A Sweet Ritual for Rest

Wellness doesn’t always require a dramatic shift in routine. Sometimes it begins with something simple: a small ritual that signals to the body that it’s time to slow down.

At 1 Hotel San Francisco, we’re highlighting Alice Mushrooms, a line of thoughtfully crafted mushroom chocolates designed to support energy, focus, stress relief, and rest through small, intentional moments throughout the day.

In honor of World Sleep Month, we’re partnering with Alice to highlight the quiet rituals that help us slow down and restore. Made with functional, non-psychoactive mushrooms and crafted for rich, satisfying flavor, each square is designed to meet the rhythm of your day—between meetings, after a long flight, before an evening out, or as part of a gentle wind-down before bed.

Blending centuries-old ingredients with a modern approach to formulation, Alice invites a more intuitive path to wellness, one rooted in pleasure, presence, and consistency. In conversation with Karina Nunez, Chief of Staff at Alice Mushrooms, we explore the inspiration behind the brand, the role of flavor in building meaningful rituals, and how a single square of chocolate can help ground you wherever the day or night takes you.

Throughout the month, guests can discover Alice at 1 Hotel San Francisco as part of a gentle wind-down ritual, inviting a more grounded transition from the energy of the day into deeper rest.

A Better Bite with Karina Nunez, Chief of Staff at Alice Mushrooms

Alice was created with the idea of making mushrooms part of a daily ritual. What was missing from the wellness space that made you want to build something different?

So much of wellness can feel either overly clinical, intimidating, or hard to stick with. There wasn’t much in between—something you’d genuinely look forward to every day. Mushrooms have been used for centuries, yet rarely positioned as a daily ritual. We saw an opportunity to make functional mushrooms feel intuitive, enjoyable, and seamlessly woven into everyday life. A decadent bite that supports you without asking you to overhaul your routine.

March marks World Sleep Month, a time to reflect on the role rest plays in our overall wellbeing. How do you see mushrooms, and rituals like Alice, supporting a more mindful approach to sleep? 

Sleep Awareness Month is a great reminder that quality sleep is not just about the moment you get into bed, it's about how you close the day and prepare your body for rest. Alice was created to make that nightly ritual one of the most delightful parts of the evening. Mushrooms and adaptogenic botanicals can play a supportive role in that process. With Nightcap, we formulated a blend designed to help signal to the body that it is time to slow down. Ingredients like reishi have long been used to support relaxation and a calm nervous system. We pair that with magnesium and other calming botanicals that help ease tension and encourage a more relaxed state before bed. There is also something powerful about consistency. Having a square of chocolate at the same time each night becomes a simple cue for the brain that the day is coming to a close. Over time, that small ritual helps create the conditions for deeper, more restorative rest.

Mushroom chocolates can come with a lot of assumptions. What’s the most common misconception you hear from people before they try Alice?

The biggest misconception is that mushroom chocolate has to be earthy or bitter. People are often surprised by how delightful each bite can be. Through years of formulation, we worked closely with scientists and chocolatiers to create the perfect balance between indulgence and wellness. We focus on functional, non-psychoactive mushrooms that compound in the body over time for long-lasting benefits, complemented by botanicals that support how you feel immediately.

Flavor is central to the experience. How did you approach making something that feels indulgent but still purposeful?

We treated flavor with the same level of care as formulation. If something doesn’t taste good, no amount of function will make it stick. Our goal was to create something that feels like a small luxury, while still doing something meaningful in the background. The indulgence invites you in; the function keeps you coming back. That balance is what turns a product into a lasting habit.

Travel has a way of disrupting routines. How do you see Alice fitting into those in-between moments, whether that’s a pause, a reset, or a wind-down?

Travel is full of transitions, early mornings, late nights, unfamiliar rhythms. Alice is designed to meet you in those in-between moments, when you need grounding without rigidity. Whether it’s a quiet pause between meetings, a reset after a long day, a pick-me-up before happy hour, or a gentle wind-down before sleep, Alice helps create a sense of continuity, even when everything else feels in flux.

For someone discovering Alice during their stay at 1 Hotel San Francisco, what do you hope that first experience unlocks, whether it’s a new ritual, a new perspective on mushrooms, or something deeper?

We hope it invites a moment of presence. Maybe it becomes a new daily ritual, or simply a reminder that wellness doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Our products are designed to support you throughout the entire day—from energy and focus to stress relief, intimacy, connection, and sleep. Alice is about small, intentional moments that add up, and the simple joy of enjoying chocolate every day with purpose.