Branded Merchandise Ideas for Hotels and Hospitality Teams
While a guest’s stay ends at checkout, your brand can continue to make an impression. I have seen guests use branded tote bags in their daily routines at the grocery store, gym, or school pickup, long after their visit. Many properties overlook this aspect of hospitality branding. While most focus on the room, service, and check-in details, branding often ends at the door. In my experience, effective merchandise continues to promote your brand after the guest has left.
Below is a list of giveaway ideas that we’ve seen work for the hotels and hospitality teams we’ve supplied merch for over the years.
Recommended Items
Here are my top recommendations, ranked by effectiveness:
- Promotional tote bags: My top recommendation. They serve as ongoing advertising after checkout and are especially effective at resorts and boutique hotels, particularly as welcome gifts.
- Custom polo shirts: Ideal for front-facing staff. They are smart, breathable, and durable for long shifts. An embroidered logo enhances perceived professionalism.
- Thongs: Guests who check in want these to keep their feet clean and dry.
- Promotional water bottles: Guests appreciate these sustainable items, which they use daily beyond their stay. Eco-friendly touches are increasingly expected.
- Branded umbrellas: These address a genuine need, encouraging guests to keep and use them for years.
- Branded notebooks: Well-suited for conference welcome packs and corporate guests who will use them at their desks.
- Robes: Guests who check in need personalised robes from hotels .
- Chocolates, mints, and lollies: These pair well with water bottles to create a welcome pack.
- Towels: Great alternative for robes.
- Wellness items (hand sanitisers, comb, candles): These welcome packs help enhance the experience and show how much you really care about the guests.
In my experience as a guest, small branded items are often more memorable than major features. A pen used daily reinforces a hotel’s brand more effectively than the room itself. These items are affordable, practical, and widely used.
How Our Account Managers Come Up With Recommendations
I asked our account managers, Wendy Li and Ariane Milarpez, how they come up with suggestions for industries like this. For Ariane, she always asks one thing: who’s actually going to use this, and when? This simple question is crucial. For example, a five-star resort seeking a sense of quiet luxury and a busy CBD café aiming for high visibility both need branded merchandise, but their ideal solutions differ significantly. It’s itself.
For Wendy Li, the question is: who will receive the item, and when will they use it? This question shifts the focus to the guest experience and ensures the merchandise is both useful and aligned with your brand.
Welcome Gifts: The Detail I Never Rush
First impressions are crucial. I recommend pairing a useful item with a personal touch, such as a tote with local produce or a bottle with a handwritten note. Thoughtful gifts are more memorable than generic ones and help create a welcoming experience.
Guests Are Quietly Judging Your Eco Credentials
Nobody tells you they’re judging your sustainability. They just quietly n Guests may not mention your sustainability efforts, but they notice them. Using recycled totes, reusable bottles, and minimal packaging has become an expectation, particularly at resorts and properties that emphasise their natural surroundings. A tote or reusable bottle lasts just as long and brands just as clearly. It just happens to give guests one more reason to think well of you after they’ve checked out.
What You Can Takeaway From This Blog
Choosing what merch to give is all about enhancing the experience for your guests. The goal is to always make their stay pleasant and make them feel welcomed the moment they step in. If you need advice what merch is perfect for your brand, talk to our account managers now!
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