HAP Weekly

Small Rituals, Grand Hotels

From the nostalgic return of classic room keys at luxury boutique hotels to a discreet new Parisian chess bar and Burberry’s summer takeover of Hôtel Belles Rives in Antibes, this week’s HAP Weekly explores the details, destinations, and design moments shaping travel now.

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Letter from Dan

Hey (HAP)ers!

Have any of you recently checked into a hotel and—to your surprise and delight—been handed a real key to your room? How novel. How luxurious. How fun!

It’s funny that we (or at least I) get so excited over something as simple as a genuine key—an object most of us use every day to get into our own homes. But in the world of hospitality, the humble metal unlocking device was long ago replaced by electronic plastic cards that were cheaper, easier to carry around, and, let’s be honest, much easier to replace if a guest accidentally (or intentionally!) took one home. I know a few people with surprisingly substantial collections…

In this week’s newsletter, I unpick the return of the hotel room key, while Ruby Gregg opens the door to all the latest travel news headlines.

Thanks for reading! D x

- Dan Howarth, HAP Weekly Newsletter Editor

Feature

The Room Key to My Heart

After years of plastic key cards, my first encounter with a bona fide room key came at Palazzo Avino on Italy’s Amalfi Coast in the spring of 2024. The receptionist handed over a metal key attached to a huge, weighty disk emblazoned with the hotel’s distinctive lion motif. It was so unexpected that I remember letting out a quiet shriek—overjoyed to unlock a door using a familiar mechanism and a simple twist of the wrist.

Since then, I’ve noticed several luxury boutique hotels embracing the room key once again as a statement piece. Which made me wonder: why did we abandon keys in the first place? Admittedly, many guests probably disliked carrying them around by the pool or beach. Jingling bags and pockets aren’t exactly resort chic. A plastic card, meanwhile, slips neatly into a wallet alongside other essentials and is fairly unobtrusive in a pocket. Hotels can order them in bulk, and if one goes missing? Simply reprogram another card and move on. Having a real key recut by a metalsmith is considerably more laborious—and expensive.

But even when crafted from interesting materials like wood or bamboo, adorned with playful graphics, or cut into unusual shapes, tapping a plastic card against a reader just isn’t very satisfying. Worse, it reminds me of paying with a credit card—which is not the association I want every time I enter my vacation sanctuary. On multiple occasions, my phone has demagnetized a key card en route to my room, forcing me to trek back to reception for a replacement. There’s also something deeply reassuring about physically locking a door yourself and knowing your belongings are safely inside. More than once, I’ve accidentally left a hotel room door ajar because I never had to consciously lock it behind me. (Though I’ll admit that one’s on me.)

Substantial keychains also create a wonderful branding opportunity. They can take any shape, size, or color; feature logos; or become abstract objects that playfully reference a hotel or its surroundings. I’ve encountered purple tassels at Gstaad Palace, green ones at Chateau Marmont, and leather tags at Cowley Manor Experimental in the Cotswolds. The most inventive—and cumbersome—were the brightly colored alpaca-wool pom-poms attached to each key at Titilaka. Kept together in a bowl at reception, they looked delightful, though I did struggle to remember which one belonged to me. And yes, the Palazzo Avino key was so heavy it distorted the silhouette of my trousers when tucked into a pocket. Of course, you can leave it at reception for safekeeping—but that adds an extra step to your day, and becomes mildly irritating when you inevitably need to run back upstairs because you forgot something.

Nevertheless, I remain a huge advocate for real hotel room keys. They feel luxurious, nostalgic, and far more environmentally friendly than the current alternative. Perhaps we’ll soon be unlocking hotel room doors with apps or facial recognition instead. But in a world increasingly stripped of tactile experiences, I’m happy to champion the return of even the smallest rituals—especially one as satisfying as unlocking a door with a real key.

Style & Stay

Burberry Reimagines a Riviera Classic

British heritage house Burberry is bringing its signature aesthetic to the Côte d'Azur this summer, reimagining the historic Hôtel Belles Rives in Antibes under Daniel Lee's creative vision. The brand's recognizable navy check now wraps everything from sun loungers and beach club fixtures to the property's original Art Deco elevators, with guests able to enjoy branded jetski rides and custom cocktails throughout their stay. Open through September 2026, the partnership marks Burberry's latest play to tie its name to sun-soaked escapism and the timeless allure of the Riviera.

Ruby Gregg

What I Pitched To My Editor-In-Chief

Editor's Note

Thanks for reading! D x

Dan Howarth, HAP Weekly Newsletter Editor