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More is better, and a lot more is best. That seems to be the thinking about amenities in the hotel industry.
Competition for meeting attendees and business travelers has become so intense that hotels have had to become more and more generous with the goodies they provide to attract new guests and convince them to return in the future.
Personal-care products received the most attention at first. A wrapped sliver of soap used to be the norm, but now guest bathrooms are cluttered with toiletries. Larger bars of soap share space with lotions and gels, shampoos and conditioners, disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste, and bottles of mouthwash.
Grooming aids have proliferated, too. Sewing kits, shower caps and shoeshine cloths are crowded together with shoehorns, special fabric soaps and softeners, spot removers, nail care items and lint brushes.
While a peppermint or chocolate used to suffice as a pillow gift, today's turndown service has become much more elaborate. Many hotels provide items that don't even fit on a pillow.
And as hotels try to keep up with each other in the goodies giveaway, even non-consumable amenities have been added to the mix. It's not unusual for guests to find hair dryers, bathrobes and slippers in their rooms; clock radios have become standard.
Susan Chandler, principal of Susan Chandler & Associates, a consulting firm that advises hotels on amenities, says a well-thought-out amenities program is an important marketing tool in the hospitality industry.
"Amenities refer to the wide range of products and services that distinguish a property from its competitors,"...