Welcome Basket Ideas for Hotels and Rentals

Offering a welcome basket for your guests helps them feel welcomed and cared for during their stay. It also encourages them to return later or recommend your hotel to others. Consider these welcome basket ideas for Airbnb®, hotel and rental rooms.

12 Welcome Basket Ideas for Hotel Guests

Making the perfect welcome basket for your guests begins with collecting the right items. Whether you have an Airbnb near the beach or a hotel in the mountains, including themed items will help your guest feel prepared for their stay. Here are some welcome basket ideas to consider.

1. Local Items

Make a welcome basket with local items grown or created in the area. You can include jams, seasonings, baked goods or brewed craft beers. Putting souvenirs into the basket might also be a fun idea. You can save tourists a trip and make their day with a local-themed postcard, key chain, T-shirt or magnet. Put everything in a practical locally branded tote your guests can use during their stay.

2. Spa Kit

Consider making a welcome basket with items often found in a spa, such as shower steamers or bubble bath soap. You can also include fuzzy socks and slippers, fun face masks, eye masks, branded toiletries and robes with your logo. Other guests might enjoy unique objects like a lotion or a pillow spray.

3. Kid-Friendly Kit

Those who travel with children will enjoy a welcome basket that includes items for kids. Try incorporating toys, coloring books, art items, supplies or travel games. If a kids club or experience is nearby, include some information about the place and encourage guests to explore the area.

4. Festive Kit

If guests visit during a world holiday or a local festival, theme your baskets around the season. Whether you plan to create a Halloween, Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day basket, taking inspiration from holidays and local festivals is a great way to make your guests feel included.

5. Tea and Coffee

Many guests appreciate drinking coffee or tea in the morning before they leave the hotel or rental to do some sightseeing. Creating a tea and coffee welcome basket can improve your brand’s image and speak volumes about your location. Make sure the coffee and teas are high-quality and fresh. You can even include some items from the local area and a tumbler or travel mug for guests on the go.

6. Business Trip Kit

For those on business trips, finding a welcome basket catered to their needs can be exciting. If you have any guests visiting for business, include items like a power bank branded with your logo, shoe-shine kit, notebook, mug or umbrella in their welcome basket.

7. Wine and Cheese

A classic wine and cheese basket is an excellent fit for any guest. It creates an elegant and comfortable atmosphere while highlighting local products or personal creations made in-house. You can also stuff the basket with small, local items like grapes, mustard or fruit spreads.

8. Special Occasion Items

If you know your guest is visiting the hotel or Airbnb for a special occasion, like a wedding, birthday or bachelor party, try including specialized items. Consider including champagne, flowers or chocolate with your hotel’s name on the wrapper to help the guests celebrate and feel appreciated. You can even write a handwritten note with personal congratulations from you and your team.

9. Baked Goods

Most guests appreciate the addition of baked goods in their welcome basket. Try to include items from cafes or local coffee shops and bakeries or provide goods from your in-house restaurant. Many guests might also appreciate a treat with a discount to local shops or information about baked goods in the area.

10. Beach Items

A welcome basket filled with beach supplies will be very appreciated for those with rentals or hotels near the beach. You can fill it with basic supplies like sunscreen, flip-flops, towels and hats with your business logo.

11. Personal Care

Some guests might like a welcome basket with personal care items if they forgot something. Providing extra shampoo, conditioners, soap, lotion and body wash is always appreciated. You can even add specialized items like a toothbrush, nail clippers or a fine comb.

12. Know the Area Kit

A kit filled with area information is always appreciated. Fill the basket with fun fact sheets, dining menus, coupons, gift cards or travel guides. When guests are prepared with information about the area, they are more likely to feel confident about sightseeing and exploring. Help their plans with an inclusion of travel accessories.

How to Choose Welcome Gifts for Your Guests

If you’re wondering how to choose the right welcome guest basket, here are a few tips.

Tip One: Include Both Food and Drinks

After a long trip, guests will enjoy having a light meal or snack to help bring their energy up. Including sweet and savory snacks or energizing drinks like water and juice can improve your guests’ experience.

Tip Two: Make It Pretty

Appealingly arrange your basket items. Put the heavy items toward the end or bottom of the basket and layer your items upward. You can even use some crinkle paper to add volume.

Tip Three: Know Your Guests, Know Your Theme

If you know your guest has come to celebrate something special, create a basket around that. Or, making a basket based on a holiday or local festival can spruce up your theme and make the basket unforgettable.

Tip Four: Include Necessities

Many guests who have traveled a long way will appreciate the extra toiletries, snacks or water your welcome basket provides. You can add items like a washcloth, shampoo, face wipes, aspirin or a phone charger.

Tip Five: Offer Welcome Notes and Guidebooks

For those new to the area, a basket full of welcome notes, travel guides and maps could be extremely helpful. You can inform guests of nearby locations to tour or participate in fun activities. A welcome message also makes them feel cared for during their stay.

Tip Six: Make a Delivery and Outsourcing Plan

Once you’ve made the welcome baskets, you should plan how to deliver them. Will you place them in their rooms or behind the reception desk? You should also consider whether you want to outsource some of your tasks to other companies. For example, you can use a product promotion company to buy items with your logo in bulk or hire a packaging company to package baskets for you.

4 Reasons to Provide Welcome Baskets

Creating a welcome basket for your guest can have many benefits. Here are four reasons to provide welcome kits:

• Builds rapport with guests: A basket shows you empathize with your guests and feel the need to care for them after a tiring or stressful traveling experience.
• Helps guests make the next decision: A snack can reduce decision fatigue and improve their mood, while local information can guide visitors on where to go.
• Promotes yourself and local vendors: Showcase products from the community or create a basket that promotes your brand.
• Encourages positive reviews: You can see more business by using welcome baskets. Guests will enjoy the free items and will likely recommend the place to others.

Curate the Perfect Hotel Welcome Basket With ePromos

At ePromos, we work with various businesses, teams, groups and schools to create products with their name or logo attached. As a promotional product provider, we make items you can sell yourself or hand out to guests. From bags and cups to apparel and accessories, our products elevate your hotel or Airbnb guests’ experience and increase profits for your business. Contact us today to speak to a representative or explore our services online.