Marketing

🍴 Chestnut acquires The Gin Trap Inn in Ringstead, adding 16 bedrooms to its portfolio. This marks Chestnut's fourth Norfolk acquisition in 2024, joining The Maltings, a 28-bedroom hotel in Weybourne. Founder Philip Turner highlights the growth since March 2020, reaching nearly 200 bedrooms county-wide. Chestnut opened a second "winter garden" at The Globe and aims to raise £15,000 through The Giving Tree for local charities. David Lamyman, the vendor since 2019, endorses Chestnut's management, ensuring a seamless transition for staff and guests.

🍸 Hush, Leamington's new speakeasy bar, transports guests to the Prohibition era with a 1920/30s American vibe. Opening as a private members' bar in January, it offers a five-star service and live music. The space, previously the Robbins Well cellar bar, has been revamped into a 40-meter underground bar after 10 years. Managed by Matthew Nisbets and Bethany Gaunt, the bar showcases 25 crafted cocktails, 13 gins, 13 rums, and 25 whiskeys, alongside over 20 wine selections, including premium Champagnes. The venue, adorned in Art Deco and murals by Gemma Grao, will operate from 5pm-2.30am on Thursdays to Saturdays, and offer private room hires outside core hours.

🏢 Hyatt Hotels Corporation and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas announce a licensing agreement, making the luxury Las Vegas Strip property bookable through Hyatt channels soon. World of Hyatt members can earn and redeem points, with 7,000 rooms added to Hyatt's offering. The Venetian Resort, featuring two hotels, The Venetian and The Palazzo, offers an all-suite experience and 2.25 million square feet of meeting space. The Venetian has undergone a $1.5 billion reinvestment, enhancing its luxury suites. Elite Venetian Rewards members will receive World of Hyatt benefits, expanding both brands' reach in hospitality and MICE sectors.

🛫 Harry Patel, director of Solvue Hospitality Group, emphasizes frequent property renovations and exceptional customer service to optimize the guest experience. His mentor, Khandu Patel, influenced his approach since funding Harry's first hotel in 2011. Patel's renovation strategy includes full upgrades every 4-5 years, exceeding most hoteliers' 7-year cycle. He acquired and renovated an Americas Best Value Inn in Georgia in 2015, transforming it into a Quality Inn. Patel added two more Georgia-based Quality Inns to his portfolio, in 2022 and 2023. Implementing features like LED strips and sensor bathroom lights, Patel's properties stand out, incorporating ideas from higher chain scales. Prioritizing guest satisfaction, he brought customer-centric practices from his Subway franchise days to the hospitality industry, ensuring that every guest comment is addressed.

📷 A YouGov survey of 2,090 German consumers for Epsilon revealed only 8% want to be inspired by travel content on Instagram or YouTube. Over half (52%) find travel recommendations on social media and blogs exceed their budgets, with 18% stating costs are at least double their affordability, and 13% stating costs are thousands of euros above their budget. A third rely on friends and family for travel recommendations, with traditional travel agencies (21%) and travel media (17%) also influential. Young adults (25-34) are using AI chat recommendations (13%) and online forums like Reddit (17%) for travel ideas. CEO of Epsilon EU & Asia, Alban Villani, emphasizes the importance of realistic travel options and clear cost communication in marketing.

🏖 Mondrian and Hyde Ibiza, two beachside hotels, launch celebration packages for 2025. Hyde opened August 2023; full season from April 2024. Over 400 rooms, three pools, a boat dock. Mondrian, with 154 rooms, features design-led hospitality. Event spaces "COACHELLA," "ART BASEL," "SOUNDS OF HYDE" accommodate over 300 people; Sonrojo chiringuito up to 100. April-October 2025 event hosting, with outdoor events allowed until 10pm, indoors until 1am. Early booking advised.

💰 In Dallas, Texas, hotel bookings for Dec. 21-25 are up 22% from the previous year. International bookings now account for 32% of the total, a 15% increase yearly. The top five international sources are Canada, Germany, the UK, France, and Italy. Average length of stays is expected to rise by 5% to 2.63 days, and booking lead time is increasing by over 4.5% to 80.62 days. Data from SiteMinder as of Dec. 3, 2024.

🏖️ PKFARE, a global travel product aggregator, has partnered with European hotel booking platform Stayforlong to provide more competitive rates and a wider range of accommodation options. PKFARE's network includes over 650,000 properties, which Stayforlong will utilize to expand its inventory globally. The partnership leverages PKFARE's advanced algorithms and hotel mapping technology to offer personalized accommodation tailored to travellers' preferences, enhancing Stayforlong's existing portfolio of over 500,000 hotels in 25 countries. Stayforlong, with more than three million users, specializes in extended stays, while PKFARE focuses on flexible booking options and personalized experiences.

🏠 French designer Philippe Starck used local Brazilian materials for the interiors of a 12,000 square-foot penthouse in the Rosewood São Paulo, housed within Jean Nouvel's "vertical garden tower". The luxury suite, offering panoramic views of the city, comfortably sleeps eight. Starck's design features Brazilian modernist elements, including Paraná marble and ipe wood. Artworks and furniture by Brazilian artists such as Oscar Niemeyer enhance the cultural connection. Guests have access to hotel amenities and the penthouse includes a private infinity pool overlooking Avenida Paulista.