Flower subscriptions for hotels, restaurants and businesses

How a flower subscription works

A flower subscription is an ongoing service: the floral designer designs arrangements for your spaces and changes them at fixed intervals, usually every week for cut flowers and every two weeks or every month for plants. They bring the flowers, arrange them, take the old ones away and clean the vases. You do not have to think about it.

For a hotel or restaurant it is a way to keep the same quality, with a predictable cost and a supplier who knows the spaces. For an office or showroom it is part of welcoming clients and staff. The guide to flowers for hotels, restaurants and offices explains how to set it up.

What is usually covered

• Lobby and reception: a large arrangement of cut flowers and greenery, the first thing people see as they come in.
• Restaurant dining room: small vases on the tables and an arrangement at the entrance or on the bar.
• Bedrooms and suites: small vases or plants, sometimes only in the main rooms or on request.
• Offices and open-plan spaces: potted plants, with regular maintenance.
• Meeting rooms and showrooms: cut flowers or flowering plants, coordinated with the brand.

Cut flowers or plants

Cut flowers bring colour and change with the seasons, but need replacing often. Plants last for months, make spaces feel more welcoming and only need regular checks. Many contracts mix the two: fresh flowers where guests pass, plants in working areas. In restaurants, beware of strongly scented flowers on tables, which can overpower the food, and of treated flowers near food: read the guide on flowers near food.

How much it costs

The price of a subscription depends on the number and size of arrangements, how often they are changed, the type of flowers, the location (a historic centre with a ZTL, a limited traffic zone, and difficult unloading costs more) and the service included: vase cleaning, extra replacements, call-outs for events. We do not give fixed figures: ask for a monthly quote with separate lines (flowers, labour, vase hire, transport) and the minimum contract term.

It is also worth asking how peaks are handled: Christmas, Valentine's Day, events in the hotel, weddings in the restaurant. The subscription supplier is often the first port of call for events too, on agreed terms. See the page on Christmas and seasonal decorations.

What to check in the contract

• How often flowers are changed, and the day and time of deliveries.
• Number and size of arrangements for each space.
• What happens if a flower wilts before the next change.
• Who owns the vases and who pays if they break.
• Minimum term, renewal and notice period for cancellation.
• Style changes by season or for special events.

The guide to the contract with your floral designer has a checklist that also works for subscriptions.

What to ask before you sign

• Do you already work for similar hotels or restaurants? Can I see photos?
• Can we do a one-month trial before signing a long contract?
• Do you use seasonal, Italian-grown flowers? Can I ask for fixed colours?
• How do you handle delivery times and access?

If you are looking for a floral designer for a one-off corporate event, see the page on corporate event flowers. Once you know what you need, ask for up to 3 quotes.