Private label amenities for hotel groups

What private label can mean

The phrase covers a wide range. At the light end, a supplier prints your name on an existing product and pack. In the middle, you choose from a set of fragrances and formats and adjust the colour, label and carton. At the heavy end, a fragrance and formula are developed for you alone, with bespoke packaging. The more you change, the more time, volume and approval effort it takes.

Start by writing down which of these levels you want. Many groups begin in the middle and move deeper once the first range proves itself.

Decisions to settle before you brief a supplier

Scope: which products and formats are included, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, lotion, miniatures, refill packs.
Fragrance: choose from existing options or commission something new. See signature fragrance for how that process usually works.
Brand architecture: one range for the whole group, or a variation for each brand tier.
Volume: expected annual quantity across all properties, since this shapes pricing and minimums.
Ownership: who owns the artwork, the name and, if relevant, the formula.

Add a sixth item if your group operates in more than one country: labelling language. A pack that suits one market may need extra text or a different layout for another, and it is far easier to design for this once than to redo artwork per country.

Group-level consistency without one-size-fits-all

A group with a luxury hotel and a business hotel rarely wants identical packaging. A common solution is a shared identity, with the same fragrance family and typography, and tiers that differ in finish and format. The luxury property may use a heavier bottle and refined carton, while the business property uses a simpler pack. The guest recognises the family, but each hotel keeps its own level.

Write this as a simple matrix: product rows, property tiers in columns, and a pack choice in each cell. It turns an abstract brand idea into a purchasing list.

For example, a group with a flagship hotel, three business hotels and a few serviced apartments might give the flagship a glass-effect bottle with a wooden pump, the business hotels a wall dispenser with refills, and the apartments a small amenity kit. Same fragrance, three formats, one recognisable family.

Approvals, artwork and timing

Private label usually involves more rounds than a stock order. Expect to approve artwork, a physical sample, a pre-production sample and sometimes a first production check. Each round needs a named approver on your side. Groups often lose weeks because the person who signs off is travelling or because three departments each want a say.

Plan backwards from the opening or rollout date. Add time for artwork changes, printing, production and shipping, and add a margin on top for a late correction. For more on this, see our notes on lead times and sample approval in the amenity strategy articles.

Minimums and how to share them

Private label minimums apply to each item, such as a particular bottle, label or carton. A group can reach the minimum faster than a single hotel by pooling demand across properties. You can also reduce the number of variants, for example by using one bottle shape and changing only the label, so each variant needs less stock.

Ask the supplier how minimums are set for each component, and whether a mixed order is allowed across properties. Ask about storage, too. If a central warehouse holds the stock, you save duplication but need a clear distribution routine.

Pooling also carries an internal task: someone must forecast demand for every property and hold the numbers. A shared sheet that each general manager updates quarterly, with a named owner at head office, is usually enough to keep orders realistic.

Mistakes to avoid

Changing the brief after samples have been made.
Approving artwork on screen only. Colours shift on real packaging.
Leaving regulatory labelling for the end. Required information must fit on the pack, so settle it early.
Ignoring the second order. Ask how re-orders are handled and how consistent the next batch will be.
Forgetting the property team. Housekeeping needs to know the new products before they arrive.

If you are weighing options, read about the private label programme, and ask for samples or a quote when your scope is clear.

Questions on this topic

How many properties do I need for private label?

There is no fixed number. What matters is the combined volume per item, and pooling several properties often makes it workable.

Can each hotel in the group have its own fragrance?

Yes, but each added fragrance multiplies stock and minimums. Many groups use one family with tier variations.

Who owns the artwork?

This should be written into your agreement. Confirm in advance that you own your name, logos and artwork files.

Keep reading

Looking for supply? See Hotels & resorts, browse the product range or request samples.