Experiences are the ultimate status symbol for the modern traveler. In this webinar, unlock insights from leading luxury properties like Alila Ventana (Hyatt Hotels), The Charleston Place, and Southall Farm & Inn about how they leverage unforgettable experiences to boost ADR and attract discerning travelers.
Building an experiential-led brand offers tangible benefits beyond booking revenue, including stronger brand awareness, higher ADRs, and deeper customer loyalty.
Watch the on-demand webinar below or keep reading to discover:
- Why leading hospitality brands invest in experiences
- How to create authentic experiences that elevate your brand and drive ADR
- Justifying premium rates through unique programming
- How to make it easy for guests to discover and book experience itineraries online
- Experiences as a brand awareness strategy
1. Why leading hospitality brands invest in experiences
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More travelers are exploring the world and seeking experiences over material goods.
As travelers look beyond conventional hotel stays, hospitality brands can add value and drive demand by offering immersive experiences. These programs go beyond traditional amenities, connecting guests with local culture and creating memorable moments that encourage repeat visits for years to come.
By investing in a mix of complimentary and premium programming, brands like Alila Ventana Big Sur, The Charleston Place, and Southall Farm & inn create memorable, personalized moments that add value for travelers.
“Guests today want to feel connected to the place they’re visiting and be involved in their experience, not just witness it,” said Julia Chaland, Resort Manager at Alila Ventana In Big Sur, this means guided hikes among the redwoods, foraging excursions, and other nature-driven activities that reflect the soul of the coastal region. “It’s not just about the room,” Julia added. “It’s about the environment, the rejuvenation, the connection to nature, and the community.”
This experiential approach also differentiates brands in competitive markets. Catherine Woods, Director of Marketing at The Charleston Place, emphasized that their goal is to give guests “the keys to Charleston.” By offering events like private jewelry shopping with renowned local artisans and exclusive culinary tours, the property becomes a gateway to Charleston’s vibrant culture and community. “We want to be the name that locals recommend because we offer something more than a stay,” Woods noted.
Southall Farm and Inn in Tennessee, just 25 miles outside of Nashville, roots its experiential strategy in a unique, seed-to-fork approach. “Our experiences are all about immersing guests in our land, our farm, and our way of life,” said Kate Halvey, Southall’s Director of Guest Experience. Whether it’s honey harvesting with their beekeeper or a wellness experience using ingredients grown on the farm, Southall’s offerings make guests feel part of the property’s natural rhythm and provide a one-of-a-kind experience they’re willing to pay extra for.
For these brands, creating a memorable stay goes beyond luxury; it’s about offering guests an authentic sense of place that sets them apart in highly competitive markets.
2. How to create authentic experiences that elevate your brand and drive ADR
Crafting an experiential program that feels cohesive with your locale and resonates with guests requires a thoughtful approach to authenticity and quality. Here’s how:
Know your audience and what they want
Understanding what makes guests feel connected and valued is essential. As Southall’s Director of Guest Experience, Kate Halvey, shared, “The most important thing that we’ve learned is to truly know who we are, but also who our guest is and what they want.” By actively listening to guests and being responsive to their preferences, properties can develop programs that resonate deeply, fostering loyalty and return visits.
Focus on quality over quantity
Starting with a few well-executed experiences can have a much greater impact than offering a large but less cohesive selection.
“Remember that it’s quality over quantity,” said Julia Chaland, Resort Manager at Alila Ventana Big Sur. “We didn’t start with 40 programs. You don’t need to have a certain number to be competitive[…] it’s meaningful quality experiences over how many you can actually achieve.”
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By focusing on carefully curated activities—such as guided hikes, foraging trips, or sunset meditation sessions—Alila Ventana Big Sur offers guests a sense of connection to the landscape that feels intentional and intimate.
Showcase your brand’s unique identity
Authenticity is at the heart of a successful experiential program. Each offering should reflect the brand’s unique identity, whether through storytelling, local partnerships, or traditions rooted in the property’s surroundings. At Southall Farm and Inn, many experiences revolve around the property’s working farm. As Kate explains, “Whether it is a wellness activity, in our spa or an adventure activity, a culinary program... we like to focus on our harvest and make [the experience] seasonal to always keep it fresh.”
Leverage hosts to expand your offerings and expertise
Partnering with local hosts can bring depth and uniqueness to an experiential program while minimizing the lift for your onsite team.
By partnering with Croghan's Jewel Box, an iconic Charleston jewelry store, The Charleston Place created a truly exclusive shopping event. “The family members who own the store are the hosts, which builds our brand expertise and introduces our guests to the community,” Woods explained. Leveraging these collaborations not only enriches the guest experience but also amplifies brand reach through shared audiences and extended local connections.
Test, refine, and scale
Launching new experiences doesn’t require an expansive slate from the start. By experimenting with a few quality programs and scaling those that gain traction, properties can refine offerings over time. Testing different experiences allows brands to determine what resonates best with their guests, setting the stage for sustainable growth.
With Way, it’s easy to track analytics in real-time and scale what’s working.
3. Justifying premium rates through unique programming
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For leisure travelers, particularly those staying at high-end resorts, value perception is paramount. To justify premium rates, properties like Alila Ventana and Southall leverage a mix of complementary and paid experiences to add value.
“At Alila Ventana, we’re an all-inclusive resort,” shared Julia Chaland, Resort Manager. “So when our guests are coming to us, they are here to stay, and they are not looking to go off property. I think something that’s really important about experiences with the current modern traveler is, there is always this question of perception of value.”
The experiences at Alila Ventana are designed to immerse guests in Big Sur’s essence. “Maybe half of our experiences are complimentary,” Julia explained, which include everything from local foraging hikes to a “sharpen the blade” workshop with a local artisan. “Our guests are taking home a piece of Ventana with them,” she noted, whether it’s a handcrafted leather item or an upcycled artifact from a fallen redwood. These high-touch experiences foster a deep connection to the property and the landscape, transforming guest stays into a distinctive, all-inclusive journey that justifies the premium rate.
Southall adopts a similar approach to enhance perceived value, ensuring guests feel they’re receiving a well-rounded experience. “We have a higher ADR[...], and while our guests are prepared to pay that rate, they’re still looking for value for money,” shared Kate Halvey, Director of Guest Experience. To meet this expectation, Southall offers a range of activities included in the resort fee, such as “yoga, sound bathing, access to our lake activities, and hiking trails.” This mix of complementary wellness options ensures guests feel they’re receiving ample value while having the option to book higher-tiered activities.
4. Make it easy for guests to discover and book experience itineraries online
For modern travelers, the ability to customize and control their itinerary is a key part of the experience. Leading properties like Alila Ventana and Southall are embracing digital tools to empower guests to tailor their stays, seamlessly integrating experiences that enhance the journey while also providing convenience.
“Our guests want to be in control. They want to be able to book their own experiences,” shared Kate Halvey from Southall. Recognizing this demand, Southall powers experiences using Way’s white-label booking pages, allowing guests to discover, book, and pay for activities in advance.
From wellness offerings like yoga and sound bathing to unique experiences like falconry or mountain biking, guests are able to explore all options at their own pace. “By having everything available online, guests can book their itinerary in their own time,” Kate explained. This process not only adds convenience but also allows guests to feel more engaged and prepared, knowing what their stay will look like even before arrival.
Alila Ventana has seen similar success with digital itinerary planning, allowing guests to browse and choose experiences that match their interests. “Once we get them into one experience, we know they’ll want to book others,” noted Julia Chaland, highlighting how a digital booking system encourages guests to explore a wider array of offerings.
Here are a few ways to empower guests to book their itineraries online:
- Make experiences easily discoverable: Feature experiences prominently on your homepage to capture guest interest early.
- Enable direct booking: Allow guests to book experiences instantly through your website for a seamless user experience.
- Use engaging visuals: Include stunning, high-quality images that inspire guests to explore and book.
- Promote across channels: Share experiences regularly on social media and through email marketing to reach guests at every touchpoint.
- Display QR codes on-property: Showcase experiences around your property to encourage spontaneous bookings and enhance guest engagement.
5. Experiences as a brand awareness strategy
Launching iconic experiences that return each year offers a powerful strategy for building brand awareness and guest loyalty. For The Charleston Place, their annual Let It Snow event has become a beloved holiday tradition, drawing thousands of guests and community members alike.
This experience has not only set them apart in a competitive market but also established a consistent point of connection that guests and the community look forward to each year. In 2022 and 2023 alone, Let It Snow attracted over 50,000 bookings, including a remarkable 20,000 reservations made in a single day.
“The results were clearly quantifiable. Even if there’s no dollars and cents that you can specifically track to a free snowfall experience, there are absolutely ways you can not only differentiate your brand [through experiences] but really help contribute to the bottom line as well,” shared Catherine Woods, Director of Marketing at The Charleston Place.
This focus on creating memorable, recurring experiences has paid off significantly: The Charleston Place reported a $1M+ increase in total holiday season revenue from 2022 to 2023, largely attributed to the popularity of its experiential programming. A recent survey further revealed that 95% of guests who participated in Let It Snow felt more likely to return, highlighting the experience’s effectiveness in fostering loyalty and building lifelong connections with guests.
Recap: Leveraging Experiences to Drive ADR, Room Demand, and Loyalty
For leading hospitality brands, experiences go beyond just enhancing a stay; it’s about shaping a brand that resonates with guests and drives measurable outcomes. By offering distinctive, locally-rooted activities, properties like Alila Ventana, The Charleston Place, and Southall Farm & Inn create unforgettable memories that translate to higher ADR, increased room demand, and stronger loyalty.
From crafting annual traditions that become beloved brand staples to empowering guests with seamless digital booking tools, these strategies show how hospitality brands can stand out in competitive markets and build lasting relationships with guests and the local community. Experiences are more than add-ons—they’re essential to establishing brand identity, driving repeat visits, and boosting long-term revenue.
Want to see how Way can elevate your property through the power of experiences? Book a demo with Way and start transforming your brand today.
