Hoteliers in the U.S. are offering various Valentine's Day packages and programming in hopes of drawing in more guests and earning ancillary revenue.
Anthony Stagliano Jr., director of sales and marketing at Hotel Du Pont in Wilmington, Delaware, said via email the leisure segment is still strong, with tourists showing a desire for travel, especially around high-demand periods such as Valentine's Day weekend.
"Historically, the hotel sells out the weekend of Valentine's Day," Stagliano said. "We anticipate a sellout for this year. Demand is happening shorter term but picking up swiftly."
The Standard Spa, Miami Beach hotel is known for its distinctive offerings year-round, but during Valentine's Day in particular, guests choose that property for an extra special touch, Kevin O'Donnell, director of marketing and programming, said via email.
This year, a mix of couples and groups of friends will arrive for the weekend. Because The Standard is a smaller property with 100 rooms, it gives the hotel's team the opportunity to get to know repeat guests on a more personal level to surprise and delight them on occasions like this, he said.
Monica Gonzalez, director of sales and marketing of Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort, said via email there's been a rise in last-minute bookings for Valentine's Day weekend as well as steady growth in demand on a continual basis.
"We are foreseeing a great February, especially considering the conditions we have experienced over the past two years," she added.
Packages and Programming
Valentine's Day falls on a Monday this year, and hoteliers are hoping to stretch bookings over the weekend.
From Friday, Feb. 11 through Monday, Feb. 14, Hotel Du Pont will offer the "Je T'aime In-Room Dining Package," which includes overnight accommodations for two, valet parking, a special in-room dining menu and more, Stagliano said. In-room dining includes champagne, a petit plateu with Lobster Louie, oysters, shrimp cocktail, caviar, Beef Wellington and more.
He said the sales and revenue teams also created the "Closer Than Home Package," which provides customers 10% off the bar with a reservation at the hotel's restaurant, Le Cavalier, and complimentary in-room desert.
The Standard Spa, Miami Beach will offer Valentine's Day portraits in its lobby with a photographer, backdrop and cocktails on Feb. 12. It will also revamp its menu at its Lido Bayside Grill for Feb. 14 only, O'Donnell said.
For guests who want to take advantage of the hotel's spa service or three food and beverage outlets, it will also offer its "Sleepover Specials," which includes a $50 spa credit or a $75 daily food and beverage credit.
Items on the Lido Bayside Grill menu include a radicchio, blood orange and almonds salad; East Coast oysters; grilled New York strip steak; and a dessert of strawberries with meringue and hibiscus cream.
Packages at the Hilton Vallarta Riviera in Mexico this year include the "Our Senses Getaway," which provides round-trip airport transportation, romantic amenities and sparkling wine delivered to guestrooms.
While the goal is to capitalize off that weekend, Gonzalez said the Hilton Vallarta Riviera is extending the "Our Senses Getaway" campaign through April 30.
Additionally, the hotel launched its "Another Night on Us" offer, which will give guests a complimentary fifth night stay to incentivize longer stays throughout the year, she said.
Revenue-Managing the Weekend
O'Donnell said his team at the Standard took rates for this year's packages into consideration with market demand and competitive set, while being mindful of their customer and the services provided.
"It's never fun to find unforeseen charges on your folio after check-out, so with any special packages we integrate those additions into the rate but at special pricing," he said. "When guests book packages with daily spa or food and beverage credits, we know they have an idea as to how they're going to use them. We just open the door a little to motivate the self-spoiling."
With Valentine's Day falling on Monday, he said there's been a pattern of extra-long weekend stays.
"Particularly with the hybrid work schedules so many companies have come to embrace, a three-night, length-of-stay pattern has become the new normal for the time being. Work trips turn into leisure, and vice versa," he added.
At Hotel Du Pont, Stagliano said Valentine's Day packages require a seven-day advance booking this year.
Gonzalez said the higher demand holiday weekends are traditionally filled up with greater anticipation, but the Hilton Vallarta Riviera has seen growing demand for bookings within a shorter lead time.
"Now, we have been able to make a better yielding getting closer to those dates," she said.