Complimentary hotel toiletries .. no sanitary towels

[TwentySmackeroos]

I’m in a fancy hotel on my holidays (total beach/resort set-up; not corporate at this time of year) and the tray of free toiletries includes:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Shower gel
Bar of soap
Loofah/scrapy sponge thing
Make-up remover towelettes
Toothbrush/toothpaste set
Comb
Manicure set
Sewing kit
Shoe shine scuff fixer
Razor and shave balm

All the above have been replenished daily as used.

Meanwhile, a pack of panty liners retails in the hotel shop at €3.90. Tampax are €4.50.

Caught unawares (seven months into my first Mirena), I’ve been wadding loo roll and rinsing my bikini bottoms nightly. And obviously bought the panty liners when it became clear I needed to.

I’m a hotel middle-level manager (but no input into purchasing, in my role). Most guests here are parents under 45 with kids. There are loads of toilet facilities (spotless and well maintained) but no dispensing machines in any.

AIBU to think a sanitary towel or three in the toiletries tray is a reasonable expectation, when all other ‘immediate’ sanitary needs are?—and the shoe scuff fixer is not a pressing need IMO—

It's a very good point.

I stayed in an Airbnb last year, and there were pads and tampons in a little basket in the bedroom. The first and only time I've ever seen that, and it was very thoughtful. The Airbnb host was a woman, so maybe that thoughtfulness was prompted by personal experience.

Maybe its so their male clientele aren't freak out by the ghastly sight of a tampax

That’s less and less true and not in a resort.

Don't think it is. I live in hotels- women are very much in the minority.

Recently went on holiday a couple of weeks ago. Hotel room stocked nearly all of the above mentioned complimentary items listed in OP and tampax was priced the same in adjoined retail outlet. Ended up having my period there but bought basic brand tampons from local supermarket for quarter of the €4.50. However it's not a pricing issue it's a branding issue as Tampax in the UK is always much higher than own brand tampons.

Hotels would be unlikely to supply them as complimentary as it'd be too expensive as a replenished add on item. A shoe shine sponge will cost them a few pence. I don't think it's a hotels should supply campaign so much as a female basic hygiene need campaign. I totally get why hotels don't provide them.

Which religions are offended by all sanpro?

Those that view menstruation as unclean.

*Sanpro is not a big or unusual ask but is not offered as standard. Why not?

The majority of hotel guest are male
Some religions would be offended by tampax or indeed sanpro*

Ah no. I’m not buying that. I’m in a family holiday resort, Europe-centric, and I hazard a guess that many of the decision makers picking this spot are women.

And anyway - so what? Women guests should not have their potential emergencies catered for, along with shoe-shine sponges?

Stayed in a hotel in the USA this weekend. There were huge bottles of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion in the bathroom, also cotton buds and a shower cap. Also a note saying the hotel would be happy to provide a number of other items should the need arise: shaving kit, sewing kit, hairbrush, toothbrush etc etc ... and san pro. Doesn't need to cost a fortune by providing it in all rooms, just let guests know it's available and free of charge.

Why would they be offended by unused new sanpro? It's cotton wool and similar, how is that unclean?

Good point OP. I've never considered this before.

A few years ago, my luggage got lost by BA and I got the dinkiest doll-sized toothbrush and the worlds largest T-shirt. And a razor. Pad? Nope.

And BA pay emergency compensation via a cash card in local currency plus I assume that you had travel insurance.

In the ladies toilet in my local pub there are tampax and sanitary towels on a shelf by the washbasin. For free. Totally impressed.

Good point OP. And one I never thought of.

Complimentary condoms would be good too!

• Which religions are offended by all sanpro?

Those that view menstruation as unclean.*

It's a lot cleaner with sanpro ... religion scores another logic fail.

To recap:
Toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, shower cap, soap, shoe shine, needle and thread, nail file, orange-wood stick, shower gel, loofah .. free in your room , no questions asked

Sanitary towel - ask at the desk or scour public toilets for dispensing machine or go to 24 hour shop or hunt in your handbag or ask random woman aged 15-45.

It’s the immediacy of the need that is not recognised.

I started a box at work which we all put spare pads and tampons in. If you used one, you replaced it next time you were in or left some cash. Worked really well

I changed jobs and now have a desk drawer which has everything from toothpicks to painkillers to pads and tampons in and anyone knows they can go in that drawer even if I'm not there and grab what they need

Might mention it to my dad actually, they run a b&b/hotel and no local shops so could be a good idea 💡

*A few years ago, my luggage got lost by BA and I got the dinkiest doll-sized toothbrush and the worlds largest T-shirt. And a razor. Pad? Nope.

And BA pay emergency compensation via a cash card in local currency plus I assume that you had travel insurance.*

Missing the point again. T-shirt and toothbrush - useful. One sanitary towel - also useful. And BA were utter dicks on this particular encounter ... but that’s not the point. The point is that essential toiletries for most hospitality providers do not include what I would consider essential toiletries - ie minimum one sanitary towel.

The majority of hotel guest are male

So what? They will not use them! Or are you suggesting that we don't cater for women because you think they are a minority in hotels?

Some religions would be offended by tampax or indeed sanpro

Again, we should only cater for one demographic?

If you work in hotel management OP then run the idea in front of your bosses. However it's still a cost outlay that's the issue here. The financial outlay for hotels would be deemed too high. Unfair but true..

Those that view menstruation as unclean.

And anything that references menstruation? They’ll have to get over it.

I can honestly say that in my entire life I have never had an immediate need for a loofah.

Cant you just ask the butler to get them? If it is a fancy hotel?

I don’t think it’s practical or necessary. One pad and one tampon isn’t going to do it for a lot of women so you would have to provide a good few and you would also have to provide different sizes. My DDs and I couldnt share our sanpro as we have different requirements.

I think offering to sell box at r3ception is ok. It shouldn’t be overpriced.

Surely most women carry Sanpro with them.

I’m currently exiting my role so I can’t hope to effect change from within. It’s a general observation, though, and one I will pursue: costs are built in for items that many guests pocket to bring home unused and languish in their nightstands - I for one have branded body lotions from hotels all over the world. But I would attach a much greater value to an unbranded ST than a plastic razor, considering the price I am paying v the immediacy of the need.

Yes, but in that instance they're selling a projected 'image' and the pricing costs will have been factored in accordingly on the retail distributor end too. Essentially you don't need to buy a bottle of Jo Malone handwash, retailers know this and so bulk buy and repeat custom across big chain deals are then made. Female sanitary product manufacturers have to make no such concessions as they are very well aware that women will have to purchase them as a need versus a want.

This is an excellent point and one I will raise in every hotel review I fill in from now.