How to Prep Your Hotel for the Holidays

The arrival of December means that the holiday season is upon us. This means that it’s time for people to travel and spend time with their families. Many of them will be staying at hotels during the holidays. To make their stay as enjoyable as possible, your hotel should be ready to welcome more guests.

Participating in the holiday season can help your hotel become more festive and help guests identify with your brand. Here are a few tips to help you integrate the season into your hotel’s operations.

Holiday Promotions

Hopefully, most of your holiday promotions are already in place, but it’s still not too late to start planning. A strong email campaign during the days before Christmas can help get the word out about your hotel’s promotions.

One of the most effective ways to get guests excited about your hotel’s holiday promotions is by holding various contests. Some of these include in-person and social media contests and sweepstakes.

Social Media Marketing

There are plenty of opportunities to tell stories during the holidays, and you can take advantage of these to promote your hotel’s holiday offerings. Change your photos and profile pictures to reflect the season’s theme and your hotel’s offerings. Social media lets you reach out to potential guests who won’t be staying with you this year, and you can inspire them to book their future stay.

Staff Appreciation

Despite the positive aspects of the hotel industry, it’s still important that employees can work over the holidays. This can be a massive burden for a hotel, as many staff members spend time with their families.

To ensure your staff members are happy, you must learn about their needs and preferences. Having a holiday spirit can help boost the staff’s performance, and it can help you provide them with various perks.

Hold a Holiday Event

The arrival of guests is usually a time of excitement, and your hotel should do everything in its power to ensure they have a great experience. To ensure that they have a memorable stay, arrange special events throughout the year, such as a cocktail hour or a New Year’s Eve dinner.

After all, the more you make your guests feel special, the more likely they will re-book their stay at other times of the year.

About Jon Farzam

Jon Farzam is the Vice President of The Shore Hotel, a family-operated and earth-friendly boutique hotel based in Santa Monica, California. While his family has been in the hospitality business for years, his decision to stay in the industry is based on his love for the team effort it takes to create an incredible guest experience. Jon possesses a Bachelors of Science in Hospitality Management, where he serves on the Alumni Board and is a member of the International Hospitality and Tourism Management Honor Society.

Jon Farzam is grateful to be part of a team. He often finds himself inspired by his employees and the lives they lead. As such, he is a big proponent of work/life balance, both in his own life and in the lives of those he employs. Jon understands that someone’s professional and personal life are inextricably linked, no matter what you do. He encourages a healthy work and life balance as it ensures his employees bring their A-game both in and out of work.

When it comes to his personal life, Jon looks for ways to foster his calm demeanor. To find catharsis, he can often be found traveling, in a match on the tennis court, mountain biking in the stunning California hills, or racing cars. Jon Farzam is also a passionate philanthropist and is active within many causes including the Surf Bus Foundation, a local organization that hosts bus trips for inner city kids to visit the beach—many of which have never even seen the ocean.