We have talked a bit about hotel marketing before, and another area where hotels can get a public relations boost is by offering unique deals and packages.

Hotel packages are often used to increase sales for a property. The equation is simple. Offer an enticing package that adds value, discounts or ease to the traveler and the traveler will be more inclined to book. Even someone that wasn’t planning a getaway may choose to do so if the package is attractive enough.  Hotels have come up with every type of package imaginable: 3rd night free, 50% off, packages that include dining or spa credits, etc.

But there is also another reason to offer packages, and that is for public relations. Hotels have offered all sorts of wacky packages to get some added media coverage. Do they expect many people to book these packages? Maybe not, but these packages do help build awareness for the property. Packages can get press for being outrageous, tying into pop culture, or popular events or holidays. Hotels have offered everything from a Survivor package, which offered rooms for $19 a night – if you didn’t mind giving up all luxury amenities, including a bed and toilet paper. The package got huge attention from the media. The Tropicana in Atlantic City even offered a Jersey Shore package, tapping into the incredible popularity of the show. Media coverage ensued.

Packages are just another way for a hotel to tell a story about the property, regardless if the property has any news or not. I personally love some of the outlandish hotel packages I come across, but that doesn’t mean I am going to book them anytime soon. I personally like sleeping in a bed when I go to a hotel, and while I watch the Jersey Shore, I don’t really feel the need to reenact it. But, those packages have raised my awareness of the hotels, and I may book there the next time I go on a vacation, at full price.

What other crazy packages have you seen, and have you ever booked one?