Have you ever walked into your hotel room and found a small piece of chocolate, wrapped mint, or a boxed cookie on your pillow? Or did you ever get a little candy after a maid replaced your towels or sheets at that hotel? If you’ve stayed in some hotels, the answer is probably yes. This is a common practice in the United States, and even in some parts of the world.
Chocolate or mint on a pillow has been a common practice in hotels, especially among luxury properties. It’s a good tradition: a special treat just before you rest on your vacation for sweeter dreams. But where did that tradition begin? The answer involves a Hollywood star and a St. Louis hotel.
Influence of Cary Grant
One of the funniest but most stylish actors of his generation, Cary Grant inadvertently started the tradition while staying at the Mayfair Hotel (now Magnolia St. Louis) in downtown St. Louis. Legend has it that married Grant was trying to woo a lover by creating a trail of chocolates that ran from the living room in his attic suite to the bedroom to the pillow, where he attached a love letter or something like that. Apparently Grant thought that chocolate was the way to a woman’s heart.
Josh Chetwynd, autor de Book of Nice: A Nice Book about Nice Things for Nice People, explica la historia:
“On a trip to St. Louis in the 1950s, [Grant] wanted to add a sugary touch of romance to a link at the local Mayfair Hotel. Although he was married to actress Betsy Drake at the time, Grant had another, ahem, a friend lined up. It allegedly formed a trail of chocolates, from the living room of his attic suite to the bedroom before ending up on his pillow. Along with the chocolate was a letter. Unfortunately, the content of his note was lost to time (though I somehow doubt he would say, ‘Congratulations from C. Grant – Have a good night’s sleep’).
“The manager on duty learned of Grant’s ploy, and while discreet about its provenance, began the usual practice of leaving a late-night chocolate on guests’ pillows.”
The chocolate on the pillow had fallen out of favor at the Mayfair in recent years, and the hotel dropped the tradition. This was a disappointment to many guests who appreciated the history and tradition of the Mayfair. However, with the purchase of the Mayfair and its subsequent relaunch as Magnolia St. Louis in August 2014, the hotel’s management brought back this St. Louis-born tradition. Now, as part of its turndown service, the Magnolia treats guests to chocolates from Bissinger’s, one of the best chocolatiers in the country.
Additionally, guests staying at the Magnolia can enjoy the Cary Grant experience by staying in the Cary Grant Suite, located on the 18th floor, or by winning and dining at Robies Restaurant and Lounge, named after John Robie, Grant character from the movie To Catch a Thief. There is definitely a lot of history in this hotel and they accept it!
Hollywood legend lives on
So there you have it: The Chocolate Pillow Tradition is a romantic homage to a romantic icon in the Hollywood classic. Guests expect the little piece of chocolate, mint, or some other form of sweet pillow, like a cookie bite, at any nice hotel across America, and even many hotels around the world. The fanciest hotels offer expensive chocolates and even flowers with the room, while some less expensive places can put a simple mint on the pillow. The next time you stay in a nice hotel and enjoy chocolate, cookie or mint, remember that we have Cary Grant’s romantic notion to thank for these little gifts.
Â
