Marriott is moving to bulk toiletries worldwide, eliminating single use plastics, to save money and virtue signal on the environment.
It’s much like their effort to cut housekeeping costs by getting guests to decline servicing their room in exchange for points – a benefit that Marriott cut back on after acquiring Starwood. They call it Make a Green Choice, and housekeepers are furious over it.
In a cross between the two strategies, the Sheraton Taipei is offering a coupon worth about $3.28 at CVS in exchange for your returning unused single use personal amenities.
Each room will get one NT$100 CVS coupon as long as tenant returns Disposable toiletries (toothpast, toothbrush, razor, shampoo, shower gel, lotion, soap, shower cap, comb) to the front desk at first floor on their own initiative.
This carries with it many of the same concerns I have about bulk toiletries and contamination. Will guests use their shampoo and then dilute it with water to make it look full in order to obtain the coupon?
(HT: Reid F.)
Bulk toiletries are disgusting. I have to stay at 4 Points twice a year and I always bring my own bath gel & shampoo and conditioner. I always get the same suite and there is no dispenser for the jacuzzi tub, just in the showers, although I’d never use it anyway.
The change from SPG to Marriott has been all negative for this Lifetime Platinum. I think it is time to explore another program, Hilton looks good. I wonder how BonVoy will handle The Luxury Collection? It already increased the points needed in my favorite Greek properties. Will it cut out the Molten Brown Luxury soap and shampoo for that awful all in one liquid? I just can’t see TLC or even W or Westin with such dreck, not to mention St. Regis.
It’s just another negative change by Marriott. If they wanted SPG because of their extraordinary customer service program, why are they changing so much? I haven’t had one satisfactory stay in the old Marriott properties, but the old STARWOOD hotels & resorts are as friendly as they can be.
Time to shop for. Travel-sized gel, shampoo and conditioner. Or, a new hotel chain.
I don’t think this is the US chain CVS, is it? I find any reference to them operating in Taiwan. Searching online seems to indicate it might be an abbreviation for ConVenience Store. Think 7-Eleven, Family Mart.
So a guest can manipulate and adulterate a single-useshampoo bottle, and that causes you to break into hives at the thought of *bulk* toiletries? Do you even listen to yourself anymore?
Gary, you just posited a scenario that states:
“Will guests use their shampoo and then dilute it with water to make it look full in order to obtain the coupon?”
..in which a hotel guest alters the contents of an individual-size shampoo bottle, without detection I might add.
And then you use THAT to project your insecurities about bulk products?
Are you scared of the right thing?
Based on the Chinese text, CVS refers to convenience stores like 7-11, Family Mart. There’s no CVS Pharmacy in Taiwan. 100 NT is enough to get a decent meal and drink at any convenience store.
Seems fair to me. I bring my own soap anyway. Really all the little soap bottles proabably are a waste. Get bar soap and shampoo and be happy.
I am lifetime Marriott titanium. The Bonvoy program is far inferior to SPG. Too bad Marriott bought out SPG hotels.
Small reusable bottles are a priority for the lifetime platinum Starwood . Bulk is difficult to use! Marriott please stay with small bottles!
@Leila – Marriott has already announced, as have several other of the largest hotel chains, that they are going to bulk dispensers in all properties. I can understand this for women with special shampoo or conditioner requirements (my wife and daughters always carry products so they can use the ones they are used to using) but for guys I just don’t get the issue. I still have my hair and any shampoo and soap will do just fine. Most guys my age don’t have their hair anymore and they have even less of an issue!
@John – where did you read the Chinese text?
Can you please share?
The link to the (HT: Reid F.) doesn’t work …
That’s just Duh …
I was just at the Sheraton Grand Taipei, there’s only one Sheraton in the city & when I asked the staff at check out (6 Dec.) , she said that she had not heard of such an initiative at the hotel
Fact check careless much?
@W HO – that was not a link in the hat tip. It was a photo from reader Reid F, who is a long-time correspondent and world business traveler
I can’t wait to see someone pull the old college trick of filling the shampoo bottle with a depilatory. How many lawsuits from women losing their hair, especially those with really long hair that will take years to grow back, will it take for hotel chains to get rid of the bulk garbage dispensers.