Let me tell you where this post really started, in one of my monthly marketing huddles with a powerhouse group of women in hotel technology who aren’t afraid to call it like it is.
Month after month, we kept circling back to the same frustration: why does most hotel marketing sound exactly the same? You know the drill — shiny amenities, great location, rinse and repeat. Yet today’s guests aren’t hunting for marble bathrooms. It’s projected that 81% of U.S. consumers plan to travel as much or more in 2026 according to Travel and Hospitality Trends to Watch. But here’s what the report makes undeniable: travelers are chasing richer, more meaningful experiences first — not a “product” list. And if hotels all sound the same, selling the same amenities on OTA-first platforms, how is today’s traveler supposed to feel what they’re looking for before they ever click “Book”? That’s why breaking the pattern matters. When you lead with something deeper than the room, the results get dramatic.
This post brings together some of the strongest marketing voices in hospitality — real women in the field, not just theory pushers — to share what’s actually working. These aren’t guesses. These are real-world, tested strategies that have driven jaw‑dropping ROI, built on human‑first brand loyalty and most importantly created lasting guest relationships.
If your hotel marketing feels a little too familiar — and not in a good way — you’re in the right place.
Let’s be honest: most hotel marketing sounds like it was written from the same dusty playbook. Melissa Jurkoic of Benson Consulting Inc. puts it perfectly:
“Hotel marketing often defaults to polished sameness highlighting amenities, location and convenience. But guests don’t remember what you say, they remember how you make them feel. Storytelling shifts the focus from features to feelings and discards transactions in favor of experiences, relationships and trust.”
That’s not just sentiment. A 2025 study of a luxury hotel in Marrakech found that storytelling marketing significantly influences booking intentions. Its impact is mediated through customer engagement and emotional connection, explaining 64.3% of the variance in booking intentions. In other words, stories sell rooms. Data from the Finesse Group backs this up: 61% of travelers book accommodations after discovering them on Instagram, and 88% of consumers trust influencer recommendations.
Katrina Pruitt‑Andrews, a Fractional CMO in hospitality, agrees that real stories are the hard part:
“Selling a great pool or an amazing spa is easy — that’s what most hotel marketing does. What’s hard is storytelling that actually feels human. That’s why so much of it sounds the same.”
She’s right. Real storytelling starts with real people: “When I think about a story,” she says, “I don’t picture a generic guest. I think, ‘My sister would love that pool,’ or ‘My daughter deserves that kind of spa pampering; she takes care of everyone else all the time.’” When you lead with emotion and relatability, marketing becomes magnetic.
Boring is safe. But boring doesn’t get remembered. It doesn’t convert. It doesn’t inspire loyalty. Rebecca Lombardo from Agency Host and Vendor Vibes points out:
“I think the reason why most hotel marketing sounds the same is because they start with tactics instead of brand or strategy, then they apply the same playbook as everyone else. Also, this approach is ‘safe’ and really good storytelling done well requires risk — because it’s different and memorable and some managers just won’t approve it.“
Great storytelling takes guts. It means showing personality, leaning into your unique voice and — yes — sometimes polarizing your audience. But when you own your brand and share it with clarity and consistency, the right guests find you. Rebecca continues:
“When you know who you are as a brand, and you own it, then share it out, there is a chance it will not resonate with everyone. That is okay, it’s actually proven to increase marketing ROI, but I think a lot of hotels are not ready for that.”
The research backs her up. Travelers crave authenticity; 75% of domestic travelers say they’d rather explore somewhere new, and they want to live like locals, feel inspired and experience transformation. Guests who feel an emotional connection to a hotel are 13 times more likely to report high satisfaction, and properties that highlight local culture often report occupancy rates above market averages. Playing it safe isn’t just dull; it’s bad business.
Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way, and then proven in real life: your guest’s first interaction with your brand isn’t your website. It happens on social. On The Social Hotelier Show, I broke down how a small, independent resort reached a 93% direct booking rate — without OTAs and without a massive ad budget.
The lever wasn’t technology. It was storytelling. We led with social‑first influencer-led content. We invited creators in as collaborators, not billboards. We made space for user‑generated content and behind‑the‑scenes moments that showed the property as it actually felt to be there — imperfect, human, alive.
This approach aligns with data: 35% of travelers use social media to research and organize trips, up 13% year‑on‑year. Gen Z travelers are 34% more likely than average to be influenced by posts from celebrities and influencers. And influencer campaigns deliver a return on investment of roughly $6.50 for every $1 spent. When people see themselves reflected in your brand through different voices, honest moments and real experiences, they stop scrolling, start paying attention and bookings follow. That’s the work. Not louder marketing; more human marketing.
You don’t need a bigger budget. You need a bolder voice. Here’s how to pivot from features to feelings:
Stop talking like a brochure. Talk like a person. Write like you’re speaking to someone you know — because you are. Neuromarketing studies show that stories activate brain regions associated with sight, sound, taste and movement, while lists of amenities only light up language‑processing areas. Tell them about the salt breeze on the balcony or the laughter by the pool; make them feel it.
Instead of “We have a beautiful pool,” try Katrina’s example: “This is where my sister unwinds after a long week of caregiving.” Real stories connect. In the dream stage of trip planning, emotions drive decisions; in the booking stage, those memories tip the scales.
Feature guests. Feature staff. Feature moments that actually happen. User‑generated content becomes authentic endorsements that other travelers trust. Encourage guests to tag you or use a branded hashtag. They’ll love sharing; you’ll love the free, credible exposure.
Define who you are and what you’re not. Be consistent. Be recognizable. Be bold enough to repel the wrong guests in order to attract the right ones. Successful hotels use their stories to reflect heritage, experiential escapes, community hubs or sustainability. Choose a narrative lane and own it.
Ask yourself: what’s the emotion behind the stay? What transformation do you want guests to feel when they leave? At the same time, tie your narratives to metrics. Track Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR), Average Length of Stay (ALOS) and the Market Penetration Index (MPI). Properties that communicate unique experiences often see higher RevPAR and longer stays. Monitor social engagement, website traffic and repeat bookings, then refine your messaging accordingly.
If your marketing sounds like everyone else’s, it’s not working. In an AI‑driven, scroll‑happy, choice‑saturated world, the only thing that cuts through is connection. That’s what storytelling gives you — not just attention, but trust.
Christine Malfair, a longtime hospitality strategist, puts it plainly:
“Same is lame — in hotel marketing and hotel experiences. It’s a symptom that occurs when a hotel doesn’t deeply understand its guests, doesn’t ‘obsess about the guest,’ as I like to say, so it defaults to what everyone else is saying.“
And that’s exactly the trap: playing it safe becomes the strategy. Hotels start mirroring the comp set, repeating generic benefits, and hoping guests “get it,” even “love it.” But sameness never creates demand. Christine continues:
“The hotels that separate from the pack aren’t guessing. They know their guest so well that differentiation becomes obvious. The best part is that marketing and the entire operation become dramatically easier.”
So ditch the playbook. Say something real. Use your data to inform your narrative, but remember that AI cannot replicate the warmth, compassion and empathy that build lasting trust. Turn your stay into a story worth retelling, and you’ll shift from selling rooms to creating memories that fill rooms season after season.