Are Hotels Becoming Mini-Malls?

I read this article in the New York Times called “Take the Hotel Room Home” and it sparked my interest because it talks about how hotels are bridging and bundling their brand by offering “more than just sleep…terry cloth robes, mini bar items, and overpriced jewelry for sale in the lobby shops.” Now, hotels are putting price tags on everything you hear, taste, touch and smell during your stay.
If you lose your luggage on a flight, or if you need a new evening gown for the night’s event, the W Hotel will provide you with a selection of women’s apparel to choose from. Other hotels are selling such as the Westin Hotels, Ritz-Carlton’s, Kimpton Group, and Sofitel are selling mattress sets and bed collections. Another trend hotels are capitalizing on is selling different scents and sounds (music) found in the hotel lobbies.
I think this growing trend for hotels to bridge and bundle their brand by placing price tags on everything found in their hotel is a great idea because it fortifies current brand meanings and creates new associations with the brand. For example, I’ve stayed at the Westin Hotel and I absolutely love their “Heavenly Bed.” After seeing it in stores at Nordstrom’s, I associated meanings of comfort and relaxation with the bed which then transferred over to the Westin being comfortable and relaxing.

Erica Lee