One Personalisation Fits All.
When the welcome gift is just another box to tick in the PMS.
"Giulia, you won’t believe it. It’s hilarious."
September 2024. A message from Marine, sent straight from her hotel room in one of Marrakech’s finest properties, where she was staying for the PURE trade show. I FaceTime her. Everything's there: the giant bouquet of fresh roses, the golden hour lighting, the handwritten welcome note… and on the bedside table, a framed A4 portrait. Of her. Or so we thought. After a second of confusion at the sight of this sixty-something man, it clicked: the hotel got it wrong. The photo wasn’t for her. Probably meant for the guest next door. No need to tell you how hard we laughed imagining the poor man arriving with his wife, only to find Marine’s face framed next to the bed.
Personalisation is now a must. Even if no one really knows what it means anymore, it’s become a non-negotiable in luxury hospitality. But as is often the case, in trying so hard to get it right, everyone ends up doing the same thing. Balloons hanging from the ceiling with guest photos, monogrammed pillows, cappuccinos with your face foamed on top… It’s all been done. Seen. Reposted. What was once a surprise is now a gimmick.
Sure, we see the effort. But where’s the intention? We blur the lines between gesture and meaning, between personal touch and pre-packaged formula. And sometimes, we just miss the mark.
Thankfully, a few experiences still stand out. Not because they’re grand or spectacular, but because they feel right. At Le Bristol Paris, for a loyal guest’s birthday, we’d leave a copy of the newspaper published on the day he was born. No dramatic reveal, no overdone display, just a simple, intimate emotion.
At the Plaza Athénée, a returning guest received a notebook for her newborn son, filled with hand-written messages from team members she had met over the years. Names, titles, sometimes even photos. A human archive, built over time.
At Lost Lindenberg, honeymooners receive a gin & tonic kit, just like anywhere else, but with a cheeky quote about intoxication and marriage tucked inside. A whispered message, slipped between the lines.
These gestures aren’t about impressing. They’re about connecting. And they work because they come from listening, from the way the team engages, from a meaningful interaction at booking, check-in, or simply in the hallway.
Let’s be honest though: these gestures are fragile. They don’t scale easily. They require time and information that a travel agent may not have… and that an online platform almost certainly won’t. So yes, you may book a five-star hotel to celebrate something big, but chances are, no one has taken the time to figure out why you’re really there.
Which is why perhaps the goal isn’t to personalise at all costs, but to create meaning.Not necessarily by focusing on the guest, but by being more intentional about the context.
Take The Dominick or The Bowery in New York - both great hotels. And both offering the exact same welcome amenity: a bottle of red wine in the room. If you’re lucky, it’s a Bordeaux or a Burgundy (maybe even a nod to homesick French people). But let’s be honest. If you’re travelling solo, or for business, you’re not exactly thrilled to crack open a bottle alone, facing the skyline. And chances are you won’t be bringing it home, especially with carry-on only. More importantly: what does this bottle say about the hotel? About the neighbourhood? About the city? Why offer French wine to international guests… in the US?
So yes, personalisation still matters. But to get it right, it doesn’t have to be grand, or even hyper-targeted. It just needs to be genuine. Let’s stop pretending we already know our guests, and start saying: “We don’t know you yet, but we’d love to get it right.”
At Zero, we help you turn amenities into a narrative, not an afterthought.
From first impression to final detail, we design welcome gestures that surprise, serve a purpose, and reflect your brand’s soul. No more floating balloons or dusty wine bottles, unless irony is part of your DNA. If you don’t have time to let those ideas grow, well… you know where to find us.
Our Tips for Zero
Avoid mistakes at all costs
If you really want to frame a photo, pick the right one. And not one of your guest. Ideally, their child, their pet, or a cherished memory (even better if the birthday was celebrated at your hotel). But double-check your info: no toxic exes or dearly departed chihuahuas invited to the party.Offer a trace, not a burden
A good idea: a gift to use during the stay. A quick treatment to unwind after a long day in the city, a mini umbrella to keep in the bag, a small ritual... Or something to take home, only if it doesn’t require a degree in international logistics to get through customs. (Let’s skip the liquids, shall we?)Create surprise without defaulting to cliché
If the intention isn’t clear, the gesture feels off. If you don’t know the guest, focus on what you do know: your story. A welcome gift is a way to tell the tale of your place, your team, your region. A chance to start building emotional connections. Use what you’ve got, it’s your most valuable asset.