Hotels expand sales of PB lifestyle items

(Josun Hotels & Resorts)

South Korea’s hotel industry is expanding sales of private brand (PB) bedding and household goods as they seek to capture consumers wanting to replicate luxury hotel stays at home.

Josun Hotels & Resorts Co. is leading the shift, expanding its bedding-focused brand through six offline stores nationwide, including Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam, southern Seoul, and its official online mall, Taste & Style.

Since 2021, annual revenue growth has consistently posted double digits at 45 percent, 17 percent, 34 percent, 55 percent, and 38 percent.

The younger demographic is growing as well, with customers in their 20s and 30s making up 40 percent of Shinsegae Gangnam store visitors.

According to the hotel, its repurchase rate stands at 50 percent, with 30 percent of purchases coming from customer recommendations.

“Around 20 percent of customers want to feel the crispness and luxury of the bedding at home after experiencing it during their stay,” said an official from the hotel.

Observers also noted that domestic travel became mainstream during the pandemic, increasing demand for hotel vacations, along with rising interest in home interior design – both contributing to growth in bedding sales.

Premium resort operator Ananti Inc. is also expanding its branding under the Ananti At Home label. Total PB sales have grown by more than double annually, accounting for more than 30 percent of its entire revenue on its main online mall, Ananti Eternal Journey.

Key items, such as goose-down bedding and eco-friendly amenities, originated from guest requests, reinforcing what executives describe as a try-and-buy model. The brand plans to launch diffusers and room sprays, with extensions into beauty, body care, and food products.

Hotel Lotte Co. is targeting the premium bedding market with its PB bedding brand HAE ON.

Sales in 2024 jumped more than 40 percent from the previous year and continued to grow by 5 percent this year.

The company credits the gains to a growing focus on sleep quality and a broader consumer shift toward “hotel-like comfort” at home.

The Plaza, a hotel chain of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, is also capitalizing on scent-driven marketing by commercializing its signature room fragrance, Parfum de Bois, available in multiple sizes. Sales of the fragrance have risen 32 percent in 2025 compared with last year.