MINNEAPOLIS—While there are countless amenities that hotels can offer to guests, none are as universal as soap and shampoo. However, as anyone who has stayed in a hotel can tell you, there’s a marked difference between the small bottles we hoard in our carry-on bags and the ones holding poor-quality products that get left untouched on the countertop.
Radisson Blu aims to fall in the former category.
The brand recently partnered with This Works, the natural product line created by Kathy Phillips, creative director of Condé Nast Asia and a well-known health and beauty expert. The new guest amenity line, In Transit, which pays homage to the lifestyle of the conscious traveler, according to the brand, is being rolled out across all 270-plus Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts worldwide.
The In Transit range of products includes a shower gel, shampoo and rebalancing conditioner, as well as shower cap and a vanity kit. Radisson Blu will also provide additional indulgences like bath salts and healing hand cream in all suites within its hotels, as well as within resorts.
“Amenities are an important part of the stay,” said Rose Anderson, VP, branding, Radisson Blu. “Everybody takes a shower and uses those products.” Because of that, it was important to not only find a quality product line, but also a brand that held the same principles as Radisson Blu. “Quality of product is important, but whom we associate with the brand does a lot to communicate our own values,” she said.
Radisson Blu took its time in selecting the right partner and product. According to Anderson, the selection process took nine months, not including the production process. “There’s a huge distribution component in this, so we worked with distributors who, in turn, have a relationship with the brands,” she said. “Some brands didn’t have a relationship with the distributors, so we contacted them directly to see if they would be willing to venture down that route.”
Radisson Blu assembled a team of some 15 reviewers from all over the world and all parts of the organization—including branding experts, responsible business experts and GMs who are operational experts—to test approximately 35 products. “We had two-and-a-half months of multiple showers a day to test all these products,” said Anderson.
“The top priority was quality because there’s nothing worse than going into a hotel and not having a conditioner that actually works,” she continued. However, the brand had a whole criteria matrix, and each product was tested on a number of factors: texture, how well it actually works, the environmental component and the brand itself—what value it brings to Radisson Blu and its guests. “To be honest, This Works came out with quality well above the others and had very high ratings in all of the other criteria as well,” said Anderson.
The line features a signature fragrance, containing the revitalizing effects of green mandarin and rosemary. According to This Works, In Transit is designed to help ease the demands of modern life, which includes early mornings, pressures and irregular sleep patterns. “Scent is very difficult because it’s very personal,” said Anderson. “What’s really important when we look at our guests is that the scent is something that’s pleasing to both men and women, and that it isn’t too overpowering or lingers too long, but it’s distinctive enough to be meaningful and pleasant.”
In addition to gender challenges, Anderson noted that the brand had to think of the global nature of its customers. “We have hotels all over the world and different cultures, different types of guests—it’s important that it works for all of them. We felt the green mandarin and rosemary really did that for us,” she said. “The formula that it’s made with is all-natural products so it really benefits all skin types. It’s difficult creating a line that suits everybody because we’re all so different. But that’s where we felt that This Works really did well.”
Another element that was important for Radisson Blu was an eco-friendly consciousness. Each amenity is made without harsh chemicals and packaged with recyclable materials. “To be honest, it’s an absolute must today,” said Anderson. “It’s an expectation.” She noted that this is especially important with bathroom amenities because it is something guests are likely to use everyday. “If you look at the consumption of bathroom amenities around the portfolio, it is absolutely enormous. It’s just vital that we work with products that are of the latest in terms of environmental friendliness,” she said.
This is also a philosophy that This Works values, one of the many reasons Anderson called the brands a perfect match. “This Works is very contemporary in style. They’re modern in outlook, but it has all genuine and natural ingredients, which is really what we’re about as well in terms of our genuine hospitality and authenticity,” she reasoned. “They pay attention to detail. It was a really good fit.”
And, instead of merely placing the In Transit products in the bathrooms, Anderson said the partnership goes well beyond that. “We’ve only recently launched it and we already have people wanting to buy the retail shampoo line; we’re really trying to expand on that partnership and make this product available for our guests should they wish to purchase the retail line,” she said. “We’re looking at deepening the partnership and nurturing the relationship on both sides to get the most out of it for our guests.”