Up Branding: Hotel Amenities
Phil Benson explores how investment in hotel amenities can cost-effectively up brand your hotel.
With the ever increasing competition in the hotel industry, hoteliers need to look at cost effective ways to up brand the experience for their guests. One of the cheapest and easiest ways to do this is to provide simple amenities that offer that personal touch, which customers will appreciate.
Different hotel amenities on offer range from shops, services and supplies, which will vary in scale depending on the hotel. The amenities and facilities on offer will help the hotel to meet the requirements of its customers and staying guests, to make their stay a pleasurable one. It also helps to identify the brand of the hotel with different guests requiring different amenities. For example, business travellers may require function rooms and fast Internet connection, whilst families will be happy with a good-value restaurant or games room.
Generally, all hotels provide guests with clean towels, bed linen and there will usually be a TV in the room. It is these little things that customers are used to having at home that helps to make them feel more comfortable with their surroundings when they arrive and for the duration of their stay.
Hoteliers have to look at cost effective ways to improve their services and something as simple as the range of in-room soaps, shampoos and fragrances are certain amenities that are always fondly received.
Baylis and Harding
One company, Baylis and Harding, have recently launched The Boutique Collection, which is an assortment of guest amenities aimed at making customers feel special, luxurious and allows them to indulge themselves.
In this collection, there are 30ml sizes of bath & shower gel, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner. Other offerings include a 30g pure vegetable soap, mending kit, shower cap, shaving kit, vanity kit and dental kit.
This is a significant move by a company that traditionally targeted independent retailers, high street stores or sold products via the internet. Co-Owner and Creative Director of Baylis & Harding, Tania Fossey said, “We are extremely proud to be launching The Boutique Collection as it marks a really significant point in the growth of our business. We know that 1 in 3 UK households have our products in their bathrooms so we were really keen to extend that reach so that customers can create the same indulgent bathing and body care experience when they are away from home.”
Sysco Guest Supply: Customisation
Customising products to support the specific brand requirements of a hotel is a popular current trend in hotel amenities and companies such as Sysco Guest Supply have been doing so for years. They aim to develop innovative amenity collections, which fall in line with the brand and business objectives of the hotels they supply. Understanding the importance of a brand and being flexible in the approach allows such companies to produce amenities that will hopefully exceed guest expectations.
It is this attention to detail that guests will appreciate and it is a nice touch to offer them to encourage repeat custom.
The more facilities and amenities a hotel can provide their guests, the wider the range its clientele could be.
By Phil Benson
