Professional’s Voice: What luxurious motels have to learn about in-room merchandise

Cristiano Galli Zugaro, CEO of hospitality supplies designer and manufacturer Italtrim, offers luxury hotels an insight into the process of sourcing premium in-room products.

What is the most important thing luxury hotels need to consider when sourcing in-room products?

High quality accessories that stand out when customers enter the room.

What have you learned about sourcing high-end in-room products from your experience developing, owning and managing your own luxury resort Moofushi in the Maldives for nearly 20 years?

You need to decorate a hotel room like you would decorate your own room. Style and good taste provide small, unique details. Details that should match the location and spirit of the hotel resort.

What products in the room do Italtrim and its own brand TerraMater luxury hotels offer?

We offer all accessories that are not pieces of furniture. Everything you can find in the room and in the closet.

What are the characteristics of your friulan slippers and the matching shoe bags in the room that set them apart from the competition?

They are protected and patented by us. They are of incredible quality and are reminiscent of a traditional Venetian shoe. The original model is a closed shoe made of velvet with the same sole seam and shape as ours. These slippers are comfortable and give a feeling of great luxury.

How do your slippers for luxury hotel suites and rooms of a similar standard differ from those for standard rooms?

We have defined two levels of Friulane. The ones made of canvas with an embroidered logo (and also the canvas bag with an embroidered logo) and the rubber sole, all of which are hand-sewn. These are for suites and higher. For standard rooms we have the same slippers with the same shape, but instead of canvas we have printed polyester (according to a design made for the customer), which is quilted with a woven label sewn on the side. The sole is not sewn and the bag is a simple mesh bag with a ribbon of the same color and pattern as the slipper. The top slipper costs between $ 33 and $ 36 per pair and the lower one costs between $ 3.50 and $ 4.30.

What different types of in-room hangers do you offer luxury hotels?

We’re very creative here – that depends on the budget. Colored wood and velvet with metal finishing, leather with beautiful stitching, metal, acrylic, etc.

Why should luxury hotels choose their porcelain kettles for room furnishing?

They are a new idea, a novelty – something that goes with the porcelain cups.

To what extent do you allow luxury hotels to customize in-room products to include their own branding?

The customers are the owners of their destiny. We can do whatever you want, but when special tools are required, the costs go up.

What advice would you give luxury hotels looking to outsource their room needs?

Just give us a call if it really is a potential five star hotel ready to carry out an outstanding project.

More information about the company and its products can be found at Visit the Italtrim website.