Sumptuous beauty in luxury B&B
Luxury B&B with high-end bathroom beauty brands a
re not cheap, but failing to provide them in all your guest rooms can end up damaging your five-star reputation. Bill Lumley reports
As a luxury B&Bs owner you habitually go out of your way to strive to provide the highest quality luxury experience for your guests while in pursuit of a reputation for achieving the five-star recognition your business deserves.
There are certain blind spots however, points within your business that are often overlooked when in fact they are calling for attention to detail.
Among these is bathroom supplies. Guests paying luxury rates for five-star standard rooms rightfully expect attention to detail in the form of high-end supporting brands that help to elevate the luxury experience.
For example, when take a flight in first class you will expect to find bathroom luxury B&B product brands such as find Estee Lauder and Chanel in the lavatory.
As a luxury B&B owner you are charging a premium rate for your rooms, so it makes sense that you should ensure the highest expectations of your guests are met throughout their stay.
Of course, your overheads will rise since the unit costs of luxury bathroom beauty brands are so much higher than mid-range hospitality brands, but it is a near certainty that in providing such brands in guest bedrooms you will help anchor your guest reviews to five stars every time. So the investment should be a no-brainer.
A euphoric feel in luxury B&B
It may seem obvious, but one consideration often overlooked by high-end guest houses is the fact their owners must look higher up the chain than supermarket-brand shampoo. There are plenty of high-end brands, each with their own identity and characteristics out there that suit you and your typical clientèle. If you are after a luxury review guests may not oblige if the products in the bathroom came from respectable mid-range bathroom brands that you may have seen for example in a four-star hotel, but which do not provide a wow factor.
Minimalist look
Besides deciding on a particular bathroom beauty brand, you must also determine what overall range of products you should provide in the guest bedrooms. There are numerous product luxury bathroom beauty product types to consider from the mandatory bath & shower gel and luxury b&b soaps, to body cream and lotion, hand creams, hair care, bath salts and oils, body scrub and hand lotions.
Given the tendency of guests to leave with such products having found their way into their luggage it is also worth buying a comfortable minimum of each.
On the plus side the fact is that bathroom toiletries must be kept to a minimum. There few easier ways of reducing a look of luxury and elegance than by clutter. You may choose to buy a small range of lesser-used beauty products such as tanning stuff and keep these expensive products aside for those occasions when guests request them.
Luxury bathroom brand choice
For style and aroma you can opt for something high end from the high street or airport duty-free store such as Estee Lauder, Jo Malone or Molton Brown.
When these premium brands feature in the guest bathroom of a B&B they clearly indicate a determination of the proprietor to live up to the word luxury. However, there are lesser-known luxury brands of bathroom beauty product available that scale the heights of luxury but may only be available from excusive ultra-premium stores. One such brand is Noble Isle, which is used by luxury B&B Cambridge House which is profiled in this issue (page16). Co-owner Shelia Mitchell says she and her husband Robert were introduced to the high-end brand Noble Isle by one of the tourist body inspectors. She says: “The products are organic and are very high-end and they are not tested on animals. They can be bought from stores such as Harrods, Liberty and Fortnum & Mason.
“As a brand Noble Isle therefore really ticked the boxes. They don’t overstretch themselves by spreading themselves out everywhere, so it is a bit of a USP for us. They are a luxury, high-end brand,” she says.
Noble Isle is a fine fragrance bath & body brand inspired by the natural and cultural riches of the British Isles, featuring extracts sourced from local celebrated producers, including Rhubarb from England, Sea Oak from Ireland, Barley from Scotland and Beetroot from Wales.
Marketing manager India Hyslop tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “All our products at Noble Isle are designed to showcase the very best of the British Isles. We use natural extracts in all our products and we make sure that they are ethically and sustainably sourced.
Noble Isle products are made in the UK from natural extracts sourced from local celebrated producers from around the British Isles. Our products are free from sodium lauryl sulfate and parabens, as well as being vegan, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly. We are an environmentally aware and ethically conscious company. All of our packaging is recyclable, we minimise waste wherever possible and we keep our carbon footprint to a minimum. We are keeping abreast of the changes in packaging and are ready to adapt as soon as possible.”
Personalised range
Many luxury B&Bs, hotels and spas are now looking for a more personalised and considered range of products for guests and visitors to use and enjoy, according to Pebble&Co founder Sarah McCubbin. The company specialises in bringing to life unique own-branded concepts from the world of fine fragrance, luxury candles, bath & body care, high-performance and organic products.
McCubbin tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “The definition of luxury is shifting towards personalised offerings, the art of discovery and the desire to seek out individual niche brands.
“Consumers’ knowledge has increased significantly, they are demanding the same level of efficacy, design and story-telling from hotels amenities as the products they use at home.”
Amenities are a reflection of how hotels treat and value their customers, she argues. “The way customers’ perceive a brand can also be influenced by the quality of the amenities.”
She adds: “There is no better way to sell product than have a customer experience it, which is why a bespoke amenities collection can offer hotels and guest houses a lucrative and additional revenue stream as guests and customers look to take home a piece of their experience.”
Avant garde
Dayton Ohio-based Lanvin produces high-end pleat-wrapped soap, shampoo, conditioner and body gel. The brand was founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin who some 35 years later opened her atelier de parfums in Paris, giving birth to a world of olfactory delights.
Les Notes de Lanvin continues the fragrance legacy with refined collections for bathroom beauty “for the utmost hospitality experience”.
According to Lanvine, each perfume note has been inspired by the “timeless elegance and avant garde spirit of Lanvin developed to create the senses of discerning men and women around the world”.
High-end luxury b&b
Baylis & Harding is another brand that aims to appeals to the higher end of taste in luxury. With a certain flamboyance to its description: ”Let’s squeeze in the ginseng and the black pepper, the sweet mandarin, the midnight fig and the pomegranate.”
A spokesman for the brand says: “The products are beautifully packaged, beautifully made and beautifully fragranced. That’s what makes us smile. You see, we’re not just selling soaps and sprays.
Calming Body Cream
Another high-end bathroom brand to consider is Comfrey & Calendula. The two parts of the brand name start with allantoin-rich Comfrey, a great skin healer that actively combats dryness and soothes the appearance of irritated skin. The product is suitable for skin that is prone to eczema. Calendula meanwhile is known as a natural anti-inflammatory that helps to calm the appearance of skin.
Essential oils
Winner of the InStyle best body wash award, the REN Moroccan Rose Otto body wash is a delicately fragranced bathroom beauty product made with Moroccan Rose Otto oil, said to be one of the world’s most expensive and revered essential oils. The scent of rose is known for its stress relieving properties.
Smooth, toned and comfortable
Molton Brown’s Ylang-Ylang Comforting Body Polisher is a blend of micro-exfoliating black vanilla grains, antioxidant-rich yuan zhi extract and relaxing ylang-ylang and cedarwood oils. With a reputation for offering a real pampering treat, this body polisher will refine your skin ensuring a smooth, toned and comforting feel.
Mood boost
Green People Quinoa and calendula shower gel is an SLS-free body wash that gently boosts the skin’s hydration and vitality. It’s made with 82% certified organic ingredients including aloe vera, quinoa, calendula, yucca, orange, lemongrass and ginger. Quinoa, it is claimed, locks in moisture, while the natural healing properties of calendula soothe and calm the skin. Yucca meanwhile gently foams to remove impurities without irritating the skin, and sweet orange and ginger essential oils boost your mood.
Almond shower oil:
Almond is well-known for its ability to soften the skin. L’OCCITANE has harnessed the exceptional toning power of almond from the South of France and integrated it in body treatments and toiletries that it describes as both deliciously tempting and wonderfully effective.
The indulgent Almond Shower Oil in 500ml format transforms into a light, milky, foam that cleanses the body gently and lovingly, without drying.
Enriched with almond oil and nourishing lipids, the oil respects the skin’s hydrolipidic film and leaves a subtle, delectable perfume.
Fine fragrance
Noble Isle is a fine fragrance bath & body brand inspired by the natural and cultural riches of the British Isles, featuring extracts sourced from local celebrated producers, including Rhubarb from England, Sea Oak from Ireland, Barley from Scotland and Beetroot from Wales.
