Hot fudge and pickles, please

Beverly Stephen
Posted: December 4, 2007

Scottsdale, Arizona—Pickles and ice cream are only the half of it. Desperate mothers-to-be have been known to slather hamburgers with peanut butter, to binge on fruit cocktail straight from the can, to dispatch reluctant husbands to the 7-Eleven for Slurpees or the Pizza Hut for a pie with everything, including the anchovies, in the wee hours.

Just imagine how fabulous it would be to call room service at 3 a.m., ask for the Cravings Chef, and order a full breakfast or a rib eye steak with grilled onions or huevos rancheros or freshly popped corn—whatever your heart desires. Because executive chef Todd Berry at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa had an inkling that moms-to-be would be overjoyed to have access to a Cravings Chef 24/7, he suggested making the indulgent room service part of the resort's Babymoon Package that also includes a couples massage and an in-room make-your-own-sundae bar laden with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream and assorted toppings such as whipped cream, hot fudge, cherries, nuts, or just about anything else a pregnant woman might want to put on top of ice cream—even pickles. Cost of the package is $759 for the first night and $399 each additional night.

W Hotels in New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Atlanta are also offering packages for expectant mothers. Prices start at $245. Upon arrival, moms in the making are greeted with a Baby Me package that includes a baby bag, a onesie, appropriate books and magazines, a Bliss Foot Patrol package of products and two selections from a Womb Service menu proffering ice cream, cookies and milk, milk shakes, fruit plates, smoothies, hamburger and fries, pizza, grilled cheese, a plate of pickles, assorted chips, and nuts.

What? No caviar and cola?