Successful summer strategy: Boston Harbor Hotel gets it right

A recent trip to Boston landed me at the 230-room Boston Harbor Hotel. For those unfamiliar with the property, start by looking it up on Google Maps. Literally on the harbor and next to a busy downtown wharf, the hotel is uniquely situated to offer its guests ferry rides to and from the airport. This makes for a rather exceptional way to experience the airport commute, a mode of travel which is otherwise mostly uneventful. Arrival by sea; so quintessentially Boston. And talk about first impressions!

Having been to the property several times before, I was well familiar with their expertise in operations, food & beverage and guest service. These are areas where this property not only meets luxury class standards but sets the bar even higher for others to follow.

This was my first time, however, staying in peak summer season. While still the bastion of hotel excellence, I was not ready for the onslaught of families and kids, which never cease to amaze. Fear not, the Boston Harbor Hotel has this guest mix figured out!

I spoke at length with hotel general manager, Stephen Johnston, regarding his summer program’s strategy and tactical execution. “We all look forward to the summer season. From the time school ends in mid-June through to Labor Day weekend, our team puts out the welcome mat for families and children of all ages.” He continues, “And what amazes our team members the most is how well behaved the children are. Parents, too, remark that their kids seem to rise to the occasion, being on their best behavior throughout their stay with us.”

Throughout the July-August period, the property operated at 90%+ occupancies and with peak ADRs. The property minimizes inventory distribution through OTAs, but actively supports a cadre of traditional travel agents who recognize the property as an ideal getaway for their customer base. Boston Harbor Hotel gets solid pick up through its own brand.com site and to a lesser extent, the Preferred Hotels website. Their bi-monthly e-newsletter distribution to past customers (a database of over 7,500) also assists in promoting summer business, leading to a near 50/50 ratio of past and new guests.

Lest anyone think that the property relies exclusively on families, the hotel created a Summer in the City program. Running Tuesday through Friday nights from 6-10PM, the program includes a selection of live concerts and golden-oldie movies, with all events held on the outdoor patio at the back of the hotel. “The promotion targets all ages, with Friday movie nights a little more oriented towards the youthful set. The music spectrum ranges from Soul and Sinatra to the Blues. And there is no question that great R&B helps build our F&B!” added Mr. Johnston.

My takeaway from all of this is simple: the Boston Harbor Hotel is using traditional promotional activities, and in doing so is creating a reason to buy. In eschewing a discount-laden strategy, they have opted to value-add their product offering. This is an example of classic hotel management and marketing, delivering a reason for guests to visit and creating memorable experiences that are leading to repeat purchase (or at least some hearty word of mouth and ‘twitter-able’ moments).

Is there anything here that you can’t do with your property? I don’t think so. True, it requires planning, operational excellence and some additional teamwork for delivery. But, if we as hoteliers are going to break the vicious cycle of price-first or, worse, price-only marketing, activities such as this are critical.