Guide
Telling guests about your move to refillable amenities
People accept change when they know what it is and why. A short, honest message to each audience beats a long campaign.
Three audiences, three messages
Guests want to know that their bathroom is still comfortable. Staff want to know what changes in their day. Owners and managers want to know the cost and the risk. Write a separate short note for each rather than a single message for all. Keep the facts consistent across them.
Agree who speaks for the hotel. One person should own the wording, usually the GM or the guest relations head, so that the card, the website and the front desk say the same thing. Inconsistent messages create more questions than a missing one.
For staff first
Tell housekeeping, front office and maintenance before guests. Explain the reason, the date, what the product looks like and how to answer a guest question. Let them handle a unit, and give them a one-page FAQ. Staff who feel informed will explain the change naturally; staff who are surprised will say 'I do not know'.
Run a short briefing for each shift, not a single large meeting. People who work nights or split shifts are easily missed, and they are often the ones guests ask at odd hours. Give each person the FAQ and note who has received it.
For guests: in the room
A small card by the basin works well. Keep it to a few lines: what the products are, that the units are refilled and cleaned regularly, and how to ask for something else. Avoid large environmental claims; say only what you can support. Our sustainability page offers a calm tone you may find a useful reference.
Use the same name for the products everywhere: on the card, the labels and your website. If the card says 'hair wash' and the label says 'shampoo', guests wonder whether they are different things. Choose one and stick to it.
For guests: before arrival
If the change is major, include a sentence in the pre-arrival email or booking confirmation. Mention it on the website's amenities page. A guest who reads about it in advance is less likely to feel surprised in the bathroom. Avoid apologetic wording; present the change as normal practice.
For the front desk
Prepare three or four sentences in advance. For example, why the change was made, that products are available for purchase or on request in miniature form, and that guests can raise any concern with the duty manager. Print them on a card kept at reception.
Role-play two or three questions with the front desk team: a guest who dislikes the change, a guest who loves it, and a guest who wants to buy the products. A few minutes of practice make the real conversation easier.
Wording to avoid
- Absolute claims such as 'zero plastic' unless you can prove them.
- Phrases that blame guests for earlier habits.
- Jargon that guests will not recognise.
- Promises about savings passed to guests.
Plain language is more credible and easier to translate for international guests.
Translate the card into the main languages your guests speak. Keep sentences short and avoid idioms. Ask a native speaker to read the translation before printing.
Plan for the first month after launch. Check the guest comment channels weekly, ask the front desk for a list of questions received, and meet housekeeping for ten minutes to hear what is working. Adjust the card and the staff FAQ in light of what you learn. Small corrections in the first weeks make the change feel considered rather than imposed.
Keep a short log of every message sent, with the date and audience. If a guest or an owner asks what was said, you can answer in a minute. It also helps when you repeat the exercise at your next property, since you will know what worked and what needed correcting.
Measure the response
Track mentions in reviews and surveys for two months before and after. Report simple results to your team, whether positive or negative. If guests raise the same concern repeatedly, adjust the product, placement or the card. When you are planning a launch, our team can help with sample units; ask for a quote, or see refill systems for what to describe on the card.
Questions on this topic
Do we need to announce the change?
A card in the room and a line on your website are usually enough. Larger changes may justify a pre-arrival note.
How do we handle guests who prefer miniatures?
Keep a small stock available on request and train the front desk to offer them.
What should the card say?
Name the products, explain that units are refilled and cleaned, and say how to ask for something else.
Keep reading
- Switching from miniatures to dispensers: a hotel rollout plan
- What guests really think of wall dispensers
- Where to place dispensers in the shower and at the basin
- A simple dispenser maintenance and cleaning schedule
- How to stock an Airbnb bathroom
- Hospital and clinic bathroom amenities: what to consider
- Gym locker room amenities: a practical checklist
Looking for supply? See Hotels & resorts, browse the product range or request samples.