HotelChatter

Twitter / Hotel Snapshots / Foursquare / Wyndham Hotels / San Francisco Hotels / Killer Views / → All Tags

Twitpic of the Week: The Sun Also Rises In San Francisco

Where: 55 Cyril Magnin Street [map], San Francisco, CA, United States, 94102

In the ever-expanding universe of Twitter, there is one particular trend @HotelChatter happens to quite enjoy: candid hotel photos. These Twitpics range from stunning views to anti-views to celebrity tomfoolery and everything in between. And we can't get enough of 'em! Every Monday, we will feature one "Twitpic of the Week" to commemorate our favorite hotel-themed snapshot. Got a favorite of your own? Want to show off your sweet suite? Send it in!

We caught Conan O'Brien with his goofy hotel cookie last week, so we thought we'd change the mood today with something a little more...picturesque. @dens, also known as Dennis Crowley, co-founder of Foursquare, tweeted this shot from his room at San Francisco's Parc 55 Wyndham last Wednesday morning, capturing some brilliantly illuminated boats out in the bay.

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Hotel Reviews / TripAdvisor / Foursquare / → All Tags

You Like Hotels. You Really Like Hotels

Yesterday, The Economist wrote about a new study showing that the majority of online hotel reviews are—believe it or not—positive. But does this come as a surprise?

Guests are less likely to take the time to post a review on TripAdvisor than, say, a hotel-employed PR person, or a General Manager, who find ways to talk up their hotel in carefully chosen, seemingly trustworthy language. According to TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer, however, people talk about a positive experience in order to "give back to the community." But do we trust the good reviews as much as the bad ones?

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Radisson Edwardian Hotels / Social Media Day / Foursquare / Facebook / Late Check-outs / → All Tags

Radisson Edwardian Hotels are Offering Late Check-Outs on Foursquare and Facebook

Ahhh...the elusive late check-out. Everyone wants it, hardly anyone can get it. (Unless you're willing to pay $50 or half a day's rate.) But for at least the next month, the late check-out can be yours at Radisson Edwardian Hotels in the UK simply by checking into the hotel via Foursquare or on Facebook.

As part of the hotel brand's Social Media Day celebrations, they are offering guests this super sweet perk until July 31st. The late check-out time is two hours past standard check-out so 1pm.

Here's how you can get it:

When you arrive at a Radisson Edwardian hotel, check in via Facebook or Foursquare. Once you’re at the check in desk, show our staff that you’ve checked in on your smartphone. Enjoy your later check out time!

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Foursquare / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Foursquare Hotels / Concierges / Hotel News / → All Tags

The Ritz-Carlton's Concierges Want to Be Your Friend on Foursquare

Is Foursquare making a comeback? First Starwood Preferred Guests started giving extra SPG points for Foursquare check-ins and now Ritz-Carlton Hotels is offering up their concierges via Foursquare Tips.

Concierges from the 75 Ritz-Carlton hotels worldwide will now be comment-bombing the tips section on various Foursquare places with loads of their expert advice on what to do when you're in town. Not traveling but still want to see what RC concierges recommend? Then follow their tips live on Foursquare right here.

We're slowly starting to come back around to Foursquare these days and since the whole "Foursquare specials" thing hasn't really worked out for us (10 percent off a second appetizer? No thanks), the tips section is probably what will have us "checking in" more often. That and humblebragging to our friends on Twitter about where we are, of course.

Snapshot / Foursquare / Starwood Preferred Guest / Loyalty Program News / → All Tags

Good News, SPG's Foursquare Promotion is Legit

So remember the other week when we told you that Starwood Preferred Guest was linking up with Foursquare for a new Starpoints promotion? We've been down on Foursquare for a while since the benefits weren't outweighing the annoying sign-in/find places/check-in hassle. But this new promotion is totes legit. And it kinda made us like Foursquare again.

We had a confirmed reservation at the Element Las Vegas over the weekend and once we got there, we signed into Foursquare and sure enough, we got 250 Starpoints just for checking in. (We also got a message from one of our Foursquare friends saying, "You're baaaack!") Sadly, we didn't unlock the Free Resort Night Award but 250 Starpoints is good enough.

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Morgans Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Promotions / Foursquare / Twitter / Hotel Bars / Rooftop Bars / → All Tags

Sky Terrace Launches This Summer With Organic Vodka and Foursquare

 In January, we gasped about the Hudson Hotel room that squeezed in up to 20 people for a mini production of the Tennessee Williams play Green Eyes. Today, we're focusing on another of their ample spaces—the exclusive, guests-only, fifteenth-floor Sky Terrace. Yes, it is quite large. And yes, the vibe is a little high-flown. But, no, we're not just telling you all this to make you jealous! It turns out that Sky Terrace, which launched its summer event series last Thursday, has chosen to open up their sought-after venue to Foursquare and Twitter enthusiasts. Because, as we have shown before, if you're not racing to reward your guests through social media promotions and contests, be assured that another equally-suitable hotel will.

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Foursquare Hotels / Foursquare / Loyalty Program News / Hotel News / Starwood Hotels / Starwood Preferred Guest / Hotel Social Media / → All Tags

Here's a Reason to Start Using Foursquare Again, SPG Points

We admit, we were fully under the Foursquare influence back in 2010 but as the rewards for checking into places dwindled and the process of checking in became annoying (not to mention the cheats and scams of mayors and the spam "friends"), we pretty much abandoned Foursquare altogether.

But Starwood's SPG program is making us reconsider again with a pretty cool loyalty program incentive. Right now, you can earn 250 Starpoints when you check in for a confirmed reservation through July at over a 1,000 participating Starwood hotels worldwide.

And every day this month, one very lucky Foursquare user will also unlock a Free Resort Night Award which will be hidden at one of the 1,000 hotels. Plus, anyone who does check in to a Starwood Foursquare hotel will automatically enter themselves into a contest to win a resort getaway including five Free Resort Nights AND airfare.

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Loyalty Program News / TopGuest / Foursquare / HHonors / Intercontinental Hotels / Kimpton Hotels / Holiday Inns / Social Media / Standard Hotels / Grand Guest / Viceroy Hotels / → All Tags

To TopGuest or Not To TopGuest? That Is The Hotel Loyalty Question

How awesome would it be to get loyalty program points just for visiting a hotel—like dining at its restaurant, grabbing a beer at the bar or just meeting in its lobby—instead of only for the time you actually sleep there?

Put very simply, that's the concept behind the social media loyalty program TopGuest, which tracks your Foursquare and Facebook Places check-ins and awards you points when you stop by hotels under their program. It's an excellent, novel idea, but is it worth paying attention to?

TopGuest launched exclusively with Standard Hotels over the summer, and they quickly picked up further partnerships with the Soho Grand/Tribeca Grand Hotels, Viceroy Hotels and many others, even Holiday Inn. Check out the current full list in the image above (with a bonus of Virgin America and Avis thrown in). Now, we feel like we have a pretty well-rounded social life, and yet we haven't yet earned any rewards. What's up with that?

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Foursquare Hotels / Foursquare / Hotel Deals / Hotel Technology / Hotel Bars / → All Tags

These Hotels Have Foursquare Deals We Can Certainly Be (Guzzling) Down With

Earlier this year, we were so hot for Foursquare especially when we saw some hotels offering incentives to guests and visitors just for checking in via the location-based social network. But after the novelty wore off and after the Foursquare deals became a little more complicated and a lot less fun, we found ourselves asking, "And then what?"

But thankfully, the Roger Williams Hotel in NYC and Oceana Santa Monica have restored our faith in Foursquare Hotel deals. When a guest checks in for the first time to the hotel on Foursquare, they are offered a free drink on the hotel. At the Oceana, it's a buy one, get one in the lounge just off the pool area and at the Roger Williams it's a straight-up free drink at the lounge. You must show your check-in to the front desk to get a drink voucher.

Both hotels promise to change up the Foursquare specials in the future to "reward guests in different and exciting ways." May we suggest a room discount?

Social Media Hotels / Hilton Hotels / Hotel News / Foursquare / Amazing Race / → All Tags

Foursquare and 'Amazing Race Asia' Can Win You Free Hilton Hotel Nights

Although the grand prize for the winner of Amazing Race Asia is only $100,000 compared to the US version's $1,000,000 prize, people still get caught up in the adventure and fast pace of the TV show. This year, when Amazing Race Asia premieres with its fourth season in a few days, audiences at home will be able to get deeper into the action than ever, thanks to a partnership with Hilton Hotels and Foursquare.

Here's what's happening: When the season begins airing on September 23, TV viewers will watch as the racers go from city to city, but also from Hilton Hotel to Hilton Hotel, all around Asia. As first arriving racers win Hilton vacation packages on some legs, those at home will also be able to race to Hilton Hotels get their own prizes, thanks to Foursquare:

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Foursquare Hotels / Foursquare / Social Networking / Social Media / Chicago Hotels / James Hotels / Hotel Deals / → All Tags

The James Chicago Shows How a Foursquare Special is Done

Where: 55 East Ontario [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60610

Last fall, during a visit to Chicago, we were walking through the River North area with our heads down, looking more at our phone than at the sidewalk in front of us. The reason was all the excellent tips and deals showing up on Foursquare, and when we walked near The James Hotel, their lobby bar deal for two cocktails for the price of one was more than enough to pull us in.

Chicago's James was one of the first hotels to embrace Foursquare, and they continue to do an excellent job with it, as evidenced by their most recent promotion. Check in and "check in" at the hotel, and you're in for this deal:

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Topguest / Foursquare / Twitter / Viceroy Hotels / Loyalty Program News / → All Tags

Topguest Members Can Now Get Perks for Checking In at Viceroy Hotels

When Topguest launched earlier this summer we were excited by a hotel loyalty program that would award guests points based on their social media activity from Twitter, Gowalla and Foursquare. But the only problem was, the hotels in Topguest's program were limited to the Standard chain and a few independent properties in New York.

Then last month, Topguest announced a new partnership with IHG Hotels and their Priority Rewards Club, which certainly opened up the program. And now today, we learn that Topguest has also snagged Viceroy Hotels to be in their program.

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