Hospitality Linens

What is a Coverlet?

Back in 2015, we wrote a blog post on the difference between quilts and coverlets. It was a topic that drew a lot of interest, which is why we’ve decided to return to the subject with this post, where we’re answering the question “What is a coverlet?”

Continue reading What is a Coverlet? →

Taking Proper Care Of Your Linen Investment Is Serious Business

Now more than ever, it is imperative for the Innkeeper to conserve, and preserve, the vital resources essential to their business. Linens are one such resource. Innkeepers invest significantly into the purchase and care of linens, and it is in their best interest to do so properly, thus extending a quality lifespan and ultimately saving money on replacements.

The following are six tips for the proper care of your linen investment:

Washing – Pre-wash your linens before first use. Separate your linens from other items in the wash, especially those containing polyester, which tends to create pilling, and items with heavy zippers, which can damage the fabric. Separate light and dark colors. Avoid overloading the washing machine, which can cause fibers to break down from excessive abrasion and agitation. You can wash most linens in warm water on a gentle cycle with a cold-water rinse, but be sure to check the care label.
Detergent – Use a mild detergent without added bleach, whiteners, or fabric softeners. Do not pour detergent directly on textiles; rather, add it to the water as the wash tub fills or dilute detergent with water, then add linens. Unless linens are very soiled, you only need to use half the recommended amount of detergent.
Bleaching – Chlorine bleach will weaken fibers and cause the fabric to yellow. If white fabrics need bleaching, use only an oxygen-based bleach.
Drying – While line drying outdoors is gentle, safe, and imbues linens with the fresh scent of the outdoors and natural bleaching of the sun, it is not always practical. You can machine dry most linens on low heat, but be sure to check the care label. Shake out damp linens before placing in the dryer. Never use a high heat setting, which will weaken the fibers, damage the fabric, increase shrinkage, and shorten the life of your linens. Remove items from dryer promptly, while still damp, to minimize wrinkles. Smooth and fold, or press with an iron, if desired.
Ironing – Check to make sure your steam iron is clean – mineral deposits could cause brown spotting. Iron linens while still damp. To restore the lustrous face of sateen fabrics, iron on the reverse side. For embroidered linens, iron them on the reverse side atop a towel to preserve the three-dimensional effect of the embroidery. Use a press cloth to protect delicate lace and cutwork.
Shrinkage – All natural fibers will shrink to some extent, but in most instances we purchase products that are generously overcut to allow for shrinkage. Check the product that you purchase (for size – width & length). Do not wash or, especially, dry linens on a hot setting, which is most likely to damage the fabric and intensify shrinkage. Always follow instructions on care label.

InnStyle offers a wide variety of sheets with differing thread counts. We have 100% cotton and cotton blend sheets for your bed & breakfast, inn or hotel – all at wholesale prices.

Contact an InnStyle Representative today. Customer attention and satisfaction is our hallmark. Give us a call at 800-877-4667 and benefit from our knowledgeable staff.

The Hospitality Industry And the “New Economy”

With the economy reportedly heating up as rapidly as the weather, the financial forecast for the hospitality industry is hotter than it has been in years. This is not to suggest however, that innkeepers and hoteliers can now sit back and wait for business to effortlessly roll in the door. In the wake of the new economy that has emerged since the recent recession, travelers have different (higher) expectations of your value proposition. Upping the ante even more, advances in technology, mainly social media, have put travelers in the driver’s seat, thus ensuring that those in the hospitality industry who fail to heed the traveling public’s discerning demands will be left behind the progression.

Examples of the consequences of the new economy on the hospitality industry include:

After years of delaying capital expenditures, the new economy demands that innkeepers and hoteliers renovate, upgrade and otherwise beautify their property. In this age of Facebook, Yelp, Pinterest and Instagram, one poor review with a corresponding picture to support the claim, can cause a business owner countless reservations and dollars.
Online bookings will continue to grow and become the mainstay of the industry. More than 114 million people will research travel online this year, with 94 million actually making a reservation online. This accounts for more than 50% of all travel being booked online exclusively. This number is expected to continue to rise every year. A well-designed website with an easy to navigate reservation system is an essential tool for anyone in the hospitality industry to survive in the new economy.
More and more travel research and bookings are taking place on mobile devises. According to Forrester Research, mobile channel bookings increased four-fold between 2008 and 2010. Google is projecting that mobile access (i.e. tablets and smartphones) will overtake PC access by 2013. It is imperative that innkeepers and hoteliers optimize their websites for mobile usage in order to capture these mobile transactions.
Social media has revolutionized how business is conducted. 22% of the travel industry currently uses social media as a revenue generating tool. This number is projected to rise to 27% within the next 5 years. Furthermore, social media presence is integral in search engine algorithms, with Facebook’s posts integrated into Bing search and Google+ integrating into the Google search engine. It is crucial that innkeepers and hoteliers embrace social media as a means to drive traffic to their most important business asset—their web presence.

New technology demands that the hospitality industry become “social” and engages their customers online as a major component of their marketing strategy. The onus is squarely on the innkeeper or hotelier to convince the potential customer that they offer the best value for the travel dollar via the internet; by virtue of a well-designed website with a mobile application and an intentional social media presence. The good news is that these hard-won loyal customers will then become your best, most vocal “sales team”, spreading the word via viral marketing that yours is the best destination for their travel-dollar.

For Personal Service at Wholesale Pricing, contact InnStyle. From wholesale bedding to fine linens we can help you upgrade and beautify your inn or hotel.
Call us at 800-877-INNS (4667)