Avani Hotels & Resorts has launched the Avani Book Club, a global hospitality initiative connecting guests with destinations through curated books, local stories, author events and shared reading experiences.
The programme features 30 titles across 15 Avani properties in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean. Each selection reflects the culture, character or atmosphere of its destination, turning reading into an additional layer of the travel experience.
Participating hotels will introduce book corners, exchanges, children’s storytelling, destination-inspired menus and community events. The initiative responds to growing interest in slower, more meaningful travel and the influence of digital reading communities such as BookTok and Bookstagram.
For the hospitality sector, the project demonstrates how hotels can move beyond accommodation by becoming cultural meeting places. It also creates opportunities to increase guest engagement, strengthen destination identity and encourage travelers to spend more time exploring hotel experiences and surrounding communities.
Thirty Books Connect Guests With Fifteen Destinations
The central reading list combines contemporary fiction, literary classics, wellness titles and accessible holiday books. Rather than offering the same collection at every hotel, Avani has matched individual titles with specific locations.
At Avani+ Riverside Bangkok, guests can read Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad, a layered story exploring the Thai capital’s past, present and future. The selection is designed to add context to a stay overlooking the Chao Phraya River and deepen travelers’ understanding of the city’s complexity.
At Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam, The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton brings 17th-century Amsterdam to life through commerce, domestic secrets and the social world of the Dutch Golden Age. The property also features The Assault by Harry Mulisch, offering a different perspective on Dutch memory and history.
In Venice, Avani Rio Novo has selected You Deserve Good Gelato by Kacie Rose, a travel memoir centered on food, reinvention and cultural discovery. The author is also scheduled to participate in a Book Club event and signing during the summer.
Resorts Add Poolside Reading and Wellness Experiences
The initiative extends beyond urban hotels into beach and nature-focused resorts.
At Avani+ Fares Maldives, a mobile book buggy will bring selected titles directly to guests beside the pool, while additional wellness books will be available in the spa. The resort’s collection includes Folk Tales of the Maldives, linking relaxed island time with local storytelling traditions.
Avani+ Barbarons Seychelles features Wintering by Katherine May, a reflective title suited to wellness-focused stays and slower travel. At Avani Victoria Falls, The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell traces Zambia’s history across generations, giving visitors cultural context alongside the region’s natural attractions.
Australian selections include The Rosie Project and Big Little Lies, creating lighter reading options for guests combining city stays, coastal travel and leisure experiences.
Hotels Become Spaces for Cultural Participation
Avani is supporting the reading lists with events designed to bring guests, residents and creative communities together.
In Madrid, Avani Alonso Martínez hosts local book clubs and literary conversations. In Amsterdam, the programme will include a WorldPride Book Swap and Reading Night focused on LGBTQ+ stories, poetry and discussion.
Avani Ratchada Bangkok will introduce “Sip the Story,” pairing books about Thailand with themed coffee, matcha and cocktail options. At Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort, travelers can join a story-inspired afternoon tea overlooking the destination’s limestone scenery.
These experiences can extend guest time in restaurants, lounges and social areas while giving hotel teams new ways to showcase local culture. They may also attract residents who are not staying overnight, strengthening the hotel’s role within its destination.
Children’s Storytelling Expands Family Appeal
The Avani Book Club also includes programming for younger travelers.
At Avani+ Koh Lanta Krabi Resort, children can discover the story of Gok and Gek, the property’s resident hornbill couple. The experience includes a wildlife-themed adventure booklet and a bedtime story illustrated by a young Thai artist.
This family component allows literature to support education, nature awareness and destination discovery. It also gives parents an additional activity that can be incorporated into a resort stay without requiring complex travel arrangements.
Literary Tourism Supports Experience-Led Hospitality
The Avani Book Club reflects a broader hospitality shift toward experiences that create emotional connections with place.
Travelers increasingly expect hotels to provide more than rooms, restaurants and pools. Cultural programming can help properties stand out by connecting accommodation with literature, food, history, creativity and community participation.
For destinations, the programme may encourage guests to explore local neighborhoods, cultural institutions and landscapes connected to the featured books. It can also strengthen partnerships with authors, artists, publishers and community organizations.
Avani Book Club is now available at participating hotels, with events and local activations scheduled to expand throughout the year. By placing literature inside the guest journey, Avani is positioning storytelling as a practical tool for cultural tourism, slower travel and more memorable hotel stays.
For more travel news like this, keep reading Global Travel Wire
