There was a time when bringing home a souvenir meant something. A handwoven throw from the Cyclades. A carved moai from Easter Island. A shard of Murano glass from a smoky Venetian studio. These weren’t merely objects; they were proof you had been somewhere special.
Today, those same treasures can be boxed, shipped, and delivered before your return flight touches down. The artisanal has been commodified; the meaningful, mass-produced.
In response, a quiet rebellion is unfolding in hospitality. Instead of handing guests curated keepsakes, a growing number of hotels are offering the one thing Jeff Bezos can’t: the chance to make something with your own hands.
Across the world, hotels are partnering with local artisans to share not only their products but also their processes. It’s a creative exchange—one that leaves travelers with stained fingertips, new skills, and a keepsake that carries a richer story.
Venetian mask maker Nicolò Galasso sees it firsthand. His family atelier in San Marco has been welcoming visitors for years, and recently, interest has deepened. “After COVID, we noticed people are more curious,” he says. “They want to meet the real artisans. They’re tired of not knowing what’s authentic.”
For Galasso, the workshops go beyond decoration; they are acts of cultural preservation. “There is just one solution in a globalized world: Be different, and share your history and your culture with the people who want to learn it,” he says. “Otherwise, we all become the same. And when you go back home, you haven’t had the experiences that make you rich.”
Here are five hotels where the best parting gift is the one you make yourself.
Carve a Moai at Nayara Hangaroa, Easter Island, Chile
Nayara Hangaroa is a five-minute walk from Hanga Roa, the island’s only town.
Photo courtesy of Nayara Hangaroa
The moai of Easter Island are among the world’s most iconic sculptures. Towering and stoic, they hold centuries of cultural weight for the Rapa Nui people. While most visitors admire them from a respectful distance, guests at Nayara Hangaroa are invited to engage more deeply.
In a garden workshop, local artisans lead carving sessions using traditional tools and volcanic stone. Guests learn the ancient techniques used to create these ancestral figures while hearing the stories behind them. The resulting sculpture is modest in size but heavy with meaning. The workshop is a rare chance to take part in one of the world’s most mythic art forms. Rooms from $700 (including breakfast) and $1,100 (full board); moai-carving experience from $135 per person
Design a Tartan at the Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland
At the Fife Arms, guests can make their own tartans.
Photos courtesy of Fife Arms
Tartan has always been personal. Historically, each pattern told a story of clan, region, or rebellion. At the Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands, guests get the chance to design their own.
With the help of expert weavers, they choose colors and stripes that reflect milestones or memories: forest green for a beloved landscape, navy for a childhood home, or gold thread in honor of a grandparent. Once finalized, the design is registered and woven into fabric. The result may be a scarf, throw, or keepsake swatch, and it doubles as a textile memoir. Rooms from $623; tartan workshop from $4,057 per person
Paint Azulejos at the National Tile Museum with Martinhal hotels in Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon’s azulejos—glazed ceramic tiles painted in delicate blues and greens—adorn buildings all over the city. Through Martinhal Resorts, families can make their own with a hands-on workshop at the National Tile Museum, housed in a 16th-century convent.
Under the guidance of local artists, guests paint their own tiles using traditional techniques, no artistic experience required. Children often invent wild, colorful shapes, while adults lean toward classic patterns. Once fired, each tile becomes a tangible piece of Lisbon. Rooms from $250; tile workshop from $20 per person
Build a Swiss Watch at La Réserve Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
La Reserve Geneva sits along the shores of Lake Geneva.
Photo courtesy of La Reserve Geneva
Geneva’s La Réserve introduces guests to the intricate world of Swiss horology with a watchmaking session. In a quiet workshop setting, participants are guided through disassembling and rebuilding the manual-wind, mechanical ETA 6497 movement by hand.
Precision tools, steady fingers, and focus are required. So is patience. The result is your own working timepiece—a souvenir that literally ticks with meaning. Rooms from $565; watch workshop from $440 per person
Create a Mask at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, Venice, Italy
Venetian masks have long symbolized theater, disguise, and freedom. At the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, guests step into the tradition of mask-making with a workshop led by renowned artisan Giorgio Galasso in San Marco.
The class, in his waterfront studio, begins with a history lesson of the mask’s cultural role. Then participants decorate papier-mâché forms with feathers, pigments, and gold leaf. The experience is particularly popular with families, according to Galasso, but adults often become just as absorbed. For those wanting to explore further, Murano-style glassmaking classes are also available, offering travelers another tactile connection to Venice’s artistic heritage. Rooms from $450; mask-making workshop from $82 per person
