Refreshing amenities during a hotel rebrand

Start with an audit of what is in the rooms

Walk a few rooms and list every branded or visible amenity: bottles, soap, slippers, stationery, laundry bags, key sleeves, tea station items and signs. Note the current stock level and the supplier for each. This audit tells you what must change, what can stay and what will run out anyway.

Photograph each item beside the new brand guidelines. Gaps between old and new become clear very fast.

Include the hidden touchpoints in the audit: the welcome note, the do-not-disturb sign, the laundry form, the spa menu and the card in the bathroom. These are cheap to forget and noticeable once the main items change.

Decide what really needs to change

Not everything needs a new print. Neutral items, such as plain slippers or white towels, may suit the new brand unchanged. Items that carry a logo, a colour or a name need an update. Fragrance is a bigger question. If the new positioning calls for a different scent, treat it as a design project, not a quick swap. See signature fragrance for how a scent is chosen.

Sort the audit into three columns: keep, change now and change at next reorder. This keeps the budget realistic.

Check what new colours do in a bathroom. A bold brand colour that looks sharp on a screen can read flat or harsh against tile and brass. Test a printed sample in a real bathroom before approving a full run.

Run down old stock sensibly

Count what you hold of each branded item.
Stop reordering old items as soon as the rebrand date is fixed, apart from small top-ups.
Use old stock in lower-profile areas, such as staff facilities or back-of-house, if appropriate.
Do not mix old and new packs in one room. A guest notices two different bottles.
Keep a small quantity of old stock for emergencies, then retire it by a set date.

For example, if you hold three months of old bottles and the new range arrives in two, plan a short overlap with a clear switchover date per floor, so no room carries a mixed set.

Be careful with large-volume items that are slow to run down, such as printed stationery or laundry bags. If they carry a logo that is about to change, order small top-ups only, or ask whether a sticker or sleeve can bridge the gap. A short overlap handled neatly is better than pulping a pallet.

Keep records of what was scrapped, so the cost of the rebrand is visible to the owner.

Sequence the changeover

Changing every room in one day is rare. A floor-by-floor switch, or one room type at a time, lets you check results and fix errors. Start with the highest-visibility areas: lobby restrooms, show rooms and premium suites. Keep a log of which rooms have changed and when.

Coordinate with the website and photography. If the new bathroom set appears in a photo before it reaches the rooms, guests will notice.

Prepare a rollback plan. If a new product causes a problem, you should be able to restore the old set in a few rooms within a day. That is one reason to keep a small safe quantity of old stock until the new range is proven.

Brief staff and tell guests

Housekeepers should know why the products are changing, how the new set-up differs and what to say if asked. A one-page note with photos works well. Front desk staff should be ready to explain a new fragrance or format in a sentence or two.

Guests generally accept a change if it feels deliberate. A short card in the bathroom, saying what is new and where to ask for more, handles most questions. If you are moving to refillable formats, see the guidance on refill systems, which includes notes on explaining the switch.

Brief the sales and reservations teams as well. A guest asking about the new range on the phone should get the same answer as one at the desk.

Measure what happens next

Track complaints, requests and stock use for a month after the switch. Compare with the month before. If a new product is used much faster or slower, adjust your par levels. If a pack causes handling problems, fix it early. Keep the brand sample set and the dated photos as your new reference. ask for samples when your new brief is ready.

Questions on this topic

Can I keep my old stock?

Yes, if you run it down in a planned way. Set a switchover date for each floor so rooms do not carry a mixed set.

Do I have to change fragrance in a rebrand?

Not always. If the existing scent suits the new positioning, you can keep it and change only the packaging.

How long does an amenity refresh take?

It depends on whether you choose catalogue or custom items. Custom packaging adds design, approval and production time, so start early.

Keep reading

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