The Project
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco requested our Signature Coaster Set to be sold in their retail space. Their guests are often travelers from afar, and they are looking for suitcase-sized high-quality keepsakes they could easily take with them. They also wanted a product that could remind their guests of their experience and give them a taste of the local culture and design. These coasters were a natural fit.
We began with an order of elegant logo coasters – their iconic lion logo printed on transparent glass coasters in white. After seeing the success of this item, we decided to try full color photography as well, which also sold out. The set of 4 featured the below four iconic photos of San Francisco:
The Result
A beautiful retail item perfect for any hotel, allowing guests to take a piece of their experience home with them. These suitcase-sized items can feature either logos, full color photographs, or artwork, and are a universally recognize home staple. The value in these coasters is not only in the price, but the fact that they live on display in the homes of their recipients. These unique retail items are used daily and are often a talking point of conversation.
Centered on the back of each coaster was the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco logo.
Hospitality Retail
In a global trend towards supporting local businesses, hotels of all sizes are adding retail spaces. These shops serve as a glimpse of local and regional products, showcasing the best of what that area has to offer, and allowing guests to take a piece of their experience home with them. Below are six factors which are changing the way hospitality retail is designed.
- Consumers seek out products that are fitted to their needs.
- Shoppers want transparency in manufacturing and origins.
- An increase in demand for stores and retail spaces.
- Emerging Brands. Consumers share their thoughts and feelings about the brands they identify with.
- Better quality goods. People opt for a smaller selection of higher quality goods.
- Travel is often used to gain new viewpoints on life and the world. This requires the hotel to have a strong bond between them and the community it resides in.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
Ritz-Carlton transformed hospitality in America by adding luxury in the context of a hotel.
- Each guest room has their own private bath
- Fabrics are lighter to allow for better cleaning
- Formal attire for all staff
- An array of fresh flora in all public areas
- A la carte dining, providing guests with more choices
- Gourmet cuisine, gathering inspiration from Auguste Escoffier
- A more personalized guest experience by having smaller intimate lobbies
The Ritz-Carlton Investing Company began as a franchise, and in the early 1900s, several hotels were known as The Ritz-Carlton. Locations included at least five properties along the East Coast of the United States. By 1940 however, the only hotel that was operational was The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. This brand represents all the finest services, amenities, and sensibilities that are now a staple for all luxury hotel brands. The Boston property continues to serve as a benchmark for all other Ritz-Carlton hotels, representing the standards of service, dining, and facilities this brand strives to produce.
Thanks for reading. Keep creating.
Alex
xx