Q: What part do amenities play in creating a luxurious experience for guests?
A: There is an art to selecting amenities that reflect the true essence of a property and the desired feeling to be conveyed in
that space. At Gilchrist & Soames, we take great pride in our ability to align our distinctive products with a hotel’s style, individuality and desired guest experience. Creating this emotional connection through product design and fragrance is part of our heritage and an area where we truly excel.
A key component in the evaluation of amenities is fragrance. A special aroma can take us back in time and evoke a windfall of memories and emotions. As hoteliers go to great measures to create a luxurious experience, it’s important not to overlook how bathroom amenities compliment the overall design of the property. Such details can play a significant role in guests’ perceptions of their stay, as much as the materials and textures used to craft their space.
Q: What sets your company apart in the hotel amenities industry?
A: Gilchrist & Soames stands apart in our ability to offer an unmatched range of bathroom amenity solutions, all backed by superior, personal service. Every interaction with Gilchrist & Soames is designed to provide hoteliers the same premium concierge service that they provide their VIP guests. The Gilchrist & Soames name is recognized as a worldwide leader in fine English toiletries. Our clients can choose to leverage our name by selecting from our collection of house brands, each unique in their appeal and formulation. Hoteliers wanting products uniquely their own enjoy working with Gilchrist & Soames to create a bespoke collection designed specifically for their property and guest needs.
Q: Are there cues you take from design trends in your product packaging?
A: The aesthetics of our products are designed to complement the décor and overall guest experience in many of the same ways our natural ingredients and fragrances do. You’ll notice our packaging designs are made to align with their surroundings in a range of architectural styles—from modern, clean designs to those that are more traditional. We don’t want to stand out against the décor, but rather aesthetically blend with guest suite designs. This attention to detail ensures guests’ surroundings are in complete harmony with the feeling architects and designers intend to evoke with their décor.
Q. What trends are you noticing in the hotel amenities industry?
A: For years hoteliers have tried to impress their guests by volleying between retail brands and custom collections. What we’re seeing now is that properties are more conscious about where the amenities are manufactured and what ingredients are in the product formulation when they select bathroom amenities. Luxury travelers are demanding products that are kind to the skin as well as the environment. Words such as “parabens” and “phthalates” are becoming more and more recognizable to today’s health and lifestyle conscientious consumer and hoteliers are taking notice.
Our company is well positioned to help meet the increasing customer demand for clean products. Gilchrist & Soames collections were re-formulated several years ago to use naturally derived ingredients and we have always made best practices of minimizing our impact on the resources that surround us. Consumers want to feel good about the products they experience at a hotel. Skin friendly amenities with cruelty free development are now an expectation, not an option.
Q: How is your company different today than five years ago?
A: We’ve had the privilege to experience substantial growth throughout the past five years. Perhaps the most significant effect of this growth was the need to relocate our worldwide headquarters and primary production site to a 250,000 square-foot facility in Plainfield, Indiana, USA. This move in conjunction with the relocation and modernization of our Peterborough, England office has increased our production and distribution capabilities. Today we are truly a global company serving clients in over ninety countries at some of the world’s most discerning luxury properties.