To switch to miniature toiletries

[HolidayLetter]

I have always provided naice hand-soaps, shower gels etc in large (refillable) bottles, but have recently been toying with the idea of switching to hotel-style miniatures on the grounds that I was always very excited by miniature soaps in the olden days, when I went on holiday rather than providing them. However, I'm now thinking that this might irritate some guests on environmental grounds. AIBU to switch to miniatures?

I run a very smart but small B&B (Sawdays recommended). I provide full-size L'Occitane toiletries for guests to use (shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, shower gel, bath foam, body lotion).

I firmly believe that aside from the environmental angle, in terms of guest experience it's much more generous and luxurious to have full sized bottles as opposed to miniatures. What's more it also actually works out more cost-effective. I've NEVER had a guest take a bottle from their ensuite (have you??), and instead just refill bottles as needed as I suspect you do OP. If you provide miniatures, people will do the supermarket sweep at the end of their stay and take everything they like/ that's handy home with them.

I worked out that the full set of toiletries cost me on average £1.35 per guest stay, refilling as I go. I calculated that over the course of a year as I was curious. Providing miniatures would work out much more expensive, but look much cheaper!

Don't do it!!

Oh and if you are looking for beautiful, individually wrapped guest soaps try Clovelly soap from Devon. They are fab and so pretty.

My first thought would be that it's wasteful, but I also think it looks a bit cheap and nasty to have a load of little plastic bottles everywhere.

If they weren't plastic it might be Ok - mini homemade soaps, for example. If you go with that local company you mentioned then It Might be worth putting a little sign up in the bathroom to say that you've stocked it with local, ethically produced products.

I now don’t leave as good a review if I see something bad for the environment. A small way to try and influence people when I feel powerless!

I’m not too harsh I promise, I might give 4 out of 5 and say ‘lovely stay and faultless other than the non eco friendly toiletries and plastic cups in bathroom’

I would have shampoo/shower gel dispensers that you can refill. Or something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XJ3TXBF/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_HkayEbXJ00EEJ

And small bars of soap for hand washing.

Surely naice dispensers with liquid handsoap/shampoos etc are both hygienic and boutiquey enough?

I always put the hotel bar soaps back in the box they came in, I save the boxes when we first arrive, and take them home with me.
Can’t remember the last time I had to buy a bar.

Tired eyes thought your title was about mini toilets! Slightly disappointed it's about soap now 😂

Justwanttotravel, I'm afraid 'naice' dates me as a very long-time MN user. There was a thread about 'naice ham', which sort of entered the canon...

Daisy, your B&B sounds lovely. That is exactly what I was doing, until I got fed up with guests either pilfering the big l'Occitane bottles or, in one case, watering it down.

Fridakahlo, that's a very useful post. Thank you.

I'm indirectly reminded by many PP that there's also a local weigh-your-own place (all ethical and eco-friendly, but on the 'hipster' side, rather than the 'hippy'). So I might pay them a visit, too.

MrsSnitch

Very little of the plastic we send for “recycling” actually gets that far. The less single use plastic we chuck out, the better.
Disneyland has switched to big wall mounted dispensers of their toiletries.

You could get one of those cute silicon molds for little soaps, melt ypur normal bar of soap and pour it in and let it cool overnight. You could make your own little soaps that way and the only extra it will cost is one silicon mold that you can use till the end of time. So very little extra waste.

@HolidayLetter We have a little kitchenette area which has tap water which is very drinkable.

@HolidayLetter

Speaking of watering down - I stayed at Malmaison in Manchester after work once (I did a lot of UK travel with work), and got back to my room around 10.30pm after a long day and evening. Settled down in my PJs with a half bottle of white wine from the mini bar, only to discover a previous guest had drunk the bottle and re-filled it with water!

How about something like these? www.etsy.com/uk/listing/769427725/mini-shampoo-bar-2pack?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=mini+shampoo+bar&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&frs=1

Nobody, but nobody wants to use 'recycled remelted soap' 😳 I'm fully guessing it's not on the 'to do list', but it seems to keep cropping up.

My DM ran a boutique Bnb. She went with using full-sized bottles of shampoo/conditioner/shower gel, but for the basins bought a humongous block of local handmade soap. She'd cut very thin slices off for each room, which worked out perfectly for a long weekend with little waste. The slices didn't look mean, as although thin they were large squares and it was obvious they were nice soap. This might be an alternative option?

I’d be really peeved at a certain price point, if there were not toiletries. I wouldn’t necessarily expect them to be minis, but I am delighted when they are, and I’m able to pilfer them. Make of that what you will!

Look for a local soap maker. There are thousands of them (try facebook). They can often make small soaps, shampoo & conditioner bars etc to any size you want. Your guests will love the locally made element and you'll be helping not only the local economy, but also the environment. These kind of products have to have a cosmetic assessment so the ingredients would be guaranteed top quality.