HOTEL THE MITSUI
Executive housekeeper
Mr. Wajimoto
Commitment to building a brand from Japan.
（HOTEL THE MITSUI Mr. Wajimoto the below W）HOTEL THE MITSUI is based on the concept of 「-EMBRACING JAPAN’S BEAUTY-」.
We want to transmit luxury to the world in a way that it originates from Kyoto and Japan.
（W）So, when we opened a new hotel, we wanted to introduce the highest quality sheets and linen, and we found out about Hatly Textile.
I was very impressed by the wide variety of linen that Hatly Textile offers.
（Hatly Textile Mr.Hatly the below H）Thank you very much.
（W）Also, the sheets are made in Japan.
Most other foreign hotels use foreign materials.
The linen is made in China or Europe, but we insisted on domestic production, which is one of the main reasons for this.
I could look at many samples and decide.
（W）Foreign guests don’t understand anything when they hear the name “Mitsui”, so the hotel as a whole is not as well known as famous foreign brands. So starting from an unknown place was a bit of a worry at first.
（W）I used to be in a foreign hotel, so all the sheets and general linen and amenities were somewhat fixed.
I was told to put these things in. I was using what I was told to use, from this brand.
We had to find the best ones ourselves and then offer them to our customers, so we were concerned about whether this was really the right way to go.
I wondered if there was something that would suit the customer properly.
I was really worried that I would have to search and choose by myself for the first time.
（W）First of all, I was not sure whether to choose 600, 300 or even 500.
Before placing the order, I was worried about how much 600 would really suit the customer, and when I actually saw the sample, it was quite soft, so I was concerned about the quality, thinking that the damage would be quite fast.
However, after ordering lots of samples and trying different things, we decided that 600 was the best.
（W）I actually installed it and thought it was rather solid without much damage, but the fabric was soft and difficult to make the bed.
（W）It depends on the experience and skills of our hotel cleaning staff, but those who have worked in business hotels, etc. are used to hard sheets, so it takes time to get used to making the beds. So we are training hard to get used to softer sheets. Nowadays, everyone has developed a technique to be able to make them.
No customer feedback is good.
（W）There is no customer feedback at all. But I think it’s good that we don’t have any.
I usually get negative comments such as it being hard, uncomfortable to sleep in, or it being uncomfortable,
I think it’s a good thing that we don’t get any negative feedback.
（W）To be honest, for us, we honestly don’t know what it feels like to touch either foreign or domestic products.
However, I still think ‘home-grown’ is good. It’s safe, really.
It has a storyline. The quality is totally different.
It’s good to have a reason to compare ourselves with other companies.
（W）Of course, domestic products have an image of being expensive, so this was a point of concern at the consideration stage.
However, we still wanted to do it, and domestic production is also related to the brand concept, so we focused on the storytelling aspect.
In actual use, we felt that the price was well worth it.
（W）Of course, there was also the option of using a slightly lower grade of the same domestic product, but in the case of Kyoto, a certain high-class hotel that compared us with them used a foreign-made 600, so we stuck to the domestic 600 to be aware of that.
（H）We have been very particular about the cotton, so you will feel the difference.
Sleeping comfort, which is evident when you are naked and wrapped in sheets
（W）In fact, I stayed there to check it out,
I remember what Mr Hattori told me at the beginning, that I should just try going inside the sheets naked,
When I did that, it really made a difference.
Natural or enveloping feel.
（W）We often do things internally that are similar to training, and we talk about sheets when we talk about what we do in housekeeping. I talk about the fact that the hotel here uses domestic 600, and I talk to pretty much everyone in the company about what Mr. Hatly said, that if you go naked in the sheets, you’ll know better.
Staff within the company actually stay at the hotel for training, so they say it’s good there.
Interest in sustainability
（W）It would be good if Mr. Hatly told us what he is doing regarding sustainability and what we can do with the sheets we are using now, so we can use them as a hotel.
If we are going to choose something in the future, that is something we are very interested in, so it would be good if we use such things (sustainable things). For example, towels and sheets.
If we use sustainable materials in these areas, it would be very appealing for the hotel.
（H）Our company is also in the process of developing products that are sustainable + quality oriented. We would be delighted to make you an offer. Thank you very much!