I have some exciting news to share with you. Over the next year, I'll be collaborating with Out of Eden, a UK hospitality supplier based in Cumbria, creating sponsored posts about how you can use their products in your business to potentially improve your customer experience and make your life easier!

I first learned about Out of Eden when I attended my food hygiene course even before opening my B&B. They were my go-to supplier throughout my 17 years of running my bed and breakfast, and the hospitality supplies company I always recommend to course attendees.

 To be honest, when I initially started buying from Out of Eden, my main motivation was their comprehensive selection of essential B&B items—shower caps anyone? —that were otherwise challenging to find elsewhere.

However, as my B&B business expanded, factors such as their excellent customer service and commitment to sustainability became more important to me.

One of the aspects I appreciate most about the company is their flexibility in allowing purchases in small quantities. When I first explored toiletries and other hospitality suppliers, most of the companies I contacted had high minimum order requirements (often over £200).

I'm planning to structure future blog posts around specific themes that I believe you'll find valuable. But for this initial blog post, I'd like to share my top five favourite Out of Eden products.

The legal bit - this is a paid sponsored post. This blog thrives on the support and trust of readers like you. Collaborating with companies like Out of Eden, and only recommending products I'd actually buy, or have been recommended to me by other hospitality providers who I trust, enables me to continue providing valuable content to you for free.

1. Cole and Lewis Toiletries

I must confess it took me a few years and trying several brands before I settled on Cole and Lewis from Out of Eden. I began with the miniature sizes and later switched to the 300ml bottles, offering the complete range, including conditioner and body lotion.

Their sleek, minimalist design adds a stylish touch and guests enjoyed using them so much, they often asked about buying them to take home.

These products are made in the UK, free from SLS and parabens, and made using vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. They also offer convenient 5L refills.

Karen’s Tip -  I refilled toiletries to the top for each new set of guests. One morning, guests at breakfast said “We assume it’s ok for us to take all of the toiletries with us?” I managed to squeak out a “Erm no … but you’re welcome to buy some to take home with you”

Placing bottles for sale in a prominent place in reception, with a price tag, will hopefully put off guests from, accidentally or otherwise, walking off with them!

2. Luxury Towels

I've always been a big fan of baths! If I have a good book, I can happily soak in the tub for hours. Consequently, the bathroom experience for my B&B guests was really important to me. At Hopton House, we opted for spacious double-ended baths and luxury towels.

I must admit that one of my pet peeves while travelling is not having a decent-sized towel to wrap my hair in after washing it. So at Hopton House, I provided guests with 2 bath sheets, 2 bath towels ( for the hair wrapping ),  2 face cloths, and a hand towel from the luxurious Out of Eden range. These towels wash well and last for years. We’re still using some of the original towels we bought today.

Karen's Tip: If you encounter a stubborn stain on a white towel, try soaking it in Napisan—it works wonders.

3. Bathrobes & Slippers

The Out of Eden Classic Waffle Bathrobes were always a hit at my B&B. They maintain their appearance for years and are quick to wash and dry.

My preferred slippers were the washable ones, which held up nicely after washing and looked elegant.

Karen's Tip: If you offer non-washable slippers, leave a note encouraging guests to take them as a souvenir to reduce waste.

With washable slippers, do the opposite, and make sure guests don't slip them into their suitcase. I placed mine in a cloth bag, hung it next to the bathrobes on the bathroom door, and included a laminated note explaining that we laundered them for the next guests, offering to sell a pair to if they wanted to take them home.

4. Teas and Coffee on the Welcome Tray

Guests arriving at Hopton House B&B received a comprehensive tea tray in their room.

While I offered English Breakfast loose-leaf tea from a local supplier, complete with a teapot and a cafetiere with freshly ground coffee, I noticed that many guests preferred the convenience of tea bags and instant coffee sachets from Clipper.

I decided to offer both the loose tea and individually bagged tea bags and coffee. My tea selection included English Breakfast, Earl Grey decaffeinated tea, peppermint, chamomile, green tea, rooibos, and a fruit tea.

There were some course attendees who questioned whether I put too much on the tea tray. However, to be honest, it didn't cost me a lot; the items were individually wrapped, so they could be left for future guests, and it enhanced the guests' experience. Yes, there was always the risk that someone could empty the entire tray into their suitcase, but that only happened to me once. One of the things that bugs me when we go away is having only one of each herbal tea in the room. What if we both wanted peppermint tea (we actually bring our own peppermint tea when we travel for that very reason!)?

5. Boot Trays

There are many other exciting items I purchased from Out of Eden ( and yes I admit that did get a little excited when the parcel arrived ), which I'll cover in future posts. But one simple item designed to simplify cleaning is the plastic boot tray.

Place it by the room's door with its integrated note encouraging guests to leave their shoes and boots by the door, preventing mud from being tracked onto your carpets and rugs. You could even hang your washable slippers on a hook just above it.

I hope you found the blog post helpful. Out of Eden offers a wide variety of products to meet all your B&B needs. If you haven't visited their website recently, you'll discover many new product lines. I'll be sharing more products and ideas on how to make the most of them in future posts.