How to make the most of your (remote) location?

Some of the hotels we work with initially hesitate to sell experiences and gift vouchers online because they think this is typically the domain of city hotels. So, if your property is slightly off the beaten track, should you just lay down your guns? This is a tale of how your secluded location can actually work in your favour, if you play your cards right. 

Hotel Camiral is a dazzling 5* resort and a part of the golfers paradise that is PGA Catalunya. It’s located close to Girona, about an hour’s drive from Barcelona. You could think this might be a disadvantage. But the hotel managed to turn this into their biggest selling point.

Here is the thing: city folk, with their busy lives and careers, rushing around 24/7, might not have a lot of time to disconnect, but they need it more than anyone. So, when they want to treat themselves, they want to escape the city. Far enough to get an impression of a getaway, but not so far, that they would have to spend hours at the airport or in traffic jams.

The marketing team tapped into this intuitively when creating products for the online shop we have built for them. They understood treats like gourmet tasting menus which work perfectly in a city location, might not be as popular in a more secluded location. After all, driving an hour there and back just for dinner is not an ideal when you want to treat yourself. So, instead, they took a more creative approach and joined forces with F&B and spa team to create packages that make perfect romantic getaways. Such as a "Romantic Experience” which consists of two-nights accommodation, couples massage, dinner, breakfasts and spa access.

Let's be clear: these are premium packages, with a price tag to match. They are not bought on a whim, just to treat yourself on a Tuesday afternoon. Still, we see packages like this, in similarly secluded hotels, sell incredibly well. They are often purchased by groups of friends or several family members chipping in together to buy a wedding or anniversary gift. They also make very popular corporate gifts: bought for company partners, clients and employees, to celebrate a particularly good quarter. 

Obviously, considering the location of the hotel, it makes even more sense to enable selling gifts and experiences online. When the hotel is an hour away from the city, asking prospective buyers to purchase vouchers in person on-site may be a bit much…

On a slightly separate note: as the hotel is a part of one of the best golf courses in Europe, the team also created treats that cater to golf widows, waiting for their husbands to finish their tees… These include treats such as spa treatments and pool cabanas. In this case, the online shop becomes a channel to upsell services and amenities to guests, effectively substituting the hotel’s mobile app.

So, the key is to know your audience, put yourself in their shoes, and make it easy for them to engage with you. Once you open the door, they will come. 

Do you think an online shop would work well for your hotel? Have a look here to see what we do. Or request a demo, and we'll take care of the rest.