April 2, 2015
Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Easter egg
Luxury hotels have the opportunity to join family traditions with Easter events that draw guests and locals to properties for seasonal activities.
From egg hunts to artistic displays, luxury hotels around the world are celebrating Easter with fun and family-friendly activities. Engaging multiple generations at a specific event or holiday allows hotel brands to create relationships that may extend to further stays during a guest’s next vacation.
“The Easter weekend is the longest U.K. Bank Holiday weekend in the year with most people off work on both Good Friday and Easter Monday, hence the perfect opportunity for a short break,” said Lynn Brutman, general manager at Four Seasons Canary Wharf, London.
“In terms of guests staying at the hotel, this is very much a mixture of couples and families spending the long weekend in London,” she said. “Our Easter Brunch is very much focused on the local community, and the majority of those attending are residents from the Canary Wharf area and the wider East London area.
“Over the last few years, partially thanks to easy access to the area, we are also starting to see more people joining us from the surrounding counties such as Kent and Essex."
Hopping toward Easter
At Four Seasons Canary Wharf, the hotel is celebrating the four-day weekend with Easter brunch and an egg hunt where a golden egg is hidden. The lucky hunter who finds the golden egg will win one night’s stay for their family in the Presidential Suite at the hotel.
Across the pond, Peninsula Hotel New York’s pastry team is hosting its annual Easter egg decorating class where each child is given the chance to decorate a seven-inch tall chocolate egg. A child-adapted version of Peninsula’s Afternoon Tea will be available for the kids and the Easter Bunny will pay a visit.
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Peninsula egg decorating
Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, is also hosting a brunch, but the main event is the Easter Weekend Extravaganza. This event is free for guests and $15 for non-guest participants. The day consists of a visit from the Easter Bunny, arts & crafts, cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones, a bubble machine and seed packets to be planted at home.
Arizona Biltmore Easter egg hunt
A Peter Rabbit Tea service is served on the front lawn and a race against the Biltmore Bunny is held around a 5K course.
Easter at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, CA, includes an Easter cookie decorating class, a petting zoo and a pre-established menu.
Easter cookie decorating at Rosewood Sand Hill
“Along with a number of younger families, Rosewood Sand Hill is located just one mile from Stanford University’s campus, and many of the visitors over the Easter holiday tend to be parents visiting their children or families with prospective students who are there to tour the campus,” said Alan Campey, managing director of Rosewood Sand Hill. “The hotel’s refined ambience and beautiful open patio overlooking the Santa Cruz mountains provide a beautiful northern-California ambience and special dining experience for these families, as well.”
At the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in California an Easter egg display is presented on the property with hand-painted eggs that portray different scenes.
Painted eggs at Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
Holiday fun
Luxury hotels craft activities to welcome guests during the holidays and ensure comfort as they travel.
Offering different activities, packages and deals allows hotel brands to create a deeper relationship with guests as they are away from home during the holiday season. This year initiatives include the entire family, gift card options, philanthropic actions and holiday-themed decorations and activities (see story).
Holidays are a time when family members, regardless of age, come together to participate in fun activities.
“Most of our guests over the Easter holiday are families—particularly multi-generational families – who are looking to unwind and spend quality time together,” said Edward Linsley, managing director at Rosewood Little Dix Bay, British Virgin Islands.
Final Take
Nancy Buckley, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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