Skip to content

Is this the creepiest — or best — hotel welcome amenity ever?

Nov. 30, 2021
3 min read
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Mahe Island
Is this the creepiest — or best — hotel welcome amenity ever?
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

If you Google "hotel welcome amenity," odds are that you'll find a picture of a bottle of wine, along with some chocolates and a fruit plate.

Would your wedding photo come up in that search? Probably not.

Well, can you imagine my surprise when I walked into my room during a recent hotel stay at The Norman in Tel Aviv, Israel, only to find a wooden picture frame on a small table with my wedding photo inside?

At first, I was speechless. Maybe my wife asked the hotel to print it out, as far-fetched as that seemed.

Nope, she told me, when I called immediately after seeing the photo.

While the hotel never explicitly confirmed that they printed the wedding photo, the check-in agent who escorted me to my room told me that the hotel likes to keep tabs on who's staying there.

(Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)

Clearly, someone on the team had put all the pieces together, maybe saying to themselves, 'Zach Griff happens to be a travel reporter with an active social media presence — and he also recently got married.'

'What better way to personalize his stay than by printing out a picture of his wedding?' someone must have thought.

Though I was initially creeped out, the surprise quickly wore off, and it didn't bother me much for the rest of the stay. Perhaps the hotel thought my wife was coming along for the trip — not a bad assumption given that I inadvertently booked the room for two guests.

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

But it was clear that the hotel "knew" who I was — I was greeted by name during most interactions with the staff, and everyone was eager to lend a hand and ask how I was doing.

Either way, this welcome amenity has proven to be divisive.

In fact, I posted an Instagram story about the wedding photo and 72% of viewers thought that the welcome amenity was creepy.

Responses to my Instagram poll. (Screenshot courtesy of Instagram)

After the stay, I took the photo home with me — I didn't want it left inadvertently for the next guest — and asked my family around the Thanksgiving table their thoughts on the amenity.

Nearly everyone thought it was strange. After all, if the hotel is Googling me and printing my wedding photo, what else is the hotel doing when someone actually famous is staying there?

The few who considered it to be one of the best and cutest welcome gifts appreciated this level of personalization more than anything.

And regardless of how you feel, I now have another wedding photo on my desk — without going through the hoops to print or frame it myself.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

TPG featured card

Rewards rate
5X milesEarn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2X milesEarn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
Enjoy a $250 travel credit & earn 75K bonus miles
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
670-850Excellent, Good

Pros

  • Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
  • You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
  • Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners

Cons

  • Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
  • LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Top rated mobile app