The most unusual hotel services: bedtime stories and on-demand construction kits
In November 2025, a Chinese hotel found itself at the center of a scandal. Some believed that the “lion cub wake-up call” service, in which a staff member brings a small lion into guests’ rooms, violated animal rights and could also be dangerous for guests.
This isn’t the only example of how hotels are trying to attract guests. We’ve compiled a list of the most exotic services offered in different parts of the world.
Mental recovery and sleep programs
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The idea of a “cry room” has grown into an entire wellness tourism trend. Many world-class hotels offer not just a room, but personalized programs for mental recovery.
Where: Luxury hotels around the world.
The essence: comprehensive services aimed at relieving stress and improving the quality of sleep using modern techniques.
From March to the end of August 2015, the Japanese hotel chain Mitsui Garden Yotsuya offered an unusual offer: the “Crying Room.” The room was available to women seeking to relieve stress through tears. To create the appropriate atmosphere, guests were provided with a dozen sentimental films, including the Tom Hanks-starring melodrama “Forrest Gump,” Japanese manga comics, books with sad plots, and soft cashmere napkins. After a cleansing sob, the hotel offered a steam-massage eye mask and a warming compress.
The idea of a “cry room” has grown into an entire wellness tourism trend. Many world-class hotels offer not just a room, but personalized programs for mental restoration. These can include guided meditation sessions, sound therapy with singing bowls, consultations with a specialist, and individually tailored aromatherapy treatments.
Educational programs
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This idea is reminiscent of a camp for adults, where every day is scheduled down to the minute.
Where: USA (New York).
The idea: hotel accommodation is combined with an intensive program of learning hobbies and skills that you don’t have time for in your everyday life.
The AKA Central Park hotel chain offers the Live It! program, which transforms a hotel stay into an intense educational experience. The concept is reminiscent of an adult camp, where every minute of the day is planned out. Guests can learn to dance the tango, prepare exquisite dishes like chocolate soufflé, and take painting, theater, and even circus arts lessons. The list of activities is incredibly extensive, including surfing, horseback riding, and photography.
Among the program’s exclusive offerings, the “Sleep School” and sound therapy are highlighted, aimed at deep relaxation and restoration. The crowning achievement is the “Reboot” program. This comprehensive approach to transformation includes a wide range of services—from rejuvenating spa treatments to complete makeover consultations—allowing guests to leave the hotel feeling refreshed.
Ayurvedic Rituals and the Path to Nirvana
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The menu of treatments is entirely dedicated to spiritual renewal.
Where: Nicaragua.
The essence: immersion in the ancient practices of Ayurveda for spiritual cleansing and enlightenment in the setting of a luxury spa resort.
Some Nicaraguan hotels, such as the Mukul Beach Hotel, offer guests the opportunity to experience Ayurvedic rituals, practiced for centuries by Indian and Tibetan hermits. The treatment menu is entirely dedicated to spiritual renewal: it is designed to cleanse the aura, promote enlightenment, and facilitate the transition to nirvana. Time-tested techniques are used, including acupressure massage and healing herbal wraps.
Traditional massage is central to the Ayurvedic experience. However, the most sacred ritual is considered to be Shirodhara—a procedure in which a thin stream of warm oil is poured onto the so-called “third eye” on the forehead. Guests can experience all the treatments individually or opt for the comprehensive “Nirvana Indulgence” package, which offers complete immersion in Ayurveda philosophy.
Bedtime stories for adults
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This service emphasizes that the magic of fairy tales has no age.
Where: Iceland (Reykjavik).
The gist: Evening readings of Icelandic folk tales, allowing guests of all ages to immerse themselves in local folklore.
The Icelandic hotel Reykjavik Natura has created a special ritual for its guests. Every Thursday at 9:00 PM, guests can put on their pajamas, settle into a comfortable chair, wrap themselves in a warm blanket, and sip hot chocolate while listening to Icelandic fairy tales. This service emphasizes that the magic of fairy tales knows no age.
The readings are conducted in English by local professional actors, adding authenticity to the storytelling. The service is completely complimentary for all hotel guests. The organizers create the perfect atmosphere, providing hot chocolate and cozy blankets, but guests are asked to bring pajamas and slippers.
Watching the Northern Lights from Bed
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To predict the appearance of the northern lights, it is necessary to monitor solar activity data and local weather conditions. All this work falls on the shoulders of the hotel’s duty caretaker.
Where: Finland.
The gist: accommodation in heated glass igloos and a “northern alarm” service to ensure you don’t miss a natural phenomenon.
The Finnish Arctic Snowhotel offers one of the most technologically advanced and comfortable ways to see the Northern Lights. The hotel is being built in winter on Lake Lehto and comprises several individual igloo-style huts. Their key feature is a heated glass roof that prevents snow accumulation and ice formation, providing a perfect view. This allows guests to admire the celestial spectacle from the comfort of their warm and cozy beds.
However, monitoring the aurora borealis is a science in itself. Predicting its appearance requires monitoring solar activity data and local weather conditions. This entire task falls to the hotel’s caretaker. If he notices a “dance of shadows” beginning in the sky, he immediately wakes guests. Special alarm clocks are installed in each igloo for this purpose, ensuring that no guest misses one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena.
Living in the wild
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On the southern slope of Elbrus, in the village of Terskol, at an altitude of almost 4000 m, is the high-mountain capsule hotel LeapRus
Where: Russia (Elbrus slope).
The gist: living in the wild in high-tech capsules on the slopes of Elbrus or in authentic snow igloos.
Russia offers unique accommodation options, where the very concept of the hotel is unusual. For example, on the southern slope of Mount Elbrus, in the village of Terskol, at an altitude of almost 4,000 meters, lies the high-altitude capsule hotel LeapRus.
It’s built in the form of futuristic capsules reminiscent of spaceships. The hotel has just five modules: three for living, one for dining and relaxation with a panoramic window, and a utility module. Despite the extreme conditions, everything inside is comfortable: beds, bathrooms, meals, and Wi-Fi.
A butler who will bring a Lego set
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The service is completely personalized. A butler can help guests choose a package suitable for their age and interests.
Where: Ireland.
The gist: a butler who delivers Lego sets to guests’ rooms upon request.
The Ashford Castle Hotel in Ireland offers guests a unique and modern service: a Lego butler. Upon request, a dedicated butler will deliver a basket of assorted Lego sets to their room, allowing both children and adults to immerse themselves in the creative process. This service brilliantly combines ancient aristocratic traditions with modern entertainment.
The service is completely personalized. A butler can help guests choose a set appropriate for their age and interests, from simple blocks for toddlers to complex constructions for adult enthusiasts. Once completed, guests can either take their creative work home or disassemble it and leave it at the hotel.
