Shop R Finds’ worldwide edit of gifts: what would a local buy?

In partnership with R-Finds.com

Browsing, sampling and shopping away from home, on vacation or during down time on a business trip – is one of life’s simple pleasures. Finding yourself in a different and exciting environment, wandering local neighbourhoods, markets and back streets – it’s the perfect way to immerse yourself in a destination. There are new experiences in smell, taste, sound, materials and aesthetics.

Hitting the streets is how you see what the locals are wearing, eating and listening to, find out who’s designing it and where it’s sold. Connections are made with craftspeople, designers and artisans, brewers, bakers and makers. More than just stuff to buy, what you take home are the memories you’ve made during the experience.

Born out of serendipity, this new-territory browsing and impulse-buying, for actual, tangible stuff, in bricks-and-mortar stores and IRL markets, is free of algorithms and digitally generated guidance. Your globetrotter hardwiring knows that shopping is best kept local. So, go find those guayaberas in Mexico and Breton tops in France. Discover those small leather goods in Italy and ceramics in Scandinavia. Taste the heat of hot sauce in New Orleans or seek out dapper style in Harlem.

And yet, preparation and guidance for this kind of adventure is vital. It helps to have personal-shopping assistance from a plugged-in professional with local knowledge: enter the Renaissance Navigator.

Positioned at every Renaissance hotel – 175-plus properties around the globe – these guides tell you about stuff the guidebooks haven’t got hip to yet. Always searching for the most intriguing, new, and imaginative experiences the neighbourhood has to offer, connecting with local experiences, the Renaissance Navigator will tell you where to find the best bar for craft beer, mix with locals at a street food market, or simply kick back and see some live local music.

Now, Renaissance Hotels has launched an online store to connect these neighbourhoods to your fingertips, wherever you are. Whether you’re planning your next adventure, or simply didn’t have enough room in your suitcase on the last, R Finds by Renaissance Hotels connects you to the most intriguing neighbourhood finds – all in one place.

Guided by the expertise of its Navigators, input from a team of editors, curators and discerning influencers, the enthusiasm of retailers and the talents of designers and makers, R Finds is a different way to gift. It’s the world in your tote bag, a shop of memories and moments delivered across continents and countries.

Holiday shopping with R Finds

So, with the season of gifting on the horizon, here are our picks from the world’s largest digital hotel gift shop.

Baseball jacket from Black N Ugly in Harlem

New York knows how to stay stylish and toasty when the weather gets chilly. For insulation and sophistication, R Finds recommends this wool baseball jacket from Harlem’s Black N Ugly store. The ‘It’s Everything You Think It’s Not’ wool bomber is heavily embroidered on both front and back. And yes, as Renaissance’s Harlem Navigator confirms, the Black N Ugly brand name is a lyrical reference to the Biggie Smalls classic ‘One More Chance’.

‘It's Everything You Think It's Not Wool Jacket’, $195, from r-finds.com

Bow-tie from Brackish in Charleston

As the winter social season revs up, a playful, conversation-starting accessory can help get the party started. Enter the ‘Original’ turkey feather bow-tie by Charleston, South Carolina atelier Brackish. Centre-wrapped in black grosgrain and interwoven with colourful feathers, the ‘Original’ features varying shades of black, olive, and subtle hints of copper, the iridescence of the feathers promoting different shades as the light hits them. The feathers used are natural, sustainably sourced and hand-selected, giving each finished piece unique colouring. Each Brackish bow-tie takes five hours to handcraft. Formal but fun.

‘Original’ bow-tie, $225, from r-finds.com

Woven bag from Here in Honolulu

Supporting independent labels from around the world since 2017, Honolulu’s Here boutique is a women-owned and sustainable business supporting independent, small-batch production. Locally based artist and designer Ameila Samari’s mini handbag is simple, eye-catching, and handmade in Hawaii in durable nylon rope and polyester thread.

Amelia Samari ‘Le Mini’ bag, $122, from r-finds.com

Roller skates, from Fresa’s Skate Shop in Las Vegas

The Latina-owned Fresa’s Skate Shop in Las Vegas’ arts district is a roller sports landmark. To keep our friends and family fit during the colder months, we’re gifting pairs of the Moxi skates – in happy rainbow colours and Xanadu styles. If you happen to be in Nevada, the store also offers lessons. ‘

Moxi Beach Bunnies roller skates, $175, from r-finds.com

Hot sauce from Hot Delight, Aruba

To add a bit of spice to our winter cuisine we asked an Aruba local to suggest a hot sauce. The Navigator at Wind Creek at Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, on the Caribbean island, nominated Hot Delight’s Madame, the local brand’s ‘hottest sauce yet’. Made from a blend of Habaneros and Aruban Madame Jeanette hot peppers, this sweetly heated and highly addictive condiment is a kitchen staple in restaurants and households all over the island. Thanks to the R-Finds store, it’s now available at your kitchen table too.

Hot Delight Madame sauce, $7, from r-finds.com