Would better toiletries make you switch hotels?

Hotels chains are upgrading their toiletry lines, believing that a shampoo brand can make a difference to travelers who already stock their homes with high-end products.

Marriott's luxury Ritz-Carlton chain is in the process of upgrading its toiletries in hotels around the world with Asprey's Purple Water line, Chris Gabaldon, Ritz-Carlton's chief sales and marketing officer, recently told Hotel Check-In.

Asprey is a London-based label known for its Purple Water fragrance, as well as jewelry, leather items and other luxury goods. Ritz-Carlton - which during the recession moved primarily to a generic, hotel-logo line - has already stocked bathrooms in its Asia hotels with Asprey products. Purple Water has a mild citrus fragrance with mild spicy undertones that straddles masculine and feminine. Currently, it's a rare find in U.S. hotels, although the luxury Chatwal (part of Starwood) in New York provides them.

Ritz-Carlton's move follows other toiletry upgrades in the last year.

Last summer, for instance, Marriott's mid-priced brands - Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites - rolled out in its nearly 2,000 North American hotels mini-sized versions of Paul Mitchell shampoo, conditioner and soap. The line is typically sold in salons.

Last fall, the luxury InterContinental chain began stocking its guest bathrooms with high-end Agraria toiletries, a line typically found in upscale department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. All 169 InterContinental hotels will have the toiletries by January.

Toiletries: A 'pampering experience' for guests

Upgrading to a fancier toiletry line can help a hotel boost its appeal to travelers - and, in turn, justify higher rates from those who truly appreciate the products, says Bjorn Hanson, divisional dean of New York University's hospitality school.

While the hotel industry is filling rooms, it still hasn't succeeded in raising rates beyond prior peak levels. "The average daily rate for 2012 is going to be $1 lower than it was in 2008," he says.

Higher-end toiletries provide "a pampering experience" to travelers, according to Hanson.

More toiletry upgrades in the works

Expect to see more hotel chains unveil toiletry line upgrades, he says.

It's part of the industry's strategy to focus on the guest experience, which could include coffee service and even hair dryers.

"They're looking at their guest amenity packages and asking, 'Can we be different than the competition by having something special?'"

Paul Mitchell: Pleasant surprise for Courtyard guests

"The days of the hotel-concocted shampoo are gone," says Brian King, senior vice president in charge of Marriott's mid-priced brands.

In Marriott's case, the roll-out of Paul Mitchell toiletries represented a switch from (corrected) Nirvae, a brand invented specifically for the chains.

The move came after Marriott researched bathroom product brands most loved by consumers and discovered that Paul Mitchell - which hadn't had a hotel toiletry line - ranked No. 1. Marriott then cut an exclusive deal with the company.

"Consumers are really looking for brands that they know and trust," King says.

When the deal was announced, King recalls seeing an outpouring of support on social media, especially from female travelers who spend money dying their locks and trust Mitchell products will be gentle on their investment. Women posted their delight on Facebook, TripAdvisor and other social media channels, with many also expressing surprise that a salon brand was being embraced by a mid-priced chain instead of a higher-end one, he says.

More trends

Besides the move towards better-recognized consumer brands, there are other toiletry trends at play:

Green packaging - Hotels are requesting toiletries in bio-degradable packaging and recyclable cartons, says Kerry Dowen, sales vice president at Australia-based hotel toiletry maker Concept Amenities. At the newly opened James Royal Palm, the hotel's doing away with most of the mini-bottles altogether. When guests take a shower, they'll find body soap, shampoo and conditioner in refillable pumps attached to the shower wall.

Attention to wellness - Hotels are also increasingly requesting amenities that lack parabens, or preservatives, and contain organic ingredients. Concept Amenities recently began selling a line by American eco-designer Robin Wilson, who has appeared on the Oprah show and has a bedding line that's also wellness-oriented. "That's the way this is going," Dowen says. Concept Amenities provides toiletries for a range of hotels including Wyndham Vacations properties and the Palazzo Versace luxury resort on Australia's Gold Coast.

Fashion brands - Concept Amenities already sells a line by French Connection, but it's about to announce a new line that involves an American fashion name, according to Down. Guests like them, but so do designers who like to market their name. "The traveler is a more of an upscale buyer," she says.

Healthy ingredients - The luxury Conrad hotel in Indianapolis in September rolled out a new option for guests: A vegan hair and body line by celebrity hairstylist Tara Smith. Though it's not the most popular line the hotel offers guests, Conrad general manager Greg Tinsley says that the vegan line proved to be more popular than he'd expected. "We were skeptical about a vegan amenity option, but we believe the Tara Smith line has a unique edge with discerning and environmentally/ethically-conscious travelers and the packaging is just beautiful," he says.

Readers: Would you pay a higher room rate for a hotel that provided toiletries that you truly love?