How does a hotel launch itself all the way to #6 on the Conde Nast Readers Choice Best List?

Answer: Lots of Amazing Glass and Service that’s First Class

Mark Brooks wrote an excellent post yesterday about the Hotel Murano on LostRemote.com.  Here is an excerpt:

“A friend of mine, Brian Forth, recently made a reservation at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington. . . After making the reservation, Brian tweeted about how he was looking forward to having a staycation with his wife in honor of his birthday. When the couple entered the hotel, they were greeted by name and given an automatic upgrade at no charge. When they entered the room, they found a welcome package including gourmet cupcakes. Naturally, Brian tweeted some more about all the nice surprises.

Upon check-in, he inquired about whether the hotel shuttle would ferry he and his wife to a local steakhouse for dinner. Later, he posted the same question on Twitter. About 3 minutes afterward, the phone rang in his room and the concierge informed him that the shuttle would be available whenever it was needed.

So Brian tweeted again. And the culmination of those tweets, from [Brian] a respected local business owner, had arguably more marketing power than any local advertisement the hotel could have purchased with the money they spent making Brian and his wife happy. Think about it: the cupcakes cost $5, the rest of it was just awareness and hustle.”

Give them something to talk, tweet, post and Facebook about

Mark talked about how the Hotel Murano was just voted No. 6 on the Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice list.  He went on further to state that this distinction has puzzled many of the locals, especially those in Seattle.  So – how do they do it?

The proof is in the pudding . . . or maybe in the cupcakes.  The companies who understand marketing lagniappe tend to get the little things right.  Whether it’s greeting the a first time customer by name (they probably had Brian’s picture from his Twitter address @brainfroth), to a complimentary room upgrade or  a shuttle ride . . . the Hotel Murano gets it.

By the way – in case you feel you might be missing out of those miles or points [a.k.a Ryan Bingham syndrome], just whip out another hotel loyalty card and the Hotel Murano will hook you up with some immediate swag.  NICE!!!

Today’s Lagniappe – What exactly is SWAG?  SWAG is a slang term for free promotional items from companies.  It’s an acronym for ‘Stuff We All Get’ or my translation ‘Sh*t We Ain’t Got’.

Cute Video Review of the Hotel: