Picture this, you uncap your most loved fragrance and generously spritz your body’s pulse points. Citrus notes of bergamot and mandarin indulge the senses as you’re transported to your last Mediterranean getaway. You remember the ocean gently lapping at your waterfront window and a sea breeze kissing your cheeks.

How did that happen you ask?

It’s a little thing we like to call scent branding, and it shares equal importance as your hotel logo.

THE STATISTICS

A study conducted at the Rockefeller University in New York showed that people recall 35% of what they smell,  5% of what they see, 2% of what they hear and 1% of that they touch.  Much like one’s shower ritual in a hotel bathroom, fragrance is a deeply personal experience – we all associate specific memories that make it unique to us.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Today, hotels can leverage the gravitas of reputable and niche fragrance houses via their in-room amenities to influence guest experience, enhance brand memorability, and even give the guest the opportunity to take the scent home with them.

Fragrance partners make for lucrative room to retail propositions, allowing the guest to purchase during their stay and apply from home; being transported to the memory of a milestone birthday celebration in the heart of Dubai, or a honeymoon in Spain’s idyllic Majorca - the hotel is ingrained in the guest’s memory forevermore.

Fragranced Hotel Collections include triple milled soap, hand lotions, body lotions, hand washes, shower gels, hair shampoos and conditioners at a minimum, allowing a hotel to have multiple scented touch points with the guest. Luxury stays often provide opulent extras spanning pillow mists, bath salts, hand creams, room sprays or candles, giving the hotel additional moments to connect and build scent rapport with the guest. 

Additionally, there’s been a trend in luxury lifestyle hotels seeking this “scent branding” experience to flow through to the lobby and public areas. For guests of the upcoming Andaz Doha they’ll find contemporary haute perfumery, The Different Company’s middle east inspired scents of Rose Kashan and Oud Shamash in every guest room and public area. Ideally, a hotel’s amenity partner will work collaboratively with air scent partners to facilitate this process as part of the overarching sensory strategy. 

A SCENT THAT TRANCENDS BORDERS

For luxury properties who welcome guests from all over the world, aligning with a fine fragrance brand can create a signature story that transcends locations. For larger hotel groups with a global footprint, a bespoke scent can be selected to suit the region. This means when a guest visits a hotel in another city or country, they’re met with the same reputable fragrance brand lining the bathroom vanity. This bathroom continuity provides a sense of comfort and reassurance in the indulgent experience that is about to follow.

SCENT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH LUXURY

When it comes to an extravagant overnight stay, a memorable scent is the true distinguisher of luxury. It’s why VANITY GROUP has spent the last eleven years elevating its Fine Fragrance portfolio. It’s also why you’ll note the most coveted hotels around the world are aligned with a fragrance partner. From Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in the UK partnering with luxury cult brand 19-69 and their glam rock 80’s inspired Rainbow Bar scent; to

Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts celebrating its Spanish heritage with lifestyle fragrance house, Carner Barcelona. Whether it be Madrid or Jakarta, guests of Gran Meliá will find Carner Barcelona’s Bo-Bo, transmitting the festive Mediterranean spirit with every lather.

With new hotel openings hitting headlines daily, aligning with a fragrance brand for the in-room amenity experience helps hoteliers to create meaningful connection between guest and property.

There is no denying a five-star stay is synonymous with scent.  The only question is what scent branding will you explore for you hotel?