One of the questions our hotel clients ask us most often is, “What should we put in our minibar or micromarket?”

My answer usually starts with another question: Tell me about your guests.

I do not believe there is one perfect hotel minibar, one perfect lobby market or one assortment that every property should copy. A boutique hotel in Scottsdale, an airport hotel serving overnight travelers, a family resort and an extended-stay property may all be selling snacks and beverages, but they are creating very different experiences.

To me, the goal is not to build the most impressive minibar. It is to build the one that feels like it belongs at your property.

Start with the Guest, Not the Product Catalog

When clients first begin talking with us, it is natural for the conversation to start with products. Which snacks are popular? What beverages are trending? Should we include local items? What price points make sense?

Those are all important questions, but I think they come second.

Before I recommend anything, I want to understand who is staying at the property, why they are traveling, what they are paying for the room and what the hotel has already promised them through its brand, design and service.

A guest staying at a select-service hotel may be looking for something familiar, convenient and reasonably priced. In that setting, a Snickers bar, a bag of Lay’s and a cold bottled beverage may be exactly right. Guests know the brands, understand the value and can make a purchase without thinking too hard about it.

At an upscale boutique hotel, the guest may be more open to paying for an artisan snack, a locally made treat or a premium beverage because those products feel consistent with the rest of the stay. The room design, nightly rate and service experience have already created a different expectation.

Neither assortment is better. They are simply serving different guests.

Why Copying the Hotel Next Door Can Miss the Point

I understand why hotel teams look at nearby properties for ideas. Competitive research is useful, and I do it constantly. But I would be cautious about copying another hotel’s assortment simply because it looks attractive or appears to be working for them.

Their guests may be traveling for different reasons. Their average daily rate may be different. Their labor model, storage space, purchasing volume and brand standards may be different too.

One client may need products that housekeeping can replenish quickly across hundreds of rooms. Another may be building a small, highly curated in-room presentation for a limited number of suites. A lobby micromarket near an airport has a different job than a minibar inside a destination resort.

That is why I keep coming back to one simple question:

What would this guest naturally expect to find here?

If the answer is a familiar candy bar and a bag of chips, that can be a very successful assortment.

If the answer is premium sparkling water, beautifully packaged snacks and something inspired by the destination, that can be successful too.

A Few Examples of How I Might Approach It

There is no universal formula, but these are a few directions I might explore based on the property and its guests.

Select-Service or Value-Focused Hotel

I would probably lean toward recognizable brands, clear pricing and easy grab-and-go choices. Familiar candy, chips, bottled water, soda and quick breakfast items can make sense because the guest is often choosing convenience first.

In this setting, asking someone to pay four dollars for a small box of artisan potato chips may not match what they came prepared to spend, especially when they can picture buying a familiar bag of chips elsewhere for much less. That does not mean the assortment lacks thought. It means the value proposition needs to be very clear.

Boutique Hotel

For a boutique property, I might explore a smaller assortment with more personality. Local products, independent makers, premium snacks and packaging that complements the room can help the minibar feel like an extension of the hotel rather than a collection of convenience-store items.

Our clients have told us that this is often where sourcing becomes difficult. They may find one product they love from one supplier and another from somewhere else, only to discover that minimums, freight, packaging sizes and inconsistent availability make the program difficult to manage. A beautiful idea still has to work operationally.

Luxury Resort

At a luxury resort, I would be tempted to think beyond the individual product and consider the entire presentation. The beverage selection, packaging, tray, price card and even the way the products are spaced can influence how the guest perceives the offer.

I might include destination-inspired products, premium waters, elevated savory snacks and something indulgent. I would also consider whether every room needs the same setup or whether certain assortments make more sense in suites, family rooms or VIP arrivals.

Family-Friendly Property

For a hotel welcoming a significant number of families, I would consider shareable formats, kid-friendly choices and products that solve a practical problem for parents. A family arriving late may appreciate recognizable snacks, beverages and something easy to divide among several people more than a highly specialized assortment designed for one adult traveler.

Extended-Stay Hotel

At an extended-stay property, practicality may lead the assortment. Breakfast items, pantry staples, microwave-friendly foods, healthier options and larger beverage formats could be more useful than a traditional minibar built around small indulgences.

The Minibar and the Micromarket Do Not Have to Do the Same Job

Another point I would consider is where the products are being sold.

An in-room minibar is immediate and private. It can feel more curated, but space is limited and replenishment can be labor intensive.

A lobby micromarket can offer more variety, larger formats and clearer price comparison. It may serve guests throughout the day, support late arrivals and reduce the need to stock every item in every room.

Some of our clients are exploring a combination of the two: a tightly edited in-room assortment for convenience, supported by a broader market elsewhere on the property. I think that can be an interesting approach because each space has a specific purpose instead of trying to make one assortment do everything.

What Our Hotel Clients Say Is Difficult

Product selection is only part of the challenge. Our clients have also asked us for help with issues such as:

• Finding premium products in sizes that actually fit the room or display
• Sourcing enough variety without managing too many vendors
• Choosing products with workable shelf lives
• Creating a consistent visual presentation
• Balancing guest appeal with labor and replenishment
• Setting prices that feel appropriate for the property
• Offering something distinctive without making the program difficult to operate

Those conversations have shaped how I think about hotel retail. A strong concept has to work for the guest, but it also has to work for the people stocking it, counting it, storing it and explaining it.

Premium Is Not Always the Right Answer

I love beautiful packaging and thoughtfully made specialty foods. That is naturally where my eye goes. But I do not think every hotel needs artisan everything.

Sometimes the smartest recommendation is the familiar one.

If a property’s guests want a recognizable snack at a comfortable price, I would rather help that hotel create a clean, convenient and well-merchandised assortment than push products that do not match how its guests actually buy.

On the other hand, when a hotel has invested heavily in design, service and a distinct sense of place, I think generic products can sometimes feel disconnected from the rest of the experience. In that case, the opportunity may be to curate more intentionally.

The right answer depends on the promise the property has made.

My Simple Expectation Test

When I am reviewing a minibar or micromarket concept, these are the questions I would ask:

• Does this assortment feel consistent with the room rate and brand positioning?
• Will the guest recognize the value?
• Are the products convenient for the reason this guest is traveling?
• Does the presentation feel like it belongs in the hotel?
• Can the staff realistically stock and maintain it?
• Are we choosing products because guests are likely to buy them, or simply because they look good in a presentation?

I do not see these as rules. I see them as a way to pressure-test an idea before investing in inventory, fixtures or custom packaging.

The Best Amenity Program Is the One That Feels Like It Belongs

When someone asks me what belongs in a hotel minibar, I still come back to the same answer: tell me about your guests first.

I can recommend products all day long, but until I understand who walks through the doors, what the property promises and what the operation can support, I am only guessing.

The best minibar is not necessarily the most luxurious one. The best micromarket is not necessarily the one with the most choices.

The best amenity program is the one that feels natural for the property, useful to the guest and realistic for the team responsible for it.

That is why I believe the process should start with the guest, not the catalog.