Marriott and Hyatt Pump Investments Into How Hotels Smell
Photo Credit: Westin's White Tea scent throughout public areas garnered a customer following and is now even available for purchase. Westin / Marriott International
Skift Take
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to olfactory pleasures, hotels are seeing unexplored branding opportunities for property and consumer-level personalization.
As a travel writer, Lindsay Silberman had always toyed with the idea of re-creating the experiences she had in boutique properties around the world. But it wasn’t until the pandemic that she actually had the time to focus on doing so.
Hotel Lobby Candle was born.
“When you walk into a hotel after a 24-hour flight, you’re disoriented and tired,” Silberman said. “But a scent can have a way of giving you a sense of awakening, a sense of place, and feel luxurious instantly.”
The passionate adventurer is not alone, and sales of her home decor evoking the romance of a jaunt to Paris or a sultry stay in Miami skyrocketed while many jets remained grounded.
Would-be travelers stuck at home are seeking an escape and appealing to olfactory functioning — the sense most closely linked to memory and emotion — has been a powerful way for hotel brands to remain top of mind with consumers while bookings are still down.
