Freshends was born after we heard this simple question from a visiting guest (we’ll call him Pierre) from Europe – “How does one stay fresh in the bathroom?” He wasn’t referring to taking a shower; when given only one option – dry toilet paper – in the bathroom, he asked how that could possibly be enough to stay fresh.
If you’ve traveled to Europe, Asia, South America or the Middle East, you probably have an idea of why he was asking this seemingly odd question. With 97 percent of homes in Italy, 72 percent of households in Japan and 90 percent of bathrooms in Argentina (just to name a few) all boasting bidets, washing up after you’ve done your business is the norm. So naturally, visitors from those countries feel they’re getting less than they do at home while they’re traveling here in the U.S. Domestically, sales of consumer wipes increased nearly 5 percent a year since 2007 and are expected to grow at a rate of 6 percent annually for the next five years. Which means more of your guests are using wipes at home.
If guests are getting less than what they’re accustomed to at home while they’re staying at a hotel, the experience isn’t a good representation of true hospitality. And isn’t hospitality the core value of the hospitality industry?
Installing bidets in an already constructed hotel isn’t cost-effective or practical, so we pondered Pierre’s predicament and realized that a luxurious, individually packaged wipe could be a simple and effective solution to the problem of toilet paper simply not being enough. So we created Freshends – an eco-friendly, bidet-alternative hotels can provide to discerning international and domestic guests. No larger than a credit card, Freshends fit neatly into pockets and purses, giving hotel guests a unique and useful amenity while still vacationing or back at home.
So why add wipes to your hotel? Because they provide at least the level of cleanliness and comfort guests are used to at home; at most, a luxurious new experience that elevates the guest experience. And elevating the guest experience is something every hotel should strive to do.