Don't Just Throw Away Your Used Bars of Soap

2.6 million used bars of soap EVERY DAY are thrown away by the hospitality industry. Hotels can easily help the eco-friendly movement and people in third world countries by throwing the used bar of hotel room soaps in a bucket or bag by themselves for recycling. Your hotel can sign up at Global Soap for a daily or weekly pickup of your used soap bars. They are then recycled into new bars of soap for needy people.

The soap is softened by heat and filtered through an extremely fine-mesh screen to remove dirt and other particulates. It is then molded into finished bars, hand cut, cured, inspected and packaged. Much of this work is performed by volunteers.

Pet Friendly Hotel

With an increasing number of people traveling with pets, make your hotel/motel pet-friendly. However, this does
not mean every room has to accommodate pets. Keep your pet rooms totally separate since many travelers do not want a room that may smell like dog. A certain percent can be designated as such. You might
want to consider asking for a small deposit in case a pet has an “accident” in the room as well which do happen.

An option for hotels that do not want pets inside the hotel at all would be to set up a dog kennel in a safe, discreet place where the pets can be monitored and fed by a staff member or guests. Just make sure to put it out of barking range of any rooms.

Another economical way to make your hotel pet friendly is to build a dog run. If people are staying for a few days, a dog run / dog park can be a nice perk and get them coming back in the future. These things will make your hotel stand out to pet owner travelers and give you an advantage over your competitors.

Short Term Property Rentals: The Pros & Cons

Currently I a planning a trip to Hawaii for March with a friend, and in order to save money, have been exploring my options for lodging. Nowadays, there are so many different types of properties available at so many different price points, that it is hard to choose!

Due to the nature of the trip, we have decided that a rental property that has a kitchen and multiple bedrooms is the best fit, so that we have the comfort of home even while we are on vacation. I have been searching through VRBO.com, Homeaway.com, Craigslist.com and AirBnB.com to find a the right property. I have had good experiences renting from the first 3 sites listed, but have never rented from AirBnB.com yet and have some reservations.

My thoughts about renting from AirBnB: There are 2 pros, which are price & selection. The properties are definitely budget friendly, and there is a large selection of rentals, anything from large houses, to a futon in someone's house. But for me, the cons are outweighing the pros. There is no regulation of the properties you find on AirBnb, many are not licensed and therefore aren't under any scrutiny from the local government. The standards will not be the same as a licensed B &B, inn, hotel or motel. Sanitation issues might be overlooked (can you trust that your sheets & towels are clean?). Plus, you are dealing directly with an owner, so if anything goes wrong or is not up to par, you might have a hard time getting a refund.

Has anyone used AirBnB for a rental? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.

Pool Towels

Pool towels take a beating at hotels because of the chlorine and washing daily. Most hotels think pool towels are pool towels, but if you measure the life of a hotel pool towel, you will find that Wellspun towels for hotel pools last 60% longer. The wellspun quality is well worth the price.

Hotel/Motel Cleaning Supplies

American Hotel Supplies stocks such products as towels, sheets, and blankets. However, if you are looking for janitorial-type products, such as vacuums, floor steamers, tank sprayers, utility carts, air moving fans, and housekeeping carts, check out our sister site. Shipping is free for orders over $50 and many products ship the next day.

Bed and Breakfast

In the current economic climate, many more families are finding it difficult to afford their annual vacations. As family finances become more strained, the family vacation is one of the first items that end up on the chopping block. However, one segment of the hospitality industry that seems to be holding up fairly well are bed and breakfasts. One of the main factors is their suitability for short visits, allowing the family to get away for, say, three to four days, thereby not only saving on expenses but also reducing the amount of time away from work. Another thing going for B&Bs is that they are frequently located in more rural areas which in many cases have few to no hotels or motels.

If you're currently operating a bed and breakfast or thinking about opening, you of course want to get the most value for your money when it comes to having the right furnishings for your guests, such as towels, sheets, blankets, and pillows. We at American Hotel Supplies have just what you are looking for at high quality and very reasonable prices.

Bed Sizes

A twin bed is typically 39 inches wide and 75 inches long. A full sized bed is the same length but surprisingly not twice as wide as a twin, coming in at only 54 inches.
So, what would be a rather comfortable 39 inches on a twin bed shrinks to only 27 inches per person on a full-sized bed. Even on a queen bed, each person gets only 30" of width, still 9" less than on a twin. However, a queen bed is only 6 inches wider and 5 inches longer than a full sized bed, so it can fit in most regular sized master bedrooms.
If your inn, motel, or bed and breakfast has queen or king sized beds, you'll need to
furnish them with comparable ensembles such as sheets, pillows, mattress pads, and blankets.
American Hotel Supply has a nice selection to choose from, sure to fit your style, your beds, and your budget.

Down Pillows

Down feathers are fluffy clusters that are under the contour feathers closest to the body of a bird . These clusters provide insulation and warmth.
Feathers are made out of the same "stuff" as found in hair and nails - keratin. The most common sources of down are ducks, geese, swans, or other waterfowl.
Down feathers are often used as an inner layer for quilts, coats, gloves, and pillows for extra insulation and comfort. We have down-filled pillows in standard, jumbo, and king sizes, so you can select the sizes that you work the best for your inn, hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast.

Mattress Pads vs. Mattress Toppers

What's the difference between a mattress pad and a mattress topper? A topper is designed to provide extra comfort for the sleeper, whereas a pad helps to hygienically protect a mattress and guards against such things as dust mites and bed bugs. Pads are normally made from cotton or a cotton/poly blend and are thinner than a topper. Toppers can be made from a variety of materials, such as latex or foam. Pads are held in place with an elastic band; toppers use fitted sheets to stay secure. Mattress toppers generally have a higher price range than does mattress pads.

New uses for old Pillowcases

While pillowcases are designed to provide a protective cover for pillows, they can be used for other things, such as

- protecting clothes in your closet; just cut a small hole in the closed end of the pillowcase and then slip the top of the hanger through the hole and pull the pillowcase over the clothing

- as a make-shift bag to store items in

- if the pillow case has a snappy pattern, it can be used to spruce up the back
of wooden chairs

- pillowcases can be used as extra packing material when moving

- cut them up to use as cleaning rags

- place on top of your pet's bed for a little extra cushioning

- costumes for kids (ghost at Halloween?)

- use for portable clothes hamper (particularly handy when traveling)

- cheap alternative to luggage

- put folded sheets inside to keep them neat and protected

- add handles to turn into a shopping or book bag

- add a decorate touch by using a pillowcase that has a pattern as a wastebasket
liner (which can be washed); particularly useful for wicker baskets

- clean those dust-bunnies off fan blades (and as a bonus, the dust ends up in the pillowcase)

- if you travel a lot, use can pack old pillowcases so that you can separate out clean and dirty clothes in your suitcase

- put your "delicates" or stuffed animals in a pillowcase before putting them in the washer

- use it as a dust cover for appliances or sewing machine

- as place-mats (assuming the pillowcase has a cool pattern)

- turn them into aprons

- filled with the right material, a pillowcase can be turned into a microwavable heating pad

- cover a broom with an old pillowcase before attacking those cobwebs

- for colored or decorative pillowcases, turn them into covers for patio chair cushions