Use Fragrance to Turn Home Into a Luxury Home-tel

By Allison Hay

Disappointed by cancelled travel plans? Need a little escape from your four walls? Relax, you don’t have to travel with these insider tips from the home care specialists at ARRAN Sense of Scotland, simply layer your home with fragrance to make your sanctuary feel just like a luxury hotel…

Emma Loane, hotel business manager at the home and body care specialists, shares her wealth of hospitality industry experience working with hoteliers such as Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh, Cameron House, Cromlix and G&V Royal Mile Hotel to help you create a luxury “home-tel” experience through fragrance.

Emma says: “Scent is a huge part of staying in a hotel, not only making it feel fresh, clean and inviting, but also when applying concepts of aromatherapy, having a huge impact on mood.

Paying attention to how your home smells is just as important as appearance when trying to achieve that boutique hotel feel at home.

“Here are some of the concepts and products we use for our hotel clients that could easily be applied within the home.”

Try “Scent Scaping”

“Fancy hotels will often diffuse different aromas around the lobby, bathrooms and communal areas, as well as in the rooms themselves. In the trade, this is known as ‘scent scaping’, not just filling the space with the same fragrance, but crafting an experience or ‘journey’ through scent placement as you make your way through the building.

“And you can easily apply this concept to your home, just be careful none of the adjacent rooms contain fragrances that clash.

“In homes, you don’t want to be overwhelmed as soon as you step through the door, so I would choose something like After the Rain in the hallway, which is a really fresh and welcoming scent. Then you need to think of which notes will complement one another as you move from room to room. So, into the living room I would opt for the uplifting floral notes of Bergamot & Geranium followed by the invigorating zest of Just Grapefruit in the kitchen to help dispel any cooking aromas. Then the bathroom and bedroom are relaxation spaces, so something like Ultimate Fig or Wild Gorse would work brilliantly here.

Need help choosing a fragrance? Visit Arran.com and look for fragrances group by category – uplifting, calming, soothing or refreshing categories.

Or Choose a Signature Scent

“We are often brought on board to create bespoke scents for our high-end hotel clients because the sense of smell can be extremely powerful for triggering memories. This is due to the region of the brain responsible for memory and smell being very much intertwined. These ‘fragrant flashbacks’ often serve to remind guests of the luxury and enjoyment they experienced during their stay. When used in this way, scent becomes a kind of ‘olfactory branding’.

“Introducing a signature smell into your home will have the same effect and your house guests will always associate whichever scent you choose with you and your home. Most of our home fragrance ranges are available in room sprays, diffusers and candles and some extend to shower gels and hand wash, which makes it even easier to decant your signature scent around your house.”

Fresh Thinking for Lovely Linens

“One of the best things about staying in a hotel is the big, comfy bed and crisp, newly washed linens. Hotels nearly always use white bed linen because it’s easier to keep it clean and fresh, it won’t date and can be updated seasonally with cushions and throws. Opt for cotton percale if your budget stretches to it and as a rule of thumb the higher the thread count the more lavish (and expensive) it will feel.

“Use a pillow spray as an added touch that’ll make your bed feel even more like a gorgeous boutique hotel. Our Glen Iorsa Calming Mist Spray has notes of lavender and spearmint that will not only transport you to a haven of rest and calm, it also uses aromatherapy to reduce tension and encourage relaxation, giving you the best night’s sleep.”

Toiletries on Tap

“Bath and shower gel and luxury hand washes are a given in a luxury hotel and luckily, we have a huge range of beautifully scented products to choose from but don’t just have them in the bathroom.

“Hotels have these little luxuries by the side of the bed, alongside fluffy robes and matching towels. This is a really easy way to upgrade your home to give it more of a ‘hometel’ feel – especially in the guest room, where you could also introduce thoughtful touches such as fruit infused water and a selection of books for guests to enjoy (once they’re allowed back in of course).”

Win! Win! Win!

To help you give your home the sumptuous ambiance of a luxury hotel, we’re giving one reader the chance to win a ARRAN Sense of Scotland’s Ultimate Fig Candle (35cl) and Diffuser. The competition is open from May 19-25, 2020. Good luck!