Linen Service vs. Commercial Laundry: Choosing the Right Partner
The dirty truth about running a luxury hotel is that it requires dealing with a lot of dirty laundry. Ultimately, how that laundry is handled can significantly impact the bottom line and day-to-day operations. When it comes to choosing a partner to handle that laundry, two main options exist linen service and commercial laundry. While both types of partners can get the job done, they’re not the same.
To help choose the right partner for a luxury hotel, here is a breakdown of the key differences between a linen service and a commercial laundry partner.
Linen Service
Linen services offer linen rental and laundering packages.
Pros
Inventory Management: Since the hotel doesn’t own the supply, it also offloads the majority of the linen inventory management.
One-Size-Fits-All: Linen services can only offer so much differentiation in linens. There may be little to no control over the kind of linens provided as well as their quality and wear.
Cons
Batched Washing: When working with linen service, linens from multiple clients may be combined and washed in large batches without regard to industry or stain-specific separation. For example, hospital linens may be mixed with restaurant linens in the washing process.
Inflexible: Given that linen service is subscription-based, there is little to no room for adjustments. This can create lots of problems for the hotel industry, especially around seasonal travel influxes.
Commercial Laundry Services
Commercial laundry services offer laundering services of the hotel’s existing linens.
Pros
Complete Control: When using a commercial laundry provider, the hotel maintains complete control over the linen type, quality, and washing schedule.
Lower Cost over the Long Term: Commercial laundry service tends to be more cost-efficient over time than subscription-based linen service.
Cons
Geared towards Specific Industries: Commercial laundry service providers tend to specialize in a certain industry, such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and more. This means that not every commercial launder is the right fit for every kind of client.
Logistics: While commercial laundry service providers do keep track of how much linen is dropped off and picked up, the hotel is required to manage its own inventory on the property.
Choosing the Right Fit
By understanding the advantages and disadvantages of linen services and commercial laundry, one can make an informed decision that keeps the hotel running smoothly and efficiently.
Have questions about the different laundry solutions for luxury hotels? Our team of experts are here to help. Contact us to learn more.