NEW YORK— Luxury level properties are known for catering to every whim of their well-heeled, deep-pocketed guests. Staffs’ responses to requests that run the gamut from changing light-bulb wattage to changing the fabric of bed and bath linens. Or, in the case of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, changing out the minibar so some guests will get exactly what they want in terms of snacks and beverages.
“We have a program called Guest Preferences. If we have a guest who stayed at a Ritz-Carlton in California and bought something from outside [the hotel], once we know that we will pick up on it, put it in the Guest Preferences system in the company and when they come to New York, we will provide them with that in the minibar. We are really changing every time we see there is something new that the guest likes very much,” said director of housekeeping and services Aziz Bendriss.
Among the more unusual items placed in the honor bars has been rose water to sprinkle on food for a delegation from a Middle Eastern royal family; Cruch, a Moroccan soft drink; and Oilmes, a water that supposedly helps with digestion.
In keeping with delivering a Big Apple experience while maintaining a luxury format, the property also incorporates items from New York gourmet grocer Dean & Deluca, which specializes in presenting the latest in intriguing foodstuffs from around the globe.
Being the flagship property of the company, management wanted to offer things that pushed the bar up a little more or were New York-specific to make the experience even greater, according to the hotel.
“There are different kinds of chocolates we provide, different kinds of pistachios and nuts— high-end quality stuff,” said Bendriss, noting the presentation of the items is very sophisticated.
Other items include dry snacks such as sour fruits and gummy bears, chocolate-covered raisins and cashews, mints and terra chips.
“We also have Opus One, an exclusive wine,” said Bendriss. Indeed, a large portion of the honor bar is devoted to beverages and includes soft drinks: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, tonic water, club soda, Orangina, Red Bull; water that features Hildon Still, Hildon Sparkling, Perrier, branded Ritz-Carlton water, and orange and cranberry juices.
Stronger drinks include beers such as Amstel Light, Heineken and Stella Artois and wines like Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay, Far Niente Cabernet and Veuve Clicquot champagne. Liquors featured include Bombay Gin, Grey Goose Vodka, Grand Marnier, Hennessey, Maker’s Mark and Johnnie Walker Black.
Non-food items include CDs, a Ritz-Carlton wine bottle opener and a Zagat Guide To New York City.
There are Dometic minibars in each of the 261 guestrooms that are serviced daily by the housekeeping staff, which tracks the items consumed on a Palm Pilot and transfers the data via telephone to the guests’ folio. According to Bendriss, its difficult to track the revenue generated by the minibars. “It depends on the occupancy. Sometimes we have groups, sometimes we have different types of guests who don’t want a minibar,” he said.
The hotel’s management estimates that between 70% and 80% of its guests utiize the minibar and it added that pricing reflects the hotel’s five-star status, particularly since it is not offering just standard M&Ms; but rather Dean & Deluca. The hotel added that it considers the minibar a service rather than strictly a revenue generator.
In addition to meeting Guest Preferences demands, the property also stays aware of trends. For example, guest demand sparked the addition of Red Bull, an energy drink, to the minibar and similar requests for Fiji water may soon see that added as well.
In contrast, there are guests who want items removed from the minibar because they are either offended or too tempted by its contents.
“Some guests don’t want to see alcohol in the minibar and they request we remove it. And we remove it,” said Bendriss. The same goes for guests on strict dietary regimes or with allergic reactions or parents who don’t want their children snacking,” she said.
The hotel said it is very responsive to guests’ demands and tries to accommodate just about every request.
