The modern traveler is no longer content with a “one-and-done” home base. We’re seeing a surge in hotel hopping – the practice of splitting a single trip across two or more properties to soak up different neighborhoods, design aesthetics, or luxury amenities.
While this might look like a lost booking for a single hotel, for ownership groups and management companies, it’s a massive opportunity to capture a larger share of the guest’s total travel spend.
Here is how your portfolio can capitalize on the hotel-hopping phenomenon.
Cross-Promote Your "Sister" Properties
If you operate multiple hotels in the same city or adjacent markets, stop viewing them as competitors and start viewing them as a curated journey. Guests want variety; give it to them within your own ecosystem.
- The Narrative: Market the contrast. “Start your trip with the high-energy grit of downtown, then finish with a serene weekend beachside.”
- The Benefit: You keep the guest under your management umbrella for the duration of their trip, rather than losing them to a competitor when they switch scenes.
Create Portfolio-Based Packages
Make it seamless (and rewarding) for guests to hop between your properties. If the logistics are easy, the decision to stay within your portfolio becomes a no-brainer.
- Inter-Property Perks: Offer a “Stay 2 nights at Property A, get a $50 dining credit at Property B” deal.
- Remove the Friction: The biggest barrier to hotel hopping is the “luggage drag.” Offer complimentary luggage transfer between your properties. Imagine a guest checking out of your city hotel at 11:00 AM and finding their bags already waiting in their room at your resort property at 3:00 PM. That is a 5-star experience that builds intense loyalty.
Leverage CRM for Smart Retargeting
Data is your best friend when it comes to capturing the “next leg” of a trip. Use your CRM to identify patterns and trigger automated, personalized offers.
- The “Extend Your Stay” Pitch: If a guest is booked for three days at your boutique city spot, send an automated email 48 hours before check-out: “Not ready to head home? Extend your vacation at our sister spa retreat just 20 miles away for 15% off.”
- Bounce-Back Offers: Use post-stay surveys to offer exclusive discounts for other properties in your portfolio, turning a one-time guest into a brand enthusiast.
Leverage Unified Loyalty & "Invisible" Check-ins
A pain point of hotel hopping is the “limbo” period, that awkward window between checking out of one hotel at 11:00 AM and waiting for a room at the next one at 3:00 PM. As a management company, you can eliminate this friction.
- The “Gold Thread” Experience: Use your property management system (PMS) to ensure the guest’s preferences follow them. If they requested extra pillows and a high floor at Property A, ensure those amenities are already available at Property B.
- Early Check-In/Late Check-Out Priority: Guarantee a 1:00 PM check-out at the first location and a 1:00 PM check-in at the second for guests “hopping” within your portfolio.
- Unified Billing: Offer the ability to “charge to the room” at Property B while the guest is still technically checked into Property A (or vice versa), creating a seamless financial experience across your entire footprint.
Hotel hopping isn’t a threat to your occupancy, it’s an invitation to showcase the breadth of your portfolio. By connecting the dots for your guests, you provide a richer travel experience while maximizing your RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) across the board.
Our team of hotel marketing experts is ready to help you promote your portfolio of properties. Contact us today to get started.
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