The increasing customer diversity and demands are changing the landscape of beach hotels, and the leading hotel chain in Spain, Meliá Hotels International, launched a new program in which its innovative @SolWaveHouse Hotel, located on the beach of Magaluf (Mallorca), became the first-ever “twitter experience hotel” in the world.
With the goal being to facilitate interaction between social networking savvy customers, the new experience hopes to create excitement and stimulate “buzz” amongst the young audience that typically fills the hotel. It is typically oriented to beach, music, and surfing experiences, and features two pools with artificial waves to practice flowboarding (a hybrid of surf and snowboarding), unique in Europe.
Since its opening in the summer of 2012, the Sol Wave House has positioned itself as a social hotel, with 184 suites and junior-suites with sea views and contemporary design; 2,500-square meters VIP terrace facing the sea; pools; sporty-style restaurants with a California twist; lounges; and concert areas with live music during the day.
As stated by the hotel’s General Manager, Gonzalo Echevarría: “The hotel takes a new step in meeting the expectations of an increasingly experiential and social customer profile, through new technologies.”
The main engine of the whole experience is a virtual community called #SocialWave, only available from the hotel’s WiFi. Two Twitter Concierges are devoted exclusively to meeting guest requests via Twitter and generating conversation in this virtual community. Guests can know and chat with each other, experience, flirt, compete in contests, share photos, etc. Every corner of the hotel is designed to engage a new conversation.
In addition, the hotel has created the new #TwitterPartySuites which are spacious, equipped suites perfect for fur people. In these suites, users can enjoy perks like a bottle of champagne and special sports drinks on arrival, along with a 20% discount on all bars and restaurants in Wave House, VIP hammocks, and customizable mini bar, plus a free drink in the#TwitterPoolParty held every Friday.
“Our main client profile, young and social, is always looking for new experiences and emotions shared with a growing virtual community; With #SocialWave we wanted to meet this aspiration, which binds to the quality and striking design of our product and the outstanding beauty of the environment,” explained the first “Twitter Concierge” at the hotel.
Do you think social media-themed hotels will become a common trend?