In recent years we’ve seen a trend whereby many hotels have transitioned from single-use toiletries to reusable ones. For example, most of the major global groups now have policies requiring properties to only offer guests reusable toiletries. Officially this is being done as an environmental initiative, though of course there’s also an element of cost…
Continue reading: New York Bans Single-Use Hotel Toiletries
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Travel Hack: buy TSA size refillable bottles for less than a dollar each. Fill multiple bottles per day and bring home souveneirs of nice body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.
Multiple bottles per day? You can only have a single 1 litre bag for TSA liquids. How many refillable bottles do you think you can fit in there?
Bbbbbutttttt won't there be c*m in the bottles then? Gary Leff seems to think so.
I bet he's the perpetrator. Something about that "thought leader in travel" has always creeped me out.
My sensitive hair and skin require my own products anyway, but I do love sampling the high end stuff when offered. I guess the little sachet packets are out too?
I’ve stayed in several hotels where one of the pumps quit working or occasionally one was (near) empty. Especially when they are mounted to a wall- much prefer the stand alone reusable bottles- easier to clean and seem more reliable
“Bbbbbutttttt won't there be c*m in the bottles then?”
One suspects every accusation is a confession with Gary.
I’ve just completed stays at high-end hotels in Bangkok, Singapore, and Oz, and all properties have gotten rid of the tiny bottles and replaced them with the pump-sized bottles.
I don’t love them, but the reduction in waste is real.
I have recently seen a different style of these bottles, where the liquid is in a bag of sorts, held upside down, with a valve instead of a pump. Less potential for a pump to break ( you gently squeeze the bag) and for the busy- fluid paranoids : probably harder to deposit anything in that container
Multiple bottles a day? I think that goes beyond souvenir…
Probably not much different than filling your bag with sugar sachets, or taking home the cutlery
As dumb as this law is, figures New York, most hotel chains began moving this way during COVID to save money. My frustration at times is that the fact that the container is nearly empty upon checking into the room.
I think this ban is a good thing on balance, though it certainly has its downsides. As others mention, this seems to be where the industry is heading anyway.
A far worse ban is NYC's zoning ordinance amendment that banned new hotels by-right. Now any developer seeking to build a hotel needs to navigate a complicated, costly, and uncertain zoning entitlement process. There's plenty of excess demand for new hotel rooms, but developers have largely shied away. Meanwhile, the city's hotel prices are only going to escalate as travelers compete over the existing supply of rooms.
Are people seriously that desperate for 3oz of shampoo/conditioner?
If you're able to afford a nice luxury hotel, where amenities would be worth taking home, I doubt that they need to scrimp and scrounge for some shampoo.
$500 for second offence in 30 days? So for a small 50 room hotel, the penalty would be $10 per month per room, or less than 33 cents a day. For a large property, it would almost be negligible. The penalty for the "ban" seems to be lower than many accommodation taxes...
I hope bar soap doesn't go away.
Nice hotels should have individual shampoo for sale at the gift shop and front desk for 1 cent, limit 5 or so.
While I like souvenir shampoos as much as anyone, the large pump bottles are typically easier to use. Also, from what I see, few are “reusing” the large bottles in the sense of refilling them. When I complain about an empty one, they just bring a new full replacement.
He seems awfully plugged in on the hotel swingers scene too if today is any indication. Thot leader.
As useful for the environment as what McDonald's does in my state which is provide paper straws that start to disintegrate after 10 min in drink while the cup itself is made of a heavier plastic using over 50 times the plastic that a plastic straw would've used
So lotion, shaving cream, etc are OK because they aren’t used for “cleansing”?
PERFECT! A sensible answer to a ridiculous law.
Additionally, how about making it law that the refillable containers have to be clear and filled, so housekeeping will do their job?
Key phrase: “Single Use”.
5 star luxury properties that want to avoid the down market shower pumps, could provide a slightly larger (or full) size bottle/toiletry, so it is no longer “single use”. Solved it.
The hotel chains will sue, it'll go all the way to current SC where it will be struck down.
And the fact that people get bent out of shape over this cr*p...unbelievable.
Another reason to avoid NY. Was there a few weeks ago at the Le Meridien Central Park and on the first night the stupid soap bottle inside the shower was empty. I called housekeeper and asked it to be replaced in the morning. Got back to my room in the evening and the bottle was still empty. Called them again and nothing. Had to shower with the sink soap. Third night and still empty. Asked for the manager and got an apology that they ran out of the big bottles. Not the first time this happened as housekeepers do not check those bottles.
I like the idea that luxury hotels should have bottles that are just over the individual sized limit. I agree that this imitative is primarily for cost savings. I also agree that it is more down market for luxury hotels to have the big pump bottles. I think you should not consider the environmental impact unless you have the facts to back it up that include the entire supply chain. Is it really that environmentally efficient?!?! probably not.
Personally I love mini toiletries. Always try to make the first night's one last, the whole stay. Hide it so housekeeping replenishes it and then take all the new ones home. I have no problem with the switch to the larger bottles secured to the shower to reduce plastic waste.
I'll just say, my soap use now is much more liberal with the regular sized bottles.
While I do understand and to a certain degree support waste reduction, I do not understand why all major chains fail to provide appropriate dispenses. I usually brake them during first use, because the handle does not support the amount of force required ...
Gary Leff spends WAY too much time thinking about bodily fluids in shampoo bottles. It’s disgusting and beneath a travel blog.
The solution seems pretty simple for luxury hotels. Just increase the size of the bottles slightly, so they are no longer “single use”.
One thing that strikes me is that for a larger high-end hotel, a $500 fine seems to fall within the range of "cost of doing business". In theory is there any reason that (say) the Plaza couldn't just keep stroking $500 checks to the state and ignore the rule?