What better way to buy a mattress or home products than to give them a few nights’ trial run in a Marriott or a Hilton?
That neat logic is at the core of growing retail businesses at the major brands. From bedding (starting with Westin nearly 20 years ago encouraging guests to bring the hotel’s Heavenly Bed home with them), Marriott International and Hilton began selling branded mattresses and pillows in the early 2000s. Since then, brands have branched out into fragrances, cosmetics and high-end room furnishings. Marriott sells a US$498 barstool that resembles a Champagne cork from the Wellington’s Bar & Lounge in the Albany, New York Renaissance; painted bowling ball art sells for US$320 at the Miami Beach Edition hotel.
“We’re looking to engage customers in ways we haven’t done so before,” says Michael Weiss, Marriott’s senior director of online retail-global operations. Promotional flyers in hotel rooms direct guests to the company’s 13 brand websites from Courtyard to W. Some guests learn about the retail opportunity in an email after their stay, he says.
Bedding items are the biggest sellers for Marriott but room fragrances are growing fast, at a 30% annual clip. Customers asked to purchase some of the distinctive scents in the hotel public areas, so the brand developed products for home use such as Westin’s White Tea and Marriott’s citrusy Attune.
On the HiltonToHome website, top sellers are pillow, linens and beds. There are also shower curtains, bath products and Hilton’s coffee blend. The retail business, run by Hilton Supply Management, is considering additional products for the site.
Beyond home wares, Singapore luxury resort group Aman launched a skincare collection last year of 30 products including face creams and serums, face masks, body oils and other products. Chairman and CEO Vladislav Doronin said in the announcement that the retail line is a natural extension of the chain’s expertise in spas and wellness. The products are sold online and at the resort boutiques and are used in spa treatments.
