Hospitality's newest currency is connection. Across the industry, hotels are reimagining their public spaces and guest itineraries as platforms for community, culture, and cause, blurring the line between where you stay and how you experience a place. We asked communications leaders how their properties are programming for this shift — here's what they had to say.
Shelley Wright, Vice President of Communications, Ace Hotel
Photo credit: Ellie Patterson
“At Ace, everything we program is designed to connect with our community, evoke an emotional response, and provide an experience that may not exist elsewhere. The Ace guest has come to expect a forward-thinking, experimental approach to programming. You can trace this back to our early years with events like the Festival of Disruption, which we did with David Lynch (RIP). We’re so lucky to work with partners who are doing interesting things.
“In recent years, we’ve incorporated more dynamic and hands-on experiences, responding to a growing interest in deeper engagement. Last summer at Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, we ran Summer Series, which went beyond music to include drawing and ceramics workshops with Greek artists from the hotel's permanent art collection. In celebration of NYCx Design Week this year, Ace Brooklyn teamed up with décor Substack FOR SCALE for FURNITURE WITH LIFE, live drawing sessions of a nude model atop iconic furniture provided by friends at Rarify, Santa & Cole, and BENI Rugs, which we originally debuted in Toronto back in January during DesignTO.
“The popularity of these events—with guests across the board, from the longtime Ace fan to the curious newcomer—shows that they’re resonating.”
Amanda M. Williams, Sr. Manager, Global Brand Comms, Luxury & Branded Residential, Hilton
Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts
“Today's luxury traveler is looking for more than a place to stay; they're seeking a deeper connection to the destination and the stories that make it unique. At LXR Hotels & Resorts, recently named the No. 3 Hotel Brand in the World by Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards, that philosophy comes to life through our Pursuit of Adventure pillar, which inspires properties to curate experiences rooted in local culture, discovery, and a true sense of place.
“At Ka Laʻi Waikīkī Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts, guests can embark on private hiking expeditions through Oahu's breathtaking landscapes, enjoy farm-to-table culinary experiences, or set sail on luxury yachts for a Hawaiian 'sea-to-table' adventure. At Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts, guests can participate in a sacred soul blessing ceremony at Pura Batu Dalem, a spiritual ritual featuring purification with Holy Water and traditional Balinese prayers.
“These bespoke adventures go far beyond traditional hotel programming. They create meaningful connections to the destination, its people, and its traditions while delivering the sense of discovery and personal enrichment today's luxury traveler seeks. By designing experiences that can only happen in that specific place, our properties foster deeper guest engagement and create memories that last long after the journey ends.”
Jessica McGettigan, Director, Public Relations & Marketing Communications, PTG Consulting
Photo credit: Marival Resorts
“In Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, Marival Resorts brings animal welfare, community engagement and meaningful travel experiences to guests through a partnership with A Dog’s New Life, a local nonprofit rescue organization. Weekly adoption events take place at Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit, where travelers are connected with rescued dogs and learn about the partnership’s broader mission of rehabilitation and responsible pet ownership. Guests of Marival Resorts can also extend the impact of their vacation by serving as Flight Angels, or volunteers who escort rescue dogs on flights to their adoptive families in the U.S. and Canada. To date, the program has contributed to 14 successful adoptions across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, demonstrating how luxury hospitality can serve as a platform for purpose driven travel.
“Serras Sevilla brings new life to a historic early 20th-century building by Aníbal González, thoughtfully restored and reinterpreted as a highly curated, design-led boutique hotel. Conceived as Seville through the lens of Serras, the hotel extends its design philosophy beyond the building itself and into the guest experience, creating a deeper connection to the city's cultural and creative life. Exceptional, personalized service is a founding pillar of the Serras Collection brand, with every stay shaped around the individual. The hotel opens encounters that no guidebook can arrange from private after-hours visits to the Cathedral and early access to the Real Alcázar with a specialist art historian, to time spent with a master ceramicist in Triana, visits to Sevilla’s storied flamenco ateliers and bespoke tastings in Andalusian bodegas.”
Patricia Galas, Vice President of Marketing, Trump Hotels
Yanni Design Studio x Trump Hotels
“At Trump Hotels, we believe hospitality extends beyond the guest experience and creates opportunities to make a meaningful impact in the communities where we operate. Our work supporting St. Jude is one example of how we bring that philosophy to life, engaging guests and colleagues around a shared commitment to giving back.
“This summer, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago collaborated with Yanni Design Studio and introduced ‘Bloom of Hope,’ a floral installation in the hotel lobby designed to raise awareness and inspire donations to St. Jude. Guests were invited to contribute through an easy-to-use QR code or donation box, with those who participated receiving a packet of wildflower seeds as a reminder that every act of generosity can help nurture hope. The activation transformed a traditional lobby space into an interactive moment of connection and purpose, bringing our guests and team together around a cause that reaches far beyond the hotel itself."
