Hotel Email Marketing Examples – Real Campaigns That Boost Bookings

By: Frank DePino | October 6, 2025

Hotel email marketing examples offer one of the clearest windows into what works (and what doesn’t) in hospitality. Rather than theory, you’ll see real campaigns from top hotels, backed by performance data.

When executed well, hotel email campaigns can deliver an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, one of the highest returns in any marketing channel.

In this article, we’ll:

• Review tactical examples from real hotels
• Link to relevant industry studies and benchmarks
• Show you how to replicate winning campaigns

By combining personalization, segmenting, automation, and mobile‑first design, these campaigns don’t just engage, they convert.

1. Pre-Arrival Hotel Email Marketing Examples That Drive Engagement

Pre-arrival emails are a vital part of your hotel email marketing strategy, helping you shape the guest experience long before check-in. As part of a well-executed hospitality email campaign, these messages can deliver tailored recommendations for local attractions, dining options, and hotel amenities—making each guest feel seen and valued. More than just reminders, these guest journey emails build anticipation and can include targeted upsells like early check-in, premium room upgrades, or curated packages based on previous booking behavior or guest preferences.

Example in action: Hammock Beach Resort, featured in a case study by Americas Great Resorts, implemented segmented pre-arrival emails that promoted spa deals and local experiences. This approach resulted in over 243 new bookings directly from email campaigns.

By making the communication timely and relevant, hotels can increase guest satisfaction, boost pre-arrival revenue, and improve brand perception, all before the stay begins.

Want to learn more about creating meaningful guest interactions? Check out Mediaboom’s article on Hotel Digital Marketing Strategies to explore how digital touchpoints like email can enhance your full marketing funnel.

2. Booking Confirmation Hotel Email Marketing Examples You Can Copy

A well-designed booking confirmation email does more than just confirm reservation details, it builds trust and creates new opportunities for direct revenue generation. As a key component of your email marketing strategy for hotels, this touchpoint reassures guests while providing clarity on check-in times, cancellation policies, and contact details. Leading hotel email campaigns use this moment to reinforce brand identity, promote on-site amenities, and introduce value-added services, such as spa offers or dining upgrades, that can enhance the overall stay and increase pre-arrival conversions.

Example in action: The Kimpton Hotel Group implemented affinity-based targeting in its confirmation emails, tailoring upsell content based on guest preferences (e.g., wellness, dining, pet-friendly). This approach helped boost email-driven revenue fivefold, from ~$70,000 per campaign to upwards of $350,000–750,000.

You can apply the same strategy by including subtle, well-placed CTAs for spa reservations, restaurant bookings, or premium room upgrades. These personalized hotel emails not only reassure the guest but also reflect your attention to detail, creating added value that drives pre-arrival conversions. As part of a broader email strategy for hotels, this tactic strengthens brand perception and maximizes revenue before check-in.

For a deeper dive into optimizing every guest interaction, visit our guide to Luxury Hotel Marketing Strategies and discover how premium hospitality brands boost engagement and bookings with high-converting email content strategies.

3. Post-Stay Emails: Building Loyalty and Increasing Return Visits

Post-stay emails are a key part of any effective hospitality email marketing strategy, offering a powerful opportunity to extend the guest relationship beyond checkout. 

Whether it’s a thank-you message, a review request, or a loyalty incentive, this type of guest journey email reinforces your brand’s attentiveness and encourages repeat bookings. According to ReviewPro, hotels that actively request feedback through post-stay email campaigns can increase their review volume by up to 60%, a boost that directly impacts online visibility, reputation, and future conversion rates.

Example in action: Hotel Bennett in Charleston implemented a multi-step post-stay sequence that included a personalized thank-you note, a TripAdvisor review link, and a 10% return discount. This approach helped them generate 243+ new bookings through email alone.

These follow-up emails can be fully automated based on check-out data and personalized using the guest’s name, room type, and stay history. Timing is critical, send the message within 24 to 48 hours after departure for maximum engagement. Among the most effective hotel email marketing examples, post-stay campaigns are proven to increase loyalty, drive repeat bookings, and collect valuable feedback.

Want to build better guest relationships and long-term revenue through email? Contact Mediaboom to develop a custom post-stay email strategy tailored to your hotel’s brand, audience, and goals.

4. Seasonal & Promotional Emails: Driving Urgency and Short-Term Revenue

Well-timed seasonal and promotional email campaigns are among the most effective ways to drive short-term bookings and fill rooms during off-peak periods. By tapping into travel trends, holidays, and exclusive offers, you can create urgency and spark action, especially when your campaigns are segmented for loyalty members or past guests.

For example, Hammock Beach Resort launched a summer-themed promotional email campaign through Americas Great Resorts featuring discounted ocean-view rooms, curated excursions, and limited-time booking perks. The campaign generated more than 243 new bookings by combining targeted segmentation, compelling visuals, and clear calls-to-action.

You can apply this same approach by aligning your promotions with peak travel windows or local events, then using dynamic content and countdown timers to increase urgency. A strong promotional email strategy not only boosts bookings but also reinforces your brand’s value in the eyes of your guests.

To expand your seasonal strategy beyond email, read Mediaboom’s article on Hotel Advertising Ideas for creative ways to promote your offers across paid media and content channels.

5. Abandoned Booking Recovery Emails: Recapturing Lost Revenue

When a guest begins a reservation but doesn’t complete it, a well-timed abandoned booking email can recapture their attention and convert the lost opportunity into revenue. 

As one of the most overlooked hotel email marketing examples, these emails serve as both reminders and strategic nudges, often using direct booking incentives like flexible cancellation, best-rate guarantees, or complimentary perks to encourage completion. This type of email recovery strategy is especially valuable during competitive booking windows or for mobile-first users who may have exited mid-process.

A Chicago hotel working with Vizergy used recovery emails as part of its broader email marketing strategy and achieved a 215:1 return on investment, with a significant portion attributed to re-engagement from abandoned bookings (Vizergy Case Study).

To increase your success rate, send your recovery email within a few hours of the abandonment. Keep the message concise, use personalized content (such as referencing the room type or dates selected), and add urgency with a limited-time offer, like a 10% discount or complimentary upgrade if they complete the booking soon.

You can also retarget these users through complementary strategies, including paid search and display ads. 

6. Automated Email Campaigns: Streamlining Guest Communication at Scale

Automated email campaigns allow your hotel to deliver the right message at the right time, without manual effort. From welcome emails to post-stay thank-yours, automation ensures consistency, personalization, and efficiency across the entire guest journey.

Kimpton Hotels successfully used automation in its affinity-based email program, sending behavior-triggered messages based on guest preferences such as pet-friendliness, eco-consciousness, and culinary interests. This strategy led to a fivefold increase in email revenue, rising from $70,000 per campaign to as much as $750,000 (MarketingProfs Case Study).

You can implement similar automation by triggering emails based on booking confirmations, pre-arrival dates, or loyalty program milestones. Use dynamic content to personalize each message, such as recommending experiences based on a guest’s previous stay or loyalty tier.

To build a high-performing automated email system, it’s crucial to align your strategy with your CRM and analytics tools. 

7. Personalization & Segmentation: Making Every Email Feel 1-to-1

Generic, one-size-fits-all email campaigns no longer perform. Today, personalization and segmentation are essential to stand out in crowded inboxes. By leveraging guest data, such as demographics, booking behavior, or preferences, you can send targeted content that feels highly relevant and timely.

Kimpton Hotels successfully executed this with their affinity-based email model, where guests opted into categories like food & wine, eco travel, or pet-friendly stays. Each segment then received personalized messaging that reflected their interests, resulting in a 5x increase in revenue from email campaigns (MarketingProfs).

You can replicate this by creating segments based on past bookings, stay duration, loyalty status, or even location. Then deliver tailored messages, such as a spa package email to guests who previously booked wellness offers.

To better understand how personalization impacts user behavior and campaign results, check out Mediaboom’s article on Hotel Digital Strategies for a full breakdown of targeting, messaging, and funnel performance across platforms.

8. Mobile Optimization: Making Hotel Emails Accessible Anywhere

With more than 60% of travelers reading marketing emails on mobile devices, mobile optimization is no longer optional, it’s essential to engagement and conversion. If your emails don’t load properly, use small text, or have untappable buttons, you’re losing bookings.

Lion Roars Hotels & Lodges achieved a 48.58% open rate by partnering with Rocketmailer to create responsive, mobile-first campaigns that prioritized clarity and clickable design.

To achieve similar results, ensure your emails use:

• Single-column layouts that scale across screen sizes
• Large CTA buttons with ample spacing
• Short paragraphs and bold headlines for easy scanning
• Optimized images that load quickly without breaking
  

These elements make it easier for guests to take immediate action, whether it’s booking a room, viewing an offer, or checking in.

For more tips on designing mobile-first content that converts, visit Mediaboom’s article on Hotel Website Design Best Practices, because your mobile strategy should extend beyond email.

Hotel Email Marketing – FAQs

Conclusion: Turn Email Strategy Into Bookings

With the right strategy, your emails won’t just get opened, they’ll get bookings. You’ll strengthen loyalty, increase revenue, and improve guest satisfaction without spending more on third-party platforms. And when your emails are part of a larger, optimized hotel marketing ecosystem, they become even more powerful.

If you want to boost direct bookings, drive loyalty, and build campaigns that actually convert, partner with a digital agency that understands the hospitality space.

Contact Mediaboom today to discuss a custom hotel email marketing strategy tailored to your property. 

By: Frank DePino

Frank DePino is the Principal and Founder of Mediaboom, a digital marketing agency that partners with top hospitality and luxury brands. With over 30 years of experience, Frank has led strategic digital marketing initiatives for iconic names including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Millennium Partners, and Guardian Jet. He specializes in helping hospitality businesses elevate their brand presence, generate leads, and enhance guest experiences through website design, SEO, content marketing, and paid media. Under Frank’s leadership, Mediaboom is a trusted partner for brands seeking meaningful digital growth in the competitive hospitality landscape.