Planning Hotels
Carlie Hoke
Everybody loves chocolate — or at least 81% of the U.S. population. In fact, 50% of people claim they can’t bear to part with it for longer than 24 hours. With this in mind, it’s no wonder chocolate is a big business. While there will always be room for more chocolatiers in a world where billions of people love the sweet and smooth dessert, the hotel industry is starting to recognize that chocolate may have a more significant place than the minibar.
There are hotels all over the world that not only cater to those with a chocolate obsession but also indulge in it with spa experiences, cascading chocolate fountains, and heavily themed rooms. Whether traveling throughout the United States or planning a fun solo European trip, chances are you can find a destination containing an impressive chocolate tribute. If your favorite part of a hotel stay is the little chocolate left on your pillow, then these chocolate-themed hotels will really cater to your sweet tooth.
Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel and Spa in Mérida, Mexico
For a chocolate-themed hotel, Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel and Spa made the refreshing choice to stay away from the apparent branding color of brown and instead opted for bright pink. The cheerful fuchsia can be found boldly on the exterior as well as throughout the two restored mansions that make up the hotel and spa. These equally contrast and compliment the cocoa found in the restaurant, spa, and rooms.
This boutique hotel perfectly meshes natural beauty with creative design, but adding chocolate features brings the experience to a whole new level of heaven. Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel and Spa makes guest comfort its business and excels at placing points of relaxation throughout their stay, including spa treatments that employ organic cocoa and prove chocolate isn’t just for eating. The award-winning in-house restaurant with menus created by Chef David Segovia wouldn’t be complete without multiple chocolate desserts and dark hot chocolate available from breakfast to dinner. Having seemingly found the ideal balance of relaxation and indulgence, this hotel is the perfect place for a chocolate lover destined for Mexico.
Chocolate Hotel in Itacaré, Brazil
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The Chocolate Hotel in Brazil exudes an atmosphere of tropical luxury. It sits atop a hill overlooking the sea, and each room features a private outdoor space that takes advantage of the stellar view. But that’s not the only natural benefit to this hotel. The Chocolate Hotel capitalizes on the abundance of cocoa in Brazil, offering chocolate in various ways to enhance guest experience.
As the name suggests, chocolate-themed amenities are a focus at Chocolate Hotel, but it goes even further and treats cacao as a kind of medicine. Guests will find a chocolate counter within the hotel that is fondly referred to as the “chocolate pharmacia.” Of course, cacao and dark chocolate have many proven health benefits, like lowering blood sugar and improving heart health. Still, even in its many more sweet forms, chocolate can be good for the soul, a belief that is certainly held and encouraged at this hotel.
The rooftop restaurant brings farm-to-table a whole new meaning, as the majority of ingredients for the dishes are grown right on the property, likely including their own cacao beans as well. Each room is stocked with chocolate-infused cosmetics, and everyday guests receive a special sweet treat — we bet you can guess the main ingredient.
Hotel Chocolat’s Rabot Hotel, Saint Lucia
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Anything can be made out of chocolate if you’re talented enough. Hotel Chocolat brings that world of pure imagination alive by creating some incredibly decadent chocolate dishes and candies. These include chocolate whipped cream to top its iconic hot chocolates. You won’t find anything like Willy Wonky’s famous edible teacup here. Still, there is a reason that Hotel Chocolat is known throughout the world and has over 100 stores in the U.K. that sell a fantastic range of chocolate products.
While Rabot Hotel in Saint Lucia is Hotel Chocolat’s first venture into the hotel business, they understand the industry and expertly infuse chocolate into the guest’s full experience. A tour of the cacao trees is included in every stay, and guests can personally see where the beans in their chocolate come from. A typical spa day features the rich bean in massage oil, body scrub, and exfoliant forms.
The restaurant at Rabot Hotel takes advantage of everything cacao can be. Menu items reflect the sweetness and savoriness of the bean and how it can be used. A true mecca for chocolate lovers, this hotel explores the full potential of an ingredient that the world adores.
Jade Mountain Resort in Saint Lucia
While Saint Lucia isn’t as widely celebrated for chocolate as Switzerland or Brussels, the island country is good at growing cocoa and making chocolate. Jade Mountain Resort contains around 2,000 cocoa trees and boasts a chocolate lab where guests can attend classes and create decadent dishes.
Jade Mountain Resort is much more than a chocolate lover’s dream getaway, as the hotel promises guests serenity. It features a number of sanctuaries named after celestial bodies — rightly so, because the views from the spots are downright heavenly — that act as guest rooms and private infinity pools. Having your own private view of Saint Lucia and sleeping with a panorama of the stars and the island’s moonlit mountains is practically the pinnacle of luxury.
Saint Lucia is a natural beauty and provides a kind of paradise all by itself, but when you add chocolate? Forget about the life you had before arriving because you’ll never want to leave here. Just don’t forget to book a chocolate-infused spa treatment in your private sanctuary before your time here runs out.
The Chocolate Box Hotel in Bournemouth, England
Booking a room at the Chocolate Box Hotel is like, well, opening a box of chocolates. Each room has its own flavor with complementary colors and designs very akin to what you’d find decorating a gift box of decadent treats. The theme is not over the top here; instead, it is a kind of add-on to what you’d expect from a cozy hotel.
The small hotel is the second to come from the Wilton family, which is also responsible for the Chocolate Boutique Hotel that can be found in the same U.K. city and is similarly themed. It makes sense that the Wiltons have seen success in the chocolate-themed hotel niche industry, as they first had their own chocolate business.
Staying at the Chocolate Box allows guests to support a local and family-owned business while relishing in small comforts, like the included breakfast. While a complimentary breakfast isn’t exactly breaking any hotel molds, their chocolate chip pancakes are basically a necessity.
Fábrica do Chocolate in Viana do Castelo, Portugal
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In true theme hotel fashion, each of Fábrica do Chocolate’s 18 rooms are unique and tell a different story. Some rooms take the chocolate theme to fantasy lands like that of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, while others keep guests in the real world with cocoa trees.
The hotel’s chocolate theme doesn’t stop at the rooms, though, as everything from the soap to the spa treatments and breakfast options incorporate a love of chocolate. Basically, there is zero chance of you leaving your stay without smelling of chocolate, and we love that for you.
If staying overnight at a cool chocolate palace wasn’t enough, the hotel’s basement is a full-fledged interactive museum. Although smaller than most museums, this could be one of the coolest you’ve ever heard of. It teaches visitors about the history and production of chocolate and the ethics of chocolate production. Appealing to both adults and children, the museum educates entertainingly and engagingly while, of course, instilling a love of chocolate.
The Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania
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While most of the hotels on this list won’t leave you wanting, those with an insatiable sweet tooth would be well met with a trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania, where a chocolate-themed amusement park awaits. Of course, it’s only natural that one of the best family-friendly amusement parks would come with a hotel to match, and The Hotel Hershey honors the rich food that the surrounding town was built upon.
A large and historic hotel, The Hotel Hershey comes with everything you’d expect from an accommodating park hotel, but it also offers perks chocolate lovers will delight in. When guests arrive for check-in, they’re greeted with a delectable chocolate treat that sets the stage for a wonderful stay. There are also extra benefits like discounted tickets to hotel attractions, free entry to Hershey Gardens, and access to The Hershey Story’s Museum Experience. Additionally, guests can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service that runs from the hotel to the park.
Even without considering the park, Hotel Hershey uses its fair share of chocolate. Spa treatments featuring cocoa are in great supply, and guests can choose from a menu that includes a chocolate body wrap, cocoa facial, and various chocolate-based immersions. Basically, Hershey allows you to play, stay and lay surrounded by chocolate, making your cocoa-induced fever dreams a reality.
Hotel Sacher in Vienna, Austria
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There are three Hotel Sacher locations in Austria, and all come with their own sense of luxury. The grandiose hotels are used for all types of events, from corporate meetings and weddings to the Vienna Opera Ball and intimate lunches. Unsurprisingly, some of the most famous names in modern history have stayed within their walls, including John F. Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth II.
With luxury comes chocolate, and Hotel Sacher in Vienna offers some of the richest experiences involving cocoa. Spa treatments for the whole body featuring the cocoa bean are on the hotel spa’s “Time to Chocolate” package, and the red velvet-clad dining room is the perfect place to enjoy a fruity dark chocolate pastry.
Hotel Sacher offers a variety of chocolate-themed experiences to its guests, but their signature treat is the Sachertorte dessert. It’s a delicious, dense cake brought to life by a century-old recipe. For those who can’t make it all the way to Austria for a taste of the cake, though, the hotel has shared a similar version of the recipe on its website.
Swiss Chocolate by Fassbind in Zurich, Switzerland
The Swiss have some of the best chocolate in the world, so it’s no surprise that Switzerland is home to hotels that play up their love of the decadent dessert. Named Swiss Chocolate, a chic hotel in Zurich tells the story of chocolate through its décor and the edible treats throughout.
Before even reaching your room, the influence of chocolate is quite plain, and as soon as you step through the front door, you’re greeted with a small taste of what’s to come in the form of a chocolate fountain. It doesn’t take long to come face-to-face with a variety of high-end chocolates you can purchase and a breakfast bar that incorporates the dessert for a rich start to your day. The journey to your room consists of walking down a hall of the history of chocolate — creating a mini museum-like experience — and once you find your room number, it’s displayed on a faux chocolate bar.
When you enter your room, the theme continues tastefully. Cocoa beans and leaves decorate the walls, but the theme isn’t overpowering, and other designs are woven in to create a comfortable and calming vibe. Though the Swiss Chocolate by Fassbind is a little pricey, commanding around $200 per person per night, it offers a unique experience backed by value. Guests who book directly with the hotel qualify for perks such as a 5% discount, free transportation, and free accommodation for pets.
Mövenpick Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand
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Another Swiss ode to chocolate, Mövenpick Hotel is a step up on the luxury scale. Though the allusions to chocolate are a bit more subtle, the brand should not be left out of the chocolate aficionados’ list.
Guests left drooling after hearing how to relish in the hotel’s rich amenities can take advantage of Chocolate Hour every afternoon at Mövenpick Hotel. This daily 60-minute tribute to cocoa exceeds expectations, especially if what you’re picturing is a tray full of truffles and some chocolate strawberries. This exclusive perk of the hotel brand brings specially crafted chocolate dishes to guests’ lips for a surprisingly satisfying and decadent afternoon treat.
As tempting an experience as Chocolate Hour is, it’s reasonable that some guests may not be able to make the timed event. Mövenpick doesn’t leave these guests out, and they go the extra mile in offering an around-the-clock ice cream sundae service. That means that whenever the mood strikes, you can get a sundae delivered to your room at all hours of the day and night — perfect for the night owl with a sweet tooth.
Sweets Hotel Ruby in Tokyo, Japan
If you came looking for the full Willy Wonka experience, your search ends here. Tokyo’s Sweets Hotel Ruby is ultra-themed with giant chocolate bars and other dessert items. These adorn the walls, floors, and practically every other surface of the small hotel. You’ll feel as though you have walked straight into a game of Candy Land as you pass through the front doors.
Right across the street is a chocolate-themed sister hotel, but the bright pinks of sugary sweetness of Sweets Hotel Ruby is almost too good to pass up. This is one of Japan’s many love hotels, which often come heavily themed — this means you can book to rest for a few hours or to stay overnight. Though the hotel does cater to couples, you can stay as a solo traveler. Many travelers may find the ability to book by the hour useful to shower and take a quick nap before heading out again on their adventures.
Honorable Mention: The Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada
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Considering its sweet, decadent, and indulgent nature, some would say that chocolate is a sinful food, and where else should one expect to find such a tempting treat than Sin City? Although not an overarching theme, chocolate sure makes a masterful appearance at one of Las Vegas’ most iconic hotels and casinos. With its prime location on the strip, stopping in and seeing the chocolatey masterpiece is easy, even if you aren’t staying the night.
The Bellagio is home to the world’s largest chocolate fountain. Located in the Bellagio Patisserie for all to see, the tiered fountain is 27 feet tall and is a chocolate lover’s fantasy. White, milk, and dark chocolate all have their place within the fountain so that the triple threat candy marvel represents your preference no matter where your tastes lie. Unfortunately, you can not actually taste the almost two tons of chocolatey goodness that cascades down the fountain because it is encased in glass. Still, there are plenty of goodies in the patisserie to try out.
