Operating a hotel is a huge responsibility. Marketing sometimes takes a backseat when you’ve got operations, managing guest delight, and a million other things on your plate.
But do you know you can attract new people from your website and nurture them on autopilot to increase your revenue? A well-planned email marketing strategy for hotels does the trick for you.
In this blog, we’ll share some low-hanging opportunities and hotel email marketing campaigns you can implement. Let’s begin.
13 Winning Email Marketing Ideas for Hotels
While hotels and hospitality companies spend their marketing budget on social media, it’s hard to ignore email marketing in 2024.
- 59% of marketers believe email is twice as effective as social media and PPC;
- Email marketing generates $36 in revenue for every $1 spent.
Excited about boosting email marketing efforts for your hotel? Let’s look at some winning hotel email marketing examples that you can replicate:
Welcome New Subscribers — Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
Scheduling an automated welcome email is a good practice in hotel email marketing. You must pay attention to subscribers signing up to your email list. Here’s an example from Macumba Hot Springs Hotel.
Subject line: Thank you kindly for signing up.
This email is designed as a tent card that greets you in your hotel room. The old-school charm is in sync with the brand’s logo. A similar template can be a start if you are just beginning with email marketing for your hotel. You can improvise on the way and improve your welcome emails.
What we loved?
- Automate your welcome emails for all subscribers signing up for your email list;
- Keep it short and aligned with your brand guidelines;
- Personalize the welcome message and try to add an offer.
Welcome emails are the first impression you make for your new subscribers. Make sure it’s love at first sight by getting inspired with 17+ best welcome email examples for new customers.
Exclusive Offers — NH Hotels
Sharing exclusive offers on hotel bookings is a useful marketing tactic, especially during the holiday and summer seasons. Here’s how NH Hotels reach out to their subscribers with a personalized offer:
Subject line: Mike, it’s never too late to go on holiday 😎
They’ve smartly personalized this email using a conversational tone that feels like a personal email from a friend. The header image is aspirational, and the email copy is exciting.
The offer is prominently placed below the intro to entice the reader to book a trip. Using a blocked layout with available options (and prices) is an excellent way to ensure readers start browsing the deals.
What we loved?
- Personalize the subject line and email copy;
- Place the offer prominently in the email;
- Share options to encourage holiday and business travelers to explore all deals.
Create successful email newsletters without any coding or design skills. With Sender’s drag-and-drop builder it’s effortless. And free!
Abandoned Booking Reminders — Tripadvisor
Just like you receive abandoned cart emails after bouncing off from Amazon or a Shopify store, you should also schedule abandoned booking reminders. Here’s how Tripadvisor reminds users to grab the hotel deal before it’s gone:
Subject line: Grab it before it’s gone!
This simple email teases the abandoner and entices him to lock the deal for his hotel booking. The headline is compelling and grabs instant attention. Additionally, the large image with all the booking details and the review section might compel the person to rethink their travel plan.
What we loved?
- Send an automated reminder for people who drop off while booking;
- Use incentives, offers, or tempting copy to bring back their attention;
- Add a prominent ‘Book Now’ button as a CTA to take them to the checkout screen.
No matter how great your email is, it will be left unseen without an intriguing subject line. But don’t worry, we serve you 75+ best hotel email subject lines.
Pre-Arrival Emails — Kimpton Alton Hotel
As a hotel, you’re into the business of experiences and luxury. So, why not follow up after standard confirmation emails with a specialized pre-arrival campaign that shares local experiences, what to expect, and even upsell a service or two with your hotel guests? Here’s an example by Kimpton Alton Hotel:
Subject line: Enjoy your stay at Kimpton Alton Hotel!
The email has a subtle yet impactful layout. With personalized email copy and a section about the weather at the destination, it will attract attention.
The header image and the CTA about hotel details are intriguing and will encourage the traveler to click and learn more about what to expect. However, they missed an opportunity to suggest an upgrade or provide information about places of interest.
What we loved?
- Personalize your email copy and subject line;
- Add relevant sections that add value to the recipient’s travel itinerary;
- Tease them or offer something that makes them excited about the upcoming booking.
Post-Stay Emails — HotelTonight
You must never miss an opportunity to reach out to your patrons, even after they’ve long left your hotel premises. Sending a post-stay email is an excellent opportunity to gather feedback and know how you did. HotelTonight sends the following email after someone has checked out:
Subject line: Did you enjoy your stay at Warwick Denver Hotel?
This simple email has a single goal—to gather feedback about the stay. The two big feedback buttons are unmissable and prompt users to rate their stay. In return for the feedback, they could have added an incentive, like an extra 10% off on the next booking, to entice more readers to take action.
What we loved?
- Ask for feedback in post-stay email;
- Use prominent action buttons and CTA in such an email;
- Keep the email short and straightforward.
Re-Engage Campaign — Sonder
Who doesn’t want travelers to keep coming back to their hotel? That’s like the best-case scenario in the industry. Here’s an example by Sonder on how to engage your past guests.
Subject line: [First Name], make this summer count.
The email is aspirational and makes a reader want to plan the travel. The image of the person lying on the beach will make the recipient reminisce about a relaxing vacation. This might make them want to prepare for the next trip — the subject for the next section in the email.
The last section is promotional and directly appeals to the reader’s thoughts. The sender pitches the idea of visiting their city and offers suggestions. Overall, this is a balanced and compelling email campaign.
What we loved?
- Keep the tone of the email aspirational;
- Add relevant tips and resources to plant an idea of travel;
- Suggest visiting your property or city for a relaxed vacation.
Searching for more inspiration? Here are 9 great win-back emails that will bring customers back.
Event and Special Occasion Emails — Vacasa
Whenever your city or area organizes local events like a concert or business conference, it’s always nice to remind your subscribers that it might be worth a visit. Here’s how Vacasa used the 2024 Solar Eclipse as a reason to email their subscribers:
Subject line: The 2024 Solar Eclipse is coming—where will you be?
The email is written in an anticipatory tone, exciting the reader about the ‘once-in-a-while’ moment. The subject line addresses the reader directly, creating anticipation to open. The hotel listings are contextual, encouraging the reader to explore more. They could have added an eclipse path map with listing pins to make the email more interactive and fun.
What we loved?
- Create anticipation around an event with curiosity-driven copy;
- Add helpful links and resources to drive decision-making;
- Provide different options to choose how they want to spend the time.
Location Newsletters — The Hoxton
Why send boring newsletters when you can tempt travelers smitten by wanderlust into visiting your hotels? Here’s how The Hoxton in Berlin reaches out to its subscribers.
Subject line: Ring, ring 📞 this is Berlin calling
The email’s catchy subject line tempts the reader to open it. The CTA copy is witty, and the entire email is full of humor that would make the reader smile. The newsletter’s content and flow will make the reader click the CTA for more info.
What we loved?
- Use humor and personality in your email copy;
- Play with your CTA copy; Don’t be afraid to try something unconventional;
- Use authentic images from the property to tease readers.
Loyalty and Rewards Programs — Marriott
Reminding your subscribers about the benefits of signing up for your loyalty and rewards programs is good. It highlights that they’re getting something ‘extra’ apart from luxury hospitality at your hotel. Here’s how Marriott recommends its loyalty program via email:
Subject line: Enjoy 10K bonus points on a holiday stay
The email subject line is benefits-driven, making anyone curious about the value of the bonus points. The first section features the benefits and also underlines the terms. The prominent CTA button is hard to ignore.
Different stay/property options are highlighted in separate blocks, and partners’ additional coupon deals are an excellent addition to the email.
What we loved?
- Add appealing images from the property or rooms;
- Highlight the incentives and create an offer around availing loyalty deals;
- Give your subscribers different options to choose from.
Last-Minute Deals — Booking.com
Spontaneity has always fascinated avid travelers, and what better way to grab their attention than by sharing last-minute deals with your subscribers? Here’s how Booking.com used Black Friday to share fantastic deals on European hotels.
Subject line: Happy Black Friday! Time to save big 🛒
This Black Friday email appeases readers with a 30% extra discount. The deal terms are mentioned at the top, along with an insight on how to find deals on the website.
The different sections of this email engage readers through offers, interactive content, and multiple stay options.
What we loved?
- Add a tempting offer around vacation and travel;
- Include different stay options and listings;
- Use interactive elements like the search bar in this email.
Local Area Guides — Vacasa
Teasing subscribers with alluring images and local area guides is an excellent way to tempt them to visit your property. Vacasa knows the drill when it comes to promoting its hotels through area guides sent through email:
Subject line: Take a break by the lake 🛶
The email showcases a local lake adjacent to some of the brand’s properties. The large header image of the lakeshore deck, followed by the stay options, looks appealing. Like the email copy, the CTA button talks directly to the reader.
What we loved?
- Tempt the reader with large images of location or property;
- Add a limited-time offer or incentive to speed up decision-making;
- Give multiple stay options around the places of interest.
Staycation Ideas — Soho House
Staycations became a hit during and after the COVID lockdown, which revived the hotel industry. It’s basically when travelers plan a vacation to stay indoors (or visit local attractions in the vicinity) instead of traveling to a different region or country.
Soho House, a London-based hotel, used email marketing to promote staying at its heritage property.
Subject line: Spotlight on: Shoreditch House
The email features large images of the lobby, restaurant, and hotel activities. The copy discusses the heritage and things to do in and around the property. Overall, the email has a vintage vibe portraying enjoying yourself indoors.
What we loved?
- Use large images to weave a story around your hotel;
- Tempt the reader to check out the different amenities of the hotel;
- Add information about your highest-rated activities to your emails.
Testimonials — TripAdvisor
Adding reviews and testimonials to your emails is a good idea to increase engagement and build trust. Tripadvisor adds reviews to different emails, like the one below.
Subject line: Prices are rising for Kimpton Hotel Palomar San Diego…
This email informs users about the price hike and encourages them to book instantly. After the listing block, Tripadvisor added some customer reviews about the property.
This adds authenticity to the email and will help the reader decide whether to proceed with the booking. Plus, it’s always good to include user-generated content in your emails.
What we loved?
- Add UGC content to your emails to build trust;
- Give users an insight into why others love the property;
- Add a secondary CTA for readers to check more reviews.
This is not the only way to include UGC content into your marketing. Learn more: What is Testimonial Advertising? Definition, Examples
Hotel Email Marketing FAQs
Is email marketing effective for hotels?
Yes. It is a highly effective technique to bring in more revenue for the hospitality industry. Email marketing offers an ROI as high as 3600%. Email has always been a promising medium for nurturing prospects and increasing conversion rates compared to other channels.
What is email marketing for small hotels?
Email marketing is one of a hotel’s most rewarding marketing techniques, as it promises regular interaction and engagement with your existing customers. Apart from nurturing existing relationships, email marketing also attracts prospects and can serve as an effective lead-generation channel for your hotel.
You can set up an automated email marketing campaign using email marketing tools like Sender. Such a solution helps automate email marketing for hotels. Capture prospects from your website or social media and guide them through the customer journey using different kinds of email campaigns on autopilot.
How do I advertise my hotel business?
There are a million ways to advertise your hotel. You can promote your property, special deals, and offers via social media, PPC, and email marketing. Another great way is to engage influencers to review your property and share about it with their followers. This will attract traffic to your social media or hotel website, which you can nurture with the help of email marketing software.
Author Bio
Anmol Ratan Sachdeva is a content marketer and small business consultant who has a strong grip on topics like marketing automation, email marketing, and content marketing. He loves to write about building, improving, and growing a business.
