This month, there’s been a lot of cultural buzz around the new cinema release from Christopher Nolan, his remake of The Odyssey. The movie has grossed more than $1.5bn (£800m+) in its first month and, as well as inspiring visits to Greece, some reviewers have even waxed lyrical about our range of toiletries! In a piece in The Economist they explore the widespread cultural impact of the original poem, noting that it has even “become a body lotion (which, with notes of black pepper and sandalwood, no doubt smells better than its namesake would have”). That scent profile is undoubtedly our hugely popular Odyssey Black Pepper & Sandalwood range. Rich and evocative, this refillable range of toiletries is presented in stylish amber bottles that look great in all types of guest rooms. Take your guests on their own voyage of discovery to exotic lands without leaving their accommodation with the Odyssey range of toiletries, exclusively available from Out of Eden and easy to order online here.
Celebrating female owners in hospitality
Chef, Sally Abé, and Topjaw (food & travel filmmakers) producer, Kayla Lawrie, have launched a new interactive map of female-owned hospitality businesses across the UK. From hotels, restaurants, and pubs to cafes and bakeries, the map showcases female talent in food and drink in a bid to encourage more people to support female-owned businesses. Covering every corner of the UK, the map pinpoints venues, naming owners, and linking to socials for people to find out more about each one.
Is your hotel booking process user-friendly?
Recent research has highlighted the brief time hoteliers have to convert ‘browsers’ into bookings. As featured in Boutique Hotelier, more than half (55 per cent) of travellers questioned chose to complete a booking through an online travel agent (OTA) after finding a hotel’s direct booking process ‘clunky’ or ‘outdated’. The same percentage of people also said they would be more likely to add extras or additional services if the booking process was simpler, thereby giving hotels the best opportunity to upsell.
Today’s traveller typically interacts with between 17 and 19 touchpoints before making a booking with every extra click, additional form field, and confusing piece of information making them more likely to abandon bookings.
Our advice is to provide clear and accurate information on your listings, both in your website copy and accompanying photography. Ensure there’s detailed shots of the toiletries provided, the cosiness of the guest beds, the choice of delicious refreshments, and the fluffiness of the towels and bathrobes!
How to create the perfect guest experience
We’ve previously discussed how you don’t have to make big, expensive changes to enhance the experience for your guests and we’re delighted to have been featured in August’s Hotel magazine on this subject. Our newly expanded sales team of Regional Sales Representatives can visit with samples of some of those little touches than can help make a big difference to both your bottom line and overall guest satisfaction.
The very latest hotel trends
This piece in the Daily Telegraph takes a look at the top trends (in their opinion!) emerging in hotels today. We like what they’re saying about favouring in-room local & regional snacks and drinks and turndown treats, but what do you think? Is this a true reflection or are they way off the mark? Are there any new trends you’re seeing first hand or any products we could include in our range that would add value to your guests’ experience? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
