We speak to suppliers of bathrooms about how they are meeting the demands from the latest trends in the sector.
Meet the panel:
Mark Twitchell, director of international specific sales, Vado
Rachael Towl, regional sales manager, ME Guest Supply
Sophay Young, senior project designs consultant, Sanipex
What is your best selling product?
Mark: Currently our individual range of brassware is very popular.
Rachael: We have partnerships with some of the world’s leading brands, such as Aromatherapy Associates. Guest Supply and Aromatherapy Associates work in partnership to provide the luxurious guest collection to the hotel hospitality industry on a global scale.
Sophay: Our expertly crafted brand, Bagnodesign, is particularly popular within the hotel sector, as it offers a versatile range of products, all of which create luxurious bathroom spaces. Within this, we recently launched the art furniture collection, which has already had a lot of interest and offers a new take on classically styled bathroom design.
What is unique about it?
Mark: It’s a complete bathroom brassware solution with a selection of finishes – the range is complete with taps, showers and accessories covering all sectors of design. From modern, high-end to traditional and contemporary, it’s a specifiers dream.
Rachael: This collection of “treatments in a tube” brings an element of luxury spa to the guest room experience and with its innovative dual shower gel options to relax and revive, hoteliers are given the choice between one or both shower gels to cover morning and evening showers, providing that extra touch of luxury.
Sophay: Quality is the benchmark that defines the ‘perfect’ bathroom product and nowhere more so than in the hotel sector. Hoteliers want bathroom spaces that offer guests a high level of luxury and comfort, but are also seeking assurance that the products fitted will be a good investment and won’t require a lot of maintenance.
What is the most important feature of the perfect bathroom product?
Mark: The most important feature of the perfect bathroom product is minimalist design with wow factor functionality. The product must not only look good, it must perform to the highest standards.
Rachael: We believe that hoteliers look for the quality of product itself including, formulation, design, ease of use and practicality.
Sophay: Quality is the benchmark that defines the ‘perfect’ bathroom product and nowhere more so than in the hotel sector. Hoteliers want bathroom spaces that offer guests a high level of luxury and comfort.
What are the latest trends in bathrooms?
Mark: Using overflow fillers and wall mounted concealed controls is still very popular and can be a very cost effective way to give a wow factor design.
Rachael: we have partnered with Clean the World – a global recycling programme, and have a carbon offset initiative.
Sophay: Basins as statement pieces are a key trend in the hotel bathroom, particularly those that are crafted from unusual materials, such as metal or stone.
What type of hotel operations do you cater for?
Mark: Vado has a very strong pedigree of working with hotel groups, with international projects and trading agreements with Hilton Group, Accor and many prestigious projects like the Marriot Marquis in Dubai to name a few.
Sophay: We regularly support the needs of one-off boutique hotels and global chains and offer the same level of commitment to quality and service across the spectrum.
What maintenance service do you offer clients?
Mark: The vast majority of Vado products come with a 12-year guarantee whether it’s our entry level design. They all have the same care and attention to the manufacturing process with continuous product testing throughout all stages of manufacturing, this normally gives our clients the confidence they need to specify Vado.
Sophay: Sanipex customer services and in-house technical teams provide a dedicated point of contact at all times to deal with queries, process orders and help with any installation advice and training.
