Hotels across the country have stepped up to give back to those on the frontlines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including gifting much-needed vacations to medical first responders. Below are three ways that hotels are welcoming healthcare workers to their properties so that they can rest and spend time with their families.
Noble House Hotels & Resorts Partners With Tradelasts to Gift Vacations
Noble House Hotels & Resorts, a hotel ownership and management group with an upscale portfolio of 18 properties along with the historic Napa Valley Wine Train, recently announced its partnership with Tradelasts, a vacation home startup that has shifted its focus to provide free post-pandemic vacation stays for medical personnel and their families. So far, Tradelasts has received more than 1,700 nominated medical personnel.
“We’re so thankful to those that have fought this virus from the frontlines and we are very proud to partner with Tradelasts to gift vacations to these individuals and their families as a way to give back,” said Jake Donoghue, chief executive officer of Noble House Hotels & Resorts. “Our company is built on providing memorable experiences to our guests, so we hope frontline workers will create lasting memories with their families while enjoying our properties.”
The hotel properties offering complimentary stays in partnership with Tradelasts are The Edgewater in Seattle; Gateway Canyons Resort in Gateway, Colorado; Hotel Terra Jackson Hole in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Florida’s LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Ocean Key Resort & Spa in Key West, Pelican Grand Beach Resort, and Solé Miami; San Diego’s Mission Bay Resort, Kona Kai Resort & Spa; L’Auberge Del Mar; as well as two more California properties: River Terrace Inn in Napa and The Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach.
“As Tradelasts continues to thank and serve as many COVID-19 frontline medical responders as possible with gifted vacations, we are very grateful and honored to partner with Noble House,” said Pier White, founder and CEO of Tradelasts. “This like-minded partnership of helping others during this difficult time enables us to provide many more medical personnel and their families from coast to coast with much deserved rest and recovery time so they can continue the fight.”
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Extends BOGO Program
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts is partnering with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii (HAH) to invite up to 1,500 Hawaii nurses and respiratory therapists for a cost-free stay at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort or Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger in Waikiki. Eligible individuals must book by Sept. 30 for stay dates between Sept. 15, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021, with some restrictions. Nurses and respiratory therapists at all 26 Hawaii state acute care facilities are eligible to redeem one free night each per eligible person, and stays can be extended for up to seven nights at a preferred first responder rate.
“During this COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaii is indebted to the medical professionals who serve selflessly to help ensure the wellbeing of our island community,” said Sean Dee, EVP and CMO at Outrigger Hospitality Group. “Outrigger is pleased to show our appreciation by donating half-a-million dollars’ worth of resort rooms to local nurses and respiratory therapists so that they can enjoy a well-deserved Waikiki staycation.”
“As the unifying voice for Hawaii’s healthcare providers, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii is very grateful to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts for recognizing the tireless efforts of our professional community and offering a much-needed vacation opportunity for many of them,” said Hilton Raethel, president and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.
This free night offer is an extension of a national Buy One, Give One (BOGO) initiative, through which Outrigger partnered with MMGY Global—an integrated marketing company specializing in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry—and the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), which spearheaded the BOGO program’s creation and launch. For this initiative, an eligible healthcare worker was gifted a free night at an Outrigger property in Waikiki when someone else made a future booking. While the BOGO program closed at the end of July, the feedback from Hawaii healthcare workers who redeemed stays inspired Outrigger to add additional rooms and extend the offer.
Shinola Hotel Calls for Healthcare Hero Nominations
In August, Detroit’s Shinola Hotel began to call on the public to nominate healthcare heroes for a chance to receive a complimentary, one-of-a-kind experience at the hotel. In celebration of Michigan Governor Whitmer’s declaration of August as Community Health Care Appreciation Month, Shinola will choose a total of 10 heroes to receive a complimentary night stay; one of Shinola’s limited-edition, sold-out watches, The Champ, dedicated to those fighting the pandemic; a private shopping experience at Shinola’s Woodward store accompanied by a notable person from the Shinola brand; and a private dinner for two in one of the hotel’s spaces, opened just for the winners.
People nominated individuals by posting a photo of a frontline healthcare worker between August 11-17 on Instagram and describing why they deserve to win, tagging them and @ShinolaHotel as well as using the hashtag #ShinolaHotelHeroes. The hotel planned to begin to selecting and announcing two winners weekly on its Instagram starting in August.
