Hoteliers: why not set up some partnerships?

For a hotel, setting up partnerships has two main benefits: saving a little money and achieving a one-of-a-kind look. Partnerships can indeed allow you to change plenty of things in your hotel on a regular basis. So go for it!

For your lobby and restaurant

One of the first things people look at when arriving at a hotel is the reception area. As a rule, we all like to see a beautiful bouquet of seasonal flowers there. So one of the first partnerships to negotiate could be with an eco-friendly florist or a few independent florists who grow their own flowers.

Next comes the decor: paintings, mirrors and so on. For this, get in touch with young artists whose style fits your hotel.

Finally, think local produce for your food and beverage service. Why not team up with a beekeeper from the area, for instance? Or with that new brand making jams from locally grown fruit? You could offer their products for tasting, showcase everything your region has to offer, and perhaps even sell them in a shop adjoining the hotel while taking a small percentage.

In the bedrooms

The scope for partnerships in the bedrooms is huge!

Let's go room by room:

In the bathroom: toiletries and towels, for example. Plenty of brands have got involved in this, such as Acqua di Parma. As for towels, you could offer French linen such as Bonsoir, which is doing brilliantly on social media.

In the bedroom itself: here again, the possibilities are many. For the mattress, think of young brands such as Tediber, and for the bed linen, once again Bonsoir or Lin des Vosges.

For the decor, you could display paintings in partnership with a young artist from your area. You exhibit the paintings, which can then be sold. That way, you can refresh your decor regularly! You can also use the florist idea for dried flowers (very much in fashion at the moment).

Setting up these partnerships

Now that you have identified the various partnerships and partners you would like to contact, think about the best way to approach them.

You will need an implementation strategy to make your proposal more appealing to the brands.

Start by preparing a few key figures: room occupancy, star rating, number and type of customers, their average spend, and so on.

Then, how do you put it all in place? For exhibiting artists, it could be a discreet little note beneath the painting with the artist's name and the price. For the bed, a smart frame next to it reading "this mattress/bed is provided in partnership with...". For toiletries, you could also put together a small gift box with an attractive label saying "products provided by...".

The finishing touch? Mention all these brands on your website and feature them on your social media. How about you: have you already tried setting up partnerships? What do you make of it?

If you are also looking for advice on your furniture, we have a great article for you!

Before you make your first calls, here is a zone-by-zone recap of the partnerships covered in this article, along with how to flag each one to your guests.

Area of the hotel	Partner to approach	How to flag it to the guest
Reception	Eco-friendly florist or independent florist who grows their own flowers	Name listed on your website and featured on social media
Lobby and common areas	Emerging artist whose style matches your hotel	A discreet note under the artwork with the artist’s name and price
Restaurant	Local beekeeper, young jam brand using regional fruit	Tastings, then sales in an adjoining shop with a percentage for the hotel
Bathroom	Toiletry brands such as Acqua di Parma, French linen such as Bonsoir	A label reading “products offered by brand…” on a small gift box
Bedroom	Mattresses from young brands such as Tediber, sheets from Bonsoir or Lin des Vosges	A neat frame by the bed: “this mattress is offered in partnership with…”
Room décor	A local emerging artist, dried flowers from your florist	Artworks displayed and then sold, which lets you change the décor regularly

Frequently asked questions

Which partnership should I start with if I have never done one? The flowers in your lobby are the easiest way in. An independent florist who grows their own stock, or an eco-conscious one, quickly sees the value of being seen by every arriving guest. You commit to very little and you walk away with a pitch you can reuse for the next partner.

What will a brand ask me before saying yes? Numbers. Occupancy rate, star rating, how many guests you host and what kind, how much they spend on average: have all of it ready before the first call. A pitch without those figures reads like a request for a freebie.

How do I mention a partnership in the room without turning the decor into an advert? Keep it small and discreet. A note under the painting with the artist’s name and price, a neat frame by the bed saying “this mattress is provided in partnership with…”, a label reading “toiletries offered by…” on the bathroom box. Curious guests find the information, the others never notice it.

Can I actually sell my partners’ products? Yes, and that is often where the deal becomes worthwhile for both sides. Paintings on display can be sold as guests come and go, and local products such as honey or jam can be offered for tasting first, then sold in a shop next to the hotel, with a percentage for you. Put that percentage in writing with the partner before the first delivery.

Big brands or local producers? Both work, but they do different jobs. An established brand brings quality kit for the bathroom or the bed, mattress, linen, toiletries; a beekeeper or a young regional jam maker tells the story of your area, which a bottle seen in every hotel never will. Start local: the negotiation moves faster and guests notice straight away.

Should I mention my partners outside the hotel too? Yes, and that is often what tips a brand into saying yes. Name all your partners on your website and introduce them on your social media. That visibility costs you nothing and carries real weight in the negotiation.