I stayed in a chocolate themed hotel suite that was full of delicious treats – but what surprised me the most wasn’t the edible chocolate in the bathroom.
Hidden away, just an hour from the UK, is a hotel suite completely draped in chocolate. This is accommodation that money simply cannot buy, but no, you don’t need a golden ticket – you merely have to be the world’s kindest person.
Tony’s Chocolonely has teamed up with the Social Hub in Amsterdam to offer a select few people an overnight stay in this extraordinary, chocolate-themed room. And I was fortunate enough to become the first guest to experience it.
From the cupboards and shelves brimming with chocolate, the overwhelming chocolate aroma, and the inspirational messages scattered throughout, this suite was a remarkable space I won’t forget in a hurry.
However, it wasn’t just the edible chocolate in the bathroom that surprised me the most: it was the deeper meaning behind the competition.
What to expect
I stepped into the room through enormous red curtains to find a personal bartender, who prepared a beverage of my choosing. I opted for the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini, which was incredibly tasty and decadent. The bartender was welcoming, considerate and engaging.
I was then given free rein to discover the suite’s three spaces: the principal red one, a concealed blue room, and an upstairs monochrome room.
Each space conveyed its own theme and function: the red for community and connection, the blue for self-reflection, and the black and white for gratitude and recognition.
In the red room, I discovered a self-contained kitchen featuring a functioning hob, coffee maker, sink, microwave, a create-your-own ice-cream sundae station, a well-stocked fridge containing various beverages, and (crucially) cabinets brimming with chocolate.
Every visitor receives a shelf packed with chocolate which they can take away, to share with the loveliest people in their lives (or someone less lovely, should they wish). Messages about kindness and connection were dotted throughout. There was even a chocolate Jenga available with questions printed on the wrappers.
The blue room features a fortune slot machine, which requires finding tokens scattered around the suite to operate. Within it, you can collect chocolates and discover self-reflective questions. I invited my brother along, who was posed the question: “What’s one belief you have changed your mind about?”
He answered: “That I’m not good enough.” This wasn’t something I anticipated him revealing or knew he’d struggled with, because to me, my older brother is nothing short of perfect.
Finally, we entered the black-and-white room, where visitors can leave a message of kindness for the team or the following guest. Charlie Ayres, head of brand at The Social Hub, commented: “We wanted every part of the room to spark togetherness and encourage kindness, using chocolate to create opportunities to share, interact and above all, be sweet to one another.
“This is a one-off, limited experience designed to celebrate some of the world’s sweetest people, while also telling a more important story. Through our partnership with Tony’s Chocolonely, we hope to spark conversation around exploitation in the chocolate industry, showing how experiences can be both joyful and meaningful.”
My night in the chocolate ‘red room’
The red room, along with the black and white room, was our accommodation for the evening, and the space is, quite frankly, enchanting.
Upon entering, I was met with a delightful chocolate aroma that wasn’t overly sweet but rather nutty and creamy. Everything appears extraordinary, and just when you think you’ve discovered all the chocolate, you open a new cupboard or area, and there’s even more.
The bed felt like sinking into a cloud, complete with a soft mattress and a thick duvet. Personally, I would have preferred the room to be a tad warmer, as it was a large area with only air conditioning and no heating.
However, there were ample blankets available, which kept me snug and warm. One minor issue was the television, which we couldn’t seem to get working, but this encouraged my brother and me to continue conversing.
I awoke feeling incredibly refreshed. We indulged ourselves with a scrumptious sundae before receiving a heartwarming and delightful wake-up call that encouraged us to share the kindness we’d experienced with the wider world.
Reflecting on his time there following the visit, my brother remarked: “Sweetness and warmth even down to the scent wafting throughout the rooms. It had a spacious bathroom, a comfortable bed and an abundance of chocolate as a treat at hand, anywhere you looked. Thought and caring touches sprinkled throughout promoting mindfulness and a reminder that peace doesn’t happen in a vacuum.”
The chocolate-themed room will remain available for the next three days. Enthusiasts in Amsterdam can also visit the space on March 29 from 1 pm.
The message
When the world requires a touch of kindness, this partnership seeks to inspire people to engage with family, friends, and even complete strangers, and to appreciate the significance of making decisions that benefit those in their community.
Trix van der Vleuten, chief marketing officer at The Social Hub, explained: “The world feels increasingly divided. We’re more digitally connected than ever, yet loneliness is rising. We wanted to come together with Tony’s to showcase that sweetness, simple, human kindness, matters more than ever, and that people can enjoy our products while positively impacting society.”
Through this launch, Tony’s Chocolonely aims to spotlight its commitment to aiding approximately 40,000 cocoa farmers in achieving a sustainable income. The firm’s head of global brand and communications, Sadira E. Furlow, stated that the brand’s goal is to eradicate exploitation within the cocoa industry by demonstrating that chocolate can be produced more ethically.
The Social Hub has locations in Glasgow, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and more. Discover more about how you can stay at the Social Hub here.
