So your client is a hotel that has been open for years without a new restaurant launch planned anytime soon. How do you keep them in the headlines without any new offerings or sizable additions to the property?
Partnerships
Partner with recognizable brands that share similar DNA with your client. Whether it is a pop-up in a well-trafficked area, impressive programming additions or a creative package, hotels can use a partnership to offer their guests an exclusive experience they can’t get elsewhere, drawing in customers and creating a story. Partnering with a brand that is generating buzz also allows your hotel to leverage their newsworthy name.
Instagrammable Moments
Create social media hot spots like an Instagrammable backdrop or picture-worthy cocktail in central points of the hotel – lobby areas, restaurants and lounges that will go viral on social media. Invite influencers to experience the moment in exchange for coverage on social media that will create traction. Social media can often lead to story creation within the hotel’s hot list, like this Gotham article on the Le Petit Chef experience at the New York Marriott Marquis.
Creative Packages
Over-the-top packages can be PR fodder, whether it’s a million-dollar proposal package in Las Vegas that comes with a diamond to match, or even the recent Home Alone 2: Fun in New York package at The Plaza that comes with an in-suite sundae station and pizza-equipped limo ride. Packages that are not necessarily designed to drive bookings can create a story surrounding the hotel’s unique highlights and selling points.
Unique Food & Beverage
So the hotel isn’t necessarily new, but the dining experiences or menu can be! Partner with a buzzworthy brand or celebrity chef to curate a concept to promote or work with the executive chef to create a social media–worthy menu item to draw in a crowd – and their cameras.
Vibey Events
Unique events held at the hotel, like a buzzworthy art exhibition with a big-name artist, create both a story and an ambiance that are highly sought after. Like programming, it allows the hotel client to offer their guests an exclusive experience unique to the hotel as well as creates a story.