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 savings associated with it.
Well, we’re about to see even more hotels in New York with reusable toiletries, as the state will shortly be implementing a new law banning certain types of hotel toiletries.
In this post:
New York requiring reusable hotel toiletries as of 2025
New York state will be banning hotels from offering guests individually sized “hospitality personal care products,” and will instead require them to offer these products in reusable containers. This enforcement comes as a bill was just passed in the New York Assembly, intended to reduce waste.
As of January 1, 2025, this new rule will apply to hotels with more than 50 rooms, and then as of January 1, 2026, it will apply to all hotels. With this, hotels won’t be allowed to provide toiletry bottles of under 12 ounces. In this case, a “hospitality personal care product” is defined as a “product provided by a hotel and intended to be applied to or used on the human body or any part thereof for cleansing.”
Once this law is implemented, hotels will first be given a warning if they’re found to be in violation of the rules, and they’ll have 30 days to correct the violation. If they fail to do so, they’ll be liable to the state for a civil penalty of $250. A $500 fine will then follow if the hotel still doesn’t update its policies within the next 30 days.
Discussions have been going on in New York about this for a long time, going back all the way to 2019. Initially this was supposed to be implemented as of early 2023, but the timeline ended up being pushed back, so that hotels could use their existing supply of toiletries, and prepare to stock new reusable ones.
New York is the second state to have such a policy, as California has implemented a similar law already.
This should have fairly limited implications
In general, the implications of this new law in New York won’t be huge. A vast majority of the major hotel groups have implemented policies in recent years whereby they’ve moved from single-use toiletries to reusable ones. Even many independent properties have made the switch.
If you’re someone who enjoys swiping toiletries from the hotels you stay at, then I totally get how you’re probably not happy about this change. Taking home toiletries is something that many people associate with staying at a hotel, and I get that.
While I absolutely think cost savings has been the primary reason that major hotel groups have switched to reusable toiletries, there’s also no denying that it’s better for the environment as well, so there’s no reason that both can’t be true.
As long as the bulk toiletries are properly maintained, cleaned, and filled, I have absolutely no issues with them. Of course I recognize that’s sort of a big caveat, given that many hotels don’t do a good job with maintaining them.
Bottom line
New York state will soon be implementing a new law banning individual hotel toiletries. This will apply to hotels with more than 50 rooms as of 2025, and then will apply to all hotels as of 2026. New York is the second state to introduce such a law, after California.
The implications of this aren’t as big as they would have been in the past, given that most major hotel groups have banned single-use toiletries anyway.
What do you make of New York’s new individual hotel toiletry ban?
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?
The solution seems pretty simple for luxury hotels. Just increase the size of the bottles slightly, so they are no longer “single use”.
Gary Leff spends WAY too much time thinking about bodily fluids in shampoo bottles. It’s disgusting and beneath a travel blog.
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 ...
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
just stop going to NYC
Seems toothpaste doesn't get exempted.
Communal toothpaste in NY.
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”?
I rarely use macdonalds for cleansing anyway.
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.
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.
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?
$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 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...
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.
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 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
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’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
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?
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.
“Bbbbbutttttt won't there be c*m in the bottles then?”
One suspects every accusation is a confession with Gary.
He seems awfully plugged in on the hotel swingers scene too if today is any indication. Thot leader.
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?
They don't police this at all, especially not if you have PreCheck.
put it in your checked bag....
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
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.
We're not talking about 3 ounces. We're talking 24 or more ounces.
USA Hack: Don't steel and stay out of jail.
English hack: Use proper grammar (steal).