The travel selfie: hey, I was here - give me a discount!

New York

SELFIEPAL, a steel stick with a clamp to secure a smartphone, arrived in the mail on a recent afternoon along with some advice.

"Shoot down from a slightly elevated viewpoint for a more flattering effect," said an accompanying postcard from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, which has begun loaning guests selfie sticks as if they were as practical as umbrellas and toothpaste. Guests who borrow one and then post their selfies on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #AdoreThySelfie may win a stick of their own, a US$150 Kimpton gift card, and - for aspiring Dorian Grays - a framed enlargement of their selfie.