By being creative with amenities, hotels can build repeat business and guest loyalty.

"Customers love to feel special and there is no better way than to say it with chocolate," says Chef Joe Cochran, Jr., executive chef of the historical Mission Inn in Riverside, California. "The Mission Inn is a first-class hotel and we want that quality to be reflected in our gifts," says Cochran. "The guests really appreciate the fact that we make an extra effort to thank them for their business."

With these qualifications in mind, Cochran decided to use the chocolate hexagon boxes designed by Chocolates a la Carte. The boxes are now given as in-room deluxe hotel amenities and are presented along with a bottle of Champagne or red wine. According to Cochran, "People love the idea that they can indulge themselves while in the hotel or bring the chocolate home and share it with their families. It is also a nice touch that the lid of the box is personalized with the hotel's logo." For special groups that visit the Mission Inn, Cochran works closely with Chocolates a la Carte to create customized chocolate gifts. "For a world trade group that stayed with us, Chocolates a la Carte helped us design a chocolate globe as an in-room amenity. The people were both surprised and impressed by the gesture," states Cochran.

Arizona Biltmore Builds Guest Loyalty with Chocolates

Ruben Foster, executive pastry chef for the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, has also received a positive response for his use of chocolate amenities. At the request of Chef Foster, Chocolates a la Carte designed a chocolate box that represents the uniquely textured concrete block utilized in the construction of the hotel. "All of our guests love them," states Foster. "By working with Chocolates a la Carte we are able to create a product that is affordable, impressive, and makes a lasting statement about the quality and service of our hotel." The Biltmore gives away over 1,500 of these chocolate boxes a year which are used primarily as in-room amenities and sometimes as center pieces at hotel banquets.

Chocolates a la Carte also recently helped the hotel to create a special VIP amenity for a group of guests in town for the opening of the Planet Hollywood restaurant. They designed a white chocolate box with the 3-color Planet Hollywood logo on the lid. "For a request on such short-notice, Chocolates a la Carte did an incredible job," states Foster. "The contact person for Planet Hollywood said that it was the most distinctive gift they had ever received."

By being creative with amenities, hotels can build repeat business and guest loyalty.