Good Morning! Welcome back to what is, personally, my favorite part of the week, talking to you guys.
This week we’re going a little high level, talking about the importance of creating perfect moments for your guests and then breaking down exactly how others are doing that.
Perfect moments do more than enhance your guests' experience; they play amazingly well on Instagram, are a key factor in direct bookings and add another revenue stream to your property.
Some “moments” can get even more famous than the unique stay itself…
What Are Perfect Moments & Why Do They Matter
Perfect moments aren’t the grand entrance, insane unit designs or even an infinity edge pool overlooking the mountains.
They are the small compliments to a guests’ experience.
It’s a unique hot tub experience, a unique dining setup, the walking paths and room entry moments – the small details of a resort.
But, arguably, as important to focus on as unit designs.
They are the final tipping point that gets a guest to book. Even with the craziest unit designs, showcasing these small moments takes them from interest to “have to book.”
Why? They get to picture the experience that they could have at your property. As cool as your units are, guests aren’t coming just to stare at them all day.
Sometimes, these small moments can create the identity of a destination, enough so that people book for the sole purpose of recreating the moments they saw on Instagram.
Here’s How We Did It At Onera
At Onera Fredericksburg, we focused on in-room amenities & add-on services to create perfect moments, enhancing guest experience and boosting Instagram appeal for more direct bookings.
We added hand-carved rock tubs, rooftop decks, cedar soaking tubs, and a lofted net hammock inside Monarch. These were paired with romantic packages, wine offerings, and in-room massages.
These amenities and services helped us showcase our ideal guests (couples) and the experiences they can come to expect at Onera on Instagram.
We applied these lessons to Onera Wimberley on a grander scale.
We perched hot tubs up to 30 feet high with amazing views, added sunset dining nooks on decks, and wove paths through the trees, ensuring magical moments throughout the property.
Stay tuned for our soon-to-be-announced Wimberley experiences, as they will even further elevate the perfect moments for our guests.
Perfect moments aren't just amenities; they're experiences and thoughtful touches that become your property's "identity."
A look across the globe at how other hotels are creating perfect moments…
Sultan Cave Suites: Cappadocia, Turkey 🇹🇷
Cappadocia would be widely unknown to most of the world without their unique rooftop dining experiences overlooking the morning hot air balloons.
It’s honestly why most people go there, to recreate this moment they saw on Instagram.
They likely know nothing about the culture or history, but they do know one thing: breakfast + hot air balloons.
And nobody does it better than Sultan Cave Suites.
Sheldon Chalet: Alaska 🇺🇲
Impossible to access would usually be a huge red flag for a hotel. Not for Sheldon Chalet.
Perched 6,000 ft up in Denali National Park, you can only reach this unique stay via a 1.5hr helicopter flight.
Yet, every week, adventurers flock here for unparalleled Denali views, privacy, snow-carved dining experiences, and net lounges on the side of a cliff.
On paper, a remote chalet is a horrible idea. Combined with perfect moments for guests, five star service and the ultimate location– a win for social media and direct bookings.
Scorpio House: Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩
Seems like an easy win, an unreal treehouse in Bali. But there is more to the story…
This treehouse, bamboo villa, whatever you want to call it is located in the east of Bali, in Sidemen. Far away from the tourist hotspots of Ubud, Canggu and Seminyak.
That’s the beauty of perfect moments, the image of a pool or net overlooking rice fields blew up on Instagram and people stopped caring where they were.
They just want to recreate the IG shot and have a unique experience.
Giraffe Manor: Nairobi, Kenya 🇰🇪
A hotel that arguably got more famous than the National Park it sits near. Giraffe Manor went all-in finding the perfect guest moment.
There are countless safari lodges with more unique architecture in Kenya, but Giraffe Manor stays consistently booked out.
Guests flock here to recreate this exact moment. Again, like Cappadocia, moments can become more well known than destinations.
Smaller Scale Examples:
✅ Floating Breakfasts
✅ Rose Petal Filled Rooms
✅ Outdoor Massage Locations
✅ Unique Lounging Areas w/ Views
✅ Event Areas Built Into the Landscape
✅ Perfectly Positioned Hot Tubs/ Private Amenities
Crafting perfect moments is a triple win. Guests enjoy an elevated experience, while hosts benefit twice: through enhanced social media presence and increased bookings.
Perfect moments should be right up next to unit design in the rankings of importance at your project. Nobody is coming just to stare at a unique structure, they want magic.
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Discouraged by your property's social media presence? Getting minimal direct bookings? Trying to get your project off the ground?
That’s our wheelhouse, we can help you drive 80%+ direct bookings and maximize the best booking engine in the world– social media.
Or just be a second set of eyes on your development.
Fill out an inquiry here and let’s see how we can work together.
See you guys next week!
-Ben
📸 Looking to Learn More? Check Out My Daily Content on Instagram
🎥 Check Out My Debate of Hands-on vs Hands-off Stays with Irene Wood and Nick Purslow
Ben Wolff
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