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For suppliers and makers

Be one of the right things, already chosen.

Crest & Key is building an edited catalog for distinctive independent hotels, inns, lodges and restaurants. We're looking for a small number of suppliers whose products earn their place, and stay there.

6 launch categories Supplier drop-ship Spec-reviewed listings
Crest & Key crest
Our mission

Crest & Key is the procurement department a distinctive independent property never had.

Why we exist

Most independent properties make five-figure product decisions between a VIP check-in and a broken walk-in cooler, with no buyer and no spec library. We edit the market down to what earns its place, so the robe and the patio chair are chosen as carefully as the property itself.

Who runs it

Crest & Key was founded by an operator with more than 15 years in the hospitality industry. Every supplier works directly with our founder, from first conversation to every order.

How the business is built

It starts with the catalog. Shop comes first.

Shop is the foundation of Crest & Key. Every product we list there sets the standard for everything else we do. When a property asks us for a recommendation or hands us a project, we start from the same catalog. A listing with us is where a long partnership begins.

Step 1 · Now The foundation

Shop

"I know what I need."

An edited online catalog for operators buying one item or several thousand dollars at a time. Your products, presented with their real specs and our Operator's Note.

Step 2 By inquiry

Source

"Help me choose well."

Personal recommendations and recurring supply accounts, drawn first from the Shop catalog.

Step 3 By inquiry

Projects

"Help me get this right."

Refreshes and openings specified room by room, built on the same products and suppliers.

Our standard

What earns a place in the catalog.

We carry fewer products, chosen harder. Every item is reviewed against its specifications and supplier data before it's listed. We look for four things.

  • Commercial durability

    Built for hospitality use and laundering. Fiber, weight and construction stated plainly, with the manufacturer's rated commercial wash cycles where they apply.

  • Reorder continuity

    Core lines that will still be available next year, with consistent color and dye lots, so a property can replace like for like.

  • Honest data

    Complete spec sheets, care instructions, certifications, warranty terms, case packs and accurate lead times. We publish what you give us, so it has to be right.

  • Design longevity

    Products that look right on day one and won't date a property in three years. Quiet, well made and easy to live with.

How your product appears

Waffle-Weave Robe, Oat

From $36.00 · case of 6

Operator's NoteA light robe that dries fast and folds small, which matters with outsourced laundry. Best for warm-climate inns and spa-forward boutique hotels.

Material100% cotton waffle weave
Weight280 GSM
Rated wash cycles150, per manufacturer
SizesS/M, L/XL
Lead time10 business days, ships from supplier
Reorder continuityCore line

Sample listing. Figures are illustrative.

Launch categories

Six categories, edited closely.

We're building our launch catalog now and welcome suppliers in each of these categories.

Bed & Bath

Sheeting, towels, robes, duvets, pillows and bath linens.

Photography to come

Guest Amenities

Bath amenities, dispensers, slippers and in-room comforts.

Guestroom Equipment

Lighting, luggage racks, hair dryers, safes and in-room hardware.

Photography to come

Housekeeping

Carts, caddies, linen storage and back-of-house essentials.

Furniture

Guestroom and lounge seating, case goods and occasional pieces.

Outdoor Furnishings

Loungers, terrace dining, shade and performance fabrics.

How it works

From application to first order.

A simple drop-ship partnership. You make and ship. We choose, present and look after the property.

  1. Apply

    Share your line sheet, spec sheets, trade pricing, minimums and lead times.

  2. Spec review

    We review each product against its specifications and supplier data. We may ask for samples or more detail.

  3. Listing

    We write the Operator's Note and spec block, and set your product in the catalog to our photography standard.

  4. Orders

    You ship directly to the property. We send a Crest & Key insert card and order email, and stay the property's point of contact.

The partnership

What we offer, and what we ask.

Fair, specific and written down. We'd rather say it plainly now than discover a mismatch after the first order.

From Crest & Key

A considered home for your products

  • Your products described accurately, by their real specs, never with superlatives.
  • A catalog built for properties that choose carefully and reorder like for like.
  • Clear purchase orders with ship-to details for every order.
  • One point of contact: our founder.
  • A path from Shop into Source recommendations and Projects schedules.
From our suppliers

The basics of a good drop-ship partner

  • Direct shipping to properties across the United States.
  • Neutral packing, with no competing marketing in the carton.
  • Complete spec, care and warranty data for every listed product.
  • Accurate lead times and stock, with notice before a line changes.
  • Order confirmations and tracking for every shipment.
Ships direct to properties?