Your hotel linen supply can mean the difference between an exceptional guest experience and a forgettable one. While hospitality experts agree that the “Bed Wars” of the early 2000s are over, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t continue to invest wisely in your hotel linens.
From overall guest satisfaction to maintaining your property’s par level, here are 12 reasons you should invest in your hotel linen supply.
1. Guests expect excellent linens
One long-lasting effect of the “Bed Wars” has been an overall reshaping of guests’ expectations about The Hotel Bed, and that includes hotel linens. When guests check into their rooms, they expect decked-out duvet covers, pillows for days and a bed that’s earned its place at center stage.
2. Guests are willing to pay more for a better bed
According to a 2014 survey by Gallup, more than half of the guests who stay in the highest-priced hotels say they would pay more for a better bed. All respondents said that a comfortable bed is the most important feature of a hotel room.
3. An outstanding bed can make a meh stay magical
In a 2015 Wall Street Journal travel piece, the writer longingly describes the “billowy mattress, silky-smooth sheets, puffy down comforter and mountain of pillows” on the bed at an inn. She goes on to say that the bed not only made up for spotty service, she wouldn’t stay at the inn again but for the bed. Not that’s a transformative sleep experience.
4. Great hotel linens are their own revenue source
The major U.S. hotel chains all now offer travelers a chance to recreate the hotel experience at home with brand-specific bedding, towels and robes. It’s a revenue stream that didn’t exist before and one that can continue to grow. Westin told the WSJ last year that it’s sold $135 million worth of Heavenly Bed-related goods.
5. Eco-friendly linens can give your green initiative a boost
Aside from their obvious benefit to the environment, eco-friendly linens can also give you bragging rights about having a holistic approach to being greener. Linens that incorporate recycled polyester and other materials are just one eco-friendly option.
6. Your hotel linens need to be durable
Your hotel linen supply needs to withstand whatever your guests throw at it, all while remaining soft and comfortable. Maintenance and the right laundry solution counts, but so does investing in the best hotel linens possible.
7. Linens help reinforce your brand
Everything about a guest’s stay with you should drive home what your brand stands for, whether that’s affordable comfort or spa-inspired luxury, and that includes your hotel linens. Consistency is key, from the bed linens to the bath towels to the tablecloths.
8. Your attention to detail will impress event guests…
If you have banquet or event facilities, some guests may come through your doors for the first time for a wedding or conference without staying the night. If you want to impress them enough to consider you for a stay in the future, your hotel linen supply – napkins, table linens and employee uniforms – is a sound place to make a strong impression.
9. …And visitors to your pool or spa
Guests’ expectations for excellent linens extends beyond the room stay to your pool and spa, meaning fluffy towels and huggable robes are essential.
10. Linens help maximize your property’s mattress investment
Upgrading your property’s mattresses won’t mean much if the linens on top aren’t equivalent in quality. Maximize your mattress investment with sheets and other bed linens that unify the experience.
11. You need to consistently maintain your hotel linen supply’s par level
Shortages in your hotel linen supplies aren’t just time-consuming for staff, they can be devastating for guest satisfaction. Guests expect their rooms to be ready at check-in and cleaned while they’re away, even if they elect not to have their linens cleaned during their stay.
12. Ultimately, you’re selling a good night’s sleep
From business travelers to day-trippers, guests will likely spend the majority of their time with you asleep, and they’re counting on you to leave them refreshed. An investment in your hotel linen supply is an investment in their good night’s sleep, and for some travelers, that’s priceless.
Across the hospitality industry, the hotel linen supply has gone from an afterthought to the star of the show. The Hotel Bed phenomenon has raised guests’ expectations and the importance that you invest wisely.
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