14 Valentine's Day Hotel Ideas to Boost Occupancy

Valentine's Day might just be one day on the calendar, but it's a lucrative holiday. Consumers hit by Cupid's arrow spent $23.9 billion USD on this day in 2022, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Without a doubt, this is a prime period for booking and an ideal time for your property to show off its amenities, creativity, and hospitality. For this reason, here are 14 Valentine's Day hotel ideas to increase occupancy with minimal lead time, ensuring your guests fall truly, madly, deeply in love with you.
 

1. Increase bookings with special rates

While it may seem counterintuitive to offer a reduced rate during a holiday, offer promotional rates for higher category rooms to entice travellers to pick a higher category room because they perceive it's a great value. This tactic may also boost average daily rates because travellers are booking higher category rooms and taking advantage of holiday add-ons and upselling.

2. Encourage longer stays

Offer incentives and promotions for multi-day stays. Rather than offering a one-night deal, consider offering three, four, or five-night deals that combine the midweek Valentine's Day holiday with a weekend getaway. Offer your most loyal guests an added discount this Valentine's Day to boost bookings.

Consider extending Valentine’s hotel packages because many people like to avoid the crowds, while others may not be able to take off on the actual day and would rather celebrate the weekend before or after.

3. Leverage Galentine's Day to increase opportunity

We have U.S. television series Parks and Recreation to thank for an extra day to celebrate love. Observed on 13 February, Galentine's Day is a day devoted to celebrating the women in your life. What started as a fictional holiday has become an additional revenue opportunity. 

Create Galentine girlfriend getaway packages to encourage friends to celebrate together and extend their stays to observe V-Day with their significant others. From decorating your dining venues to offering a pink-hued afternoon tea to seasonal spa and salon specials to get glam, create Instagram-worthy memories for every Galentine.
 

4. Increase occupancy with inclusivity

Not everyone is a couple or in love on Valentine's Day, but that doesn't mean they don't want to celebrate the occasion. Recognise that romance comes in all forms by creating inclusive experiences for a diverse range of travellers:
 

• Couples

• Newlyweds

• LGBTQ

• Bromance

• Girlfriends

• Pet-friendly travel

• Singles / Solo travellers

• Family travel

5. Leverage your property's unique selling proposition

What makes your property unique? Is it the location or nearby points of interest? Is it the building itself? How about the amenities? Play to your strengths and what differentiates you in the marketplace. Then, educate would-be guests with enticing and entertaining social media and advertising campaigns that convey your USPs.

6. Get more guests by going local

Holidays are a timely motivation to look beyond your property and partner with local restaurants, bars, and shops doing innovative things. Perhaps it's candle making or pottery making with local artists, or unique fitness classes like stand-up paddleboard yoga or bungee fitness that you can bring on property for your guests to enjoy. Visitors and residents alike love enjoying unique and exclusive experiences and then sharing them on social media.

7. Earn guest loyalty with Valentine's surprises

Spoil your most loyal guests with complimentary perks like extra loyalty points, early or late checkout, or complimentary refreshments like champagne or chocolate-covered strawberries. These low-cost gestures that delight and surprise can translate into more on-property spend, continued loyalty, and word-of-mouth referrals.

8. Increase revenue with alluring add-ons

Set the mood and offer a variety of themed options. These can include classics like strawberries and champagne, interactive services like butler drawn baths and in-room massages, and unique and only-at-your-property activities. Here are some examples:
 

• Room decor: balloons, fresh flowers, and rose petals

• Dining: breakfast in bed and in-room candlelit dinner

• Entertainment: board games and film rentals

• Mood setters: sheet masks and nail polishes for girlfriend getaways, candles and massage oil for couples, and bath bombs and face masks for solo travellers

• Treats: candy, chocolates, champagne, and fruit

• Classes: Chef-led cooking class, mixologist-led cocktail class, sommelier-led wine tasting

• Unique activities: Tandem bicycle tour, couples yoga class or massage class, sunset helicopter ride, personal serenade, and private dining

• Valentine's Day gifts from local artisans and jewellers
   

Stand out from the competition by providing amenities that are customisable, personalised, and add value.

9. Create package deals

When consumers can clearly see the value add or the exclusive offerings and savings that come from a Valentine's Day hotel package deal, they will be more likely to book a stay at your property.

Package bookings tend to be longer stays than standalone bookings. Studies show travellers who buy a package are less likely to cancel, particularly if flights are included.

Package ideas may include bundling breakfast or dinner, spa treatments and/or room decor with the room rate.

10. Make the stay memorable

Whether your guests choose to celebrate on Valentine's Day or in the days surrounding it, make the experience one-of-a-kind. Offer intimate alternatives to on-property dining like cooking classes, picnic baskets, and private dining. Focus on small details and gestures like providing guests with heart-shaped candy along with their welcome drink or a Valentine's Day card during turndown service. 

11. Spread the word with compelling storytelling

Show, don't tell, your loyal guests, potential customers, and the world why your hotel is the best on Valentine's Day and any day. Create specific seasonal campaigns for each segment of your potential client base, including previous, most loyal, and potential guests.

Once you know your target audiences, create customised and personalised campaigns that include:

•    Branded online content
•    Digital and print advertising
•    Emails
•    Local outreach and partnerships (e.g. airlines, travel agencies, tourism bureaus, etc.)
•    Media coverage
•    Newsletters
•    Online content, including blogs, media mentions, and influencer partnerships
•    Social media, including organic and paid content
•    Your website
 

Create engaging content like offering limited-time promo codes found exclusively on social media, Valentine-decorated room or restaurant tour videos, and contests or giveaways. Log into Hotelbeds Partner Extranet to increase your exposure and maximise your revenue.

12. Tailor pricing, experiences, and advertising to each audience segment

No matter which promotions you offer, customise offers based on your target travellers, which include:
 

• Most loyal customers

• Guests who stayed last 14th February, or over the Valentine’s period

• ‘Gone-sumers’ who booked but cancelled their Valentine's Day reservations last year

• Potential local, domestic, and international guests.

13. Promote Your Property as the Present

Not everyone will be able to take off mid-week to celebrate Valentine's Day, so promote hotel gift cards or vouchers as the Valentine's Day present to increase occupancy post-Valentine's Day. Adding a promotional price or free offering like complimentary breakfast or a resort credit can help sweeten the deal.

14. Build lasting relationships by creating memorable moments

Sometimes, it's the smallest gestures or meaningful moments that can have the most impact. Find ways to personalise each guest's stay. Here are some examples:
 

• Greet guests by name

• Give a handwritten note with recommendations for their stay

• Offer heart-shaped treats with the guest's name at check-in and/or turndown

• Stock the minibar with your guests' favourite refreshments

• Provide festive hampers
   

Fall in Love with Hotelbeds

Hotelbeds can help you gain exposure to travel distributors and attract high-value clients this Valentine's Day and beyond. Register your property by simply filling out this form. This way, you'll benefit from: 

• Seamless access to the travel ecosystem, putting your property in front of 66,000+ partners, including travel agents, airlines, online travel agencies, and more.

• Eligibility for inclusion in relevant, timely campaigns throughout the year.

If you have already joined Hotelbeds, don't forget to access our Partner Extranet to conveniently manage inventory, upload new photos, add or remove room types, adjust rates, and manage availability calendar.