When guests check in to a luxury hotel, they expect to enjoy ultimate comfort, exceptional customer service, access to high-end amenities and facilities, and the chance to indulge in a unique and exclusive experience. These factors make up the customer experience brands want.
Hotels of all categories have been striving to enhance their guests’ experiences by adding a touch of luxury, and one of the most tangible aspects of this is through toiletries. These products not only serve as amenities for guests to use during their stay, but they also often become coveted souvenirs that guests take home with them. As a result, brands are increasingly interested in participating in the hotel guest experience, as it provides additional exposure and reach, creating connections with guests they may not have otherwise had the chance to engage with.
Partnering with hotels becomes even more enticing for brands because it increases the likelihood of their products being tested by guests, which can boost brand consideration levels.
Hotels are now expanding their offerings beyond just luxury toiletries to provide guests with a more comprehensive experience. Equinox Hotel, for instance, is stocking its minibars with items for sleep, skincare, and sexual wellness in addition to the usual cold water and mixers.
“We flip the traditional minibar on its head,” said Ara Patterson, vice president of food, beverage, and spa at Equinox Hotels told Glossy.
The Equinox Hotel has created a minibar called RoomBar, which reportedly offers over 80 items, including supplements, proprietary teas, tinctures, sexual health products, beauty treatments, snacks, beverages and workout wear. This comprehensive selection aims to provide guests with everything they need in one convenient location.
Just last month, the Four Seasons Hotel Houston announced a partnership with handbags and accessories rental service Vivrelle.
Through the tie-up, Vivrelle is offering guests of Four Seasons Hotel Houston complimentary access to its collection of luxury accessories from renowned brands, including Prada, Gucci, Dior and more.
Guests staying at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston can switch up their accessory selection from the hotel’s thoughtfully curated collection at any point during their stay. This allows them to elevate their look for a night out while on vacation or add a statement piece for an important business meeting. The hotel’s rotating collection features the latest and vintage accessories from some of the world’s most premium brands.
“Offering our guests access to Vivrelle’s collection of luxury accessories is an exciting and innovative way for us to enhance our guest experience,” said Four Seasons Hotel Houston General Manager Tom Segesta in a statement. “This partnership further defines Four Seasons Hotel Houston as the place where urban elegance and southern charm collide.”
At the hotel, guests have the option to enroll in a membership and borrow from the extensive Vivrelle closet once they return home.
The move to team up with the Four Seasons is pivotal as subscription experts are suggesting providers pivot to retention strategies. As economic pressures persist, consumers are gradually canceling their streaming entertainment and retail subscriptions, as well as other memberships.
According to “The Subscription Commerce Conversion Index: Subscribers Seek Affordability and Convenience,” a PYMNTS and sticky.io collaboration, two-thirds of retail shoppers spent less on “nice-to-have” products toward the end of 2022 than they did when inflation spiked early last year.
Twenty-two percent of subscribers are highly likely to cancel one or more subscriptions in the next year, while 21% are somewhat likely to do the same. Consumers have already started dropping their subscriptions, with the number being reduced by almost half compared to the pandemic peak.
Soho House, a private members club, unveiled its Soho Skin amenity kits in February 2022. The kits contained a selection of seven products from the beauty brand’s complete range, and members and guests were invited to test and provide feedback before the full retail range was launched. Sarah Graham, head of communications at Soho House, told Glossy the products were made available to members online in July 2022 and later to the general public through online channels and at Soho House’s Cowshed spas and Bloomingdale’s stores in the fall.
Graham said members can now schedule a Soho Skin facial that uses products from the company’s skincare line, per Glossy. Graham explained the significance of offering customers the option to enjoy their products both at home and in a spa setting. The spa serves as a physical location for clients to connect with the products and receive expert guidance from therapists, allowing the company to provide a complete experience.
Back in 2015, Fairmont Hotels offered guests the chance to bottle their own fragrance during their hotel stay by giving them after-hours access to the Le Labo fragrance boutique in New York City, according to Condé Nast Traveler. Through the experience, Fairmont offered guests the opportunity to work with a skilled Le Labo technician to mix their own bottle of the Rose 31 scent as part of their Scents and Senses packages.
“Our labs are like an entertainment park for the nose, and the perfume you bring home is a souvenir,” said Fabrice Penot, co-founder of Le Labo, at the time of the partnership launch.
Other notable product amenities include The Langham Hotels and The Encore Boston Harbor which provide their guests with top-notch hair dryers, such as the Dyson and T3.
Collaborating with renowned brands enables hotels to infuse a sense of lavishness on guests. Moreover, selling these products can produce supplementary income for the hotel while also offering a convenient shopping experience for guests who are more inclined to indulge in upscale beauty products during their vacations and might not have access to such brands in their country of origin.
In addition, partnerships present an exclusive chance for brands to boost recognition and broaden their customer reach. By featuring their products in hotels, these brands can target fresh demographics.
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