In our recent Email Benchmark Report, it was overwhelmingly clear that email is the preferred channel of communication for marketing and businesses.
NB: This is an article from Cendyn
With the shift towards contactless technology and social distancing measures still in place, email continues to be one of the most effective ways to stay connected and communicate with hotel guests.
While personalized marketing emails are important, pre-stay communications are also top of mind for hotel guests. Hotel News Now conducted a hotel guest satisfaction survey which showed that ‘pre-stay communications are very important to guests and overall satisfaction scores fall approximately 66 points when pre-stay communications don’t happen’. Guests want to feel prepared for their hotel stay, so it is key to update with them with information around new mandates and safety protocols on-site.
As summer comes to a close in the Northern Hemisphere, we’d like to share with you the best reopening emails we’ve seen over the last few weeks. Each email was carefully selected based on email design, content and offer. We are proud to share these with you, as it is a testament to the hard work our customers put into delivering the very best for their guests during these unprecedented times. These emails are just a snapshot of how our customers are communicating with their guests and offering a safe, stress-free guest experience.
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Capella Singapore
Capella Singapore welcomed guests back with a staycation offer for guests that wanted to stay local and avoid traveling. Within their email, Capella featured enriching experiences available at their hotel including trekking excursions, cooking classes, yoga sessions, scavenger hunts and other craft workshops.
The Standard
The Standard went for a fun, playful approach with a special reopening rate of 25% off and they also highlighted their new health and safety guidelines.
The Conservatorium
The Converservatorium in Amsterdam sent out a reopening email featuring all the information guests would want to know before making a booking. They shared their reopening date, updated health and safety guidelines as well as their flexible booking and cancellations policy.
Virgin Hotels
Virgin Hotels in Chicago sent an email featuring special reopening rates, long-term stay discounts, complimentary cocktails and F&B credit for their guests.
SiR Hotels
Sir Hotels welcomed guests back with a special rate, late-check out, a free room upgrade, a cultural city itinerary and an update on health and safety procedures.
The Hoxton
The Hoxton’s reopening email featured a staycation offer with £100 worth of F&B credit, free cancellations for direct bookings as well as updated health and cleaning guidance. They also shared their ‘Flexy Time’ concept which allows guests to check in or check it as early or late as they want for free.
During the last two weeks of July, The Hoxton also ran a giveaway promotion called ‘Honesty Rooms’ as a pick-me-up to their customers. They offered a limited number of rooms in a giveaway where customers would pay what they could financially put forward, and the hotel would pick up the rest of the bill.
The Pilgrm
The Pilgrm sent an email with a whole list of treats to remind their guests just how much they’ve missed them during lockdown. They offered special rates, welcome drinks, an F&B credit, skincare products, late check-out as well as flexible bookings and cancellations. For an extra level of excitement, they included a competition for a boat trip and picnic around London.
Aside from reopening promotional emails, The Pilgrm also sends pre-stay communications to their guests. They send a check-in email to all incoming guests giving them an option to check-in digitally before arriving to the hotel.
Instagram offers
Our customers’ reopening offers were not limited strictly to email. Some customers took the opportunity to leverage social media channels such as Instagram to feature bespoke offers.
The Houstonian Hotel
The Houstonian offered hope to brides and grooms this summer by featuring an Intimate Wedding Package for up to 30 people. With social distancing measures changing the dynamics of large weddings, this option allowed couples to still celebrate their memorable occasion surrounded by loved ones and the hotel also offered virtual wedding ceremony capabilities so those not in attendance could tune in.
The Hoxton Hotel
In August, The Hoxton launched ‘Camp Hox’ in Oxfordshire. Camp Hox was a month-long glamping pop-up in the countryside featuring luxe tents, food, bike rentals, communal fire pits, cocktails, etc. The Hoxton recognized that people were weary of traveling into cities but still wanted to offer their guests a unique summer experience.
Wynn Las Vegas
Throughout the month of August, The Wynn offered a STAY and PLAY special which was a packaged offer of hotel accommodation, a round of golf, a dinner credit to one of their restaurants and a personalized gift.
