Marketers serving Britain’s luxury hotel sector have been seen borrowing one of the oldest tricks in the promotions book, best performed by the fashion industry.
Just as their counterparts give free clothes from their label to singers and actors, hotel marketers are cutting rates for celebrities in return for their endorsements.
London’s Mayfair hotel this week admitted it was offering special celebrity rates to Paris Hilton, Sarah Harding, Ronan Keating and the X Factor’s Louis Walsh.
It was forced to say it would “never exploit any celebrity” to claims the stars must hold press conferences in their suites and mention the hotel’s name in interviews.
In a similar admission to reporters, the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge said an “ambassadorial” rate means its A-list regulars were part of a “a bartering agreement.”
Critics of the deals say non-celebrity guests end up footing the bill for the reduction, or hotels recoup the costs with hefty, disproportionate fines for ailing hotel staff.
Dec 2, 2008
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