs of the room, and makes themselves available 24/7 to help with their every need. From dinner reservations to booking excursions and even finding sunscreen, Solaz’s Artisan Butlers treat guests to an unparalleled rest and relaxation experience.
The hotel shared that one of their most outlandish requests included a helicopter ride to go and play golf, and a last-minute Mariachi to celebrate a birthday. I’m not judging, just curious if either of those guests are looking for new friends?
Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection | Los Cabos, Mexico
The pinnacle of luxury in Los Cabos, Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection beckons guests to experience the Baja lifestyle. For groups of up to 8 people staying in one of Esperanza’s two haciendas, a dedicated Hacienda Host is available during their stay to coordinate meals, private chefs, nanny services, activities, and more. From in-house spa treatments and culinary workshops to mezcal tasting classes and an intention-setting turtle release, groups can enjoy the best of Baja without worrying about any of the planning.
The hotel shared that a guest once asked their butler to help her “marry herself.” On the fly, the butler curated an intimate ceremony on the beach and even arranged a video shoot of the experience.
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Like most people in the service industry, you should tip your butler at the end of your stay. How much should you tip? I guess that depends on how much butlering you ask for, but most experts say to tip 5% of your nightly room rate per night is the minimum.