A cotton robe and a selection of other amenities from across Hilton’s brand portfolio were the guests’ to take home.
What better way for a brand to showcase its luxury hospitality services than to tap into a luxury sports market? It’s the kind of strategic thinking that led Hilton to golf sponsorship, and more specifically, money-can’t-buy fan experiences that appeal to its core audience. Case in point: Hilton on the Green, a self-sufficient pop-up hotel room located right on the course during Golf Canada’s RBC Canadian Open in June, and again for the organization’s CP Women’s Open in August.
The installation, which was built on a custom trailer system and driven right onto each golf course, was first experienced by sports personality Mark Zecchino from “Golf Talk Canada,” followed by influencers and media. The room then opened up to winners of an online sweepstakes, which was promoted across Golf Canada’s social channels, as well as Hilton Honors channels, which target the brand’s loyalty members.
Those who ultimately scored a stay inside the mini suite were treated to an elevated guest experience inside, and watched the pros tee off from the comfort of their custom-built decks outside. The program was designed as a “best of” hospitality experience that highlighted key amenities from across Hilton’s 18-brand portfolio, while maintaining the natural ambience of the golf courses through “minimalist luxury” design elements like natural fibers, wood trim, a muted color palette and curved edges.
The Hilton on the Green white-glove treatment began with luxury car service to the tournament, where a personal golf cart and concierge were waiting to swiftly guide guests through standard entrance procedures and transport them, along with their luggage, to the green. There, they were met with a warm plate of Double Tree’s renowned chocolate chip cookies and offered a tour of their quarters, which included a fully functional shower and toilet.
More Sleepover Strategies:
- How Courtyard Turned its Super Bowl Sleepover into the Ultimate Loyalty Program
- HomeAway’s Festival Sleepover Experience: VIP Access, a Stylish Lodge and ‘Survival’ Kits
Naturally, amenities abounded, and they were the guests’ to take home. Perks included Frette linens from Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, cocktail kits from Motto, Byredo Mojave Ghost toiletries from Conrad Hotels & Resorts, cozy Hilton-branded robes and slippers and Bluestone Lane coffee, a signature offering at Tempo properties. To boot, they were given access to luxury food and beverage options on the course grounds. The unique stay was capped off with breakfast delivered by room service.
“Our partnership with Golf Canada started back in 2019, and our goal was to engage new audiences that are interested in golf that happen to also align with demographics for Hilton’s core audience,” says Jennifer White, director-destination marketing, Northeast, Midwest, Pacific Northwest & Canada, at Hilton. “Golf has been picking up steam. It’s the No. 1 played sport in Canada, so we knew that we had a rich base in which to access. Some of the key growing demographics in golf are women, millennials and people of color. We know that these are important groups and these were opportunities for Hilton to engage them across a variety of brands that we have.”
Content shared from Hilton on the Green garnered well over 350 million social and digital impressions from the RBC Canadian Open experience alone—the kind of momentum Hilton plans to maintain as it plots out the next off-beat location to plant its one-of-a-kind hotel room.
“We are looking into the opportunity to take this hotel room to other places that you might not normally see one available,” says White. “This is just brainstorming for the future, but it could be something along the lines of ‘Hilton on the Grand Canyon.’ Who knows where we’ll take it next?” Agency: Fuse Create.
