As cannabis moves further into the mainstream, a handful of hospitality players are keeping current by way of weed-friendly partnerships and amenities.
In the lobby of the recently opened Ace Hotel Toronto, for example, guests will find a phone that connects guests with a “budtender” at one of the cannabis retail brand Superette’s nearby outposts.
Via a partnership between the hotel and Superette, guests can place a pickup order from a menu of items specially curated for the Ace. They include the 1:0 High AF, a SuperFlower Sunny Roses twin pre-roll pack that, according to Superette, pairs perfectly with “a friend and a long walk to Cherry Beach,” a park on Lake Ontario.
Since October, a limited-edition collection of co-branded accessories — including rolling papers, a rolling tray and a lighter — have been for sale at the Ace, Superette’s nearby location and online at the Ace Hotel brand shop.
Similarly, the Hoxton Downtown L.A. has linked with dispensary Green Qween, located just across the street, to offer guests more streamlined cannabis access.
Under the partnership, the pair have launched the Green Qween x The Hoxton Turndown Service, an amenity enabling “plant-loving guests” ages 21 and older to get in-room delivery of a customized box of cannabis products daily between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Guests can select from either a Night In box, which features products with a more relaxing effect, or a Night Out box for a more energized evening.
The boxes are accompanied by an information guide that walks guests through the experience.
The Turndown Service can be booked ahead of time as part of a package or added to a stay for around $40.
“With so many of our Hoxton hotels being in cities where cannabis consumption is legal, it does give us a platform to be able to partner with amazing cannabis brands and dispensaries,” said Olivia Tucker, the Hoxton’s brand director for North America. “And I think cannabis and hospitality will continue to join forces, whether it’s in the form of offers or programming or in restaurant experiences. Similar to a good lobby bar, it kind of becomes a vehicle for community and connection amongst locals and travelers alike.”
In Las Vegas, “cannabis-inclusive” hospitality specialist Elevations Hotels & Resorts is betting big on that overlap, recently unveiling Lexi, a 64-room cannabis-friendly hotel a few minutes from the Strip. The property, a revamp of the former Artisan Hotel Boutique, plans to offer a full floor of rooms in which smoking pot will be permitted (tobacco smoking, however, will remain prohibited).
These rooms will feature enhanced air filtration systems, while materials known for absorbing smoke, such as carpeting and heavy drapes, are being nixed.
Although the Lexi won’t be Elevations’ first foray into the cannabis-friendly hospitality space — the group also counts Phoenix’s pot-friendly Clarendon Hotel among its holdings — Elevations CEO Alex Rizk said he hopes the Vegas property will serve as a “poster child” for the burgeoning segment.
“We definitely want to create a more elevated experience,” said Rizk, adding that Elevations wants to export this premium, cannabis-friendly hotel concept to markets like San Diego, Los Angeles and Palm Springs, Calif.
In addition to plans for cannabis-related programming and shuttle service to local dispensaries, Rizk said the Lexi will offer plenty of amenities with more general appeal, including an upscale, Cajun-inspired steakhouse restaurant helmed by “Hell’s Kitchen” alum Jordan Savell; a bar and lounge; and a pool that will play host to pool parties and other events.
“We are cannabis-inclusive but not cannabis-centric,” said Rizk. “We want all people, whether they want to partake or not, to feel welcome and really destigmatize the use of cannabis.”
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