March 23, 2012
The New York Palace will debut the Gold Chocolate Package March 24 that honors the 60th birthday of the Lindt Gold Bunny near Easter Sunday. Guests can opt into the chocolate experience that includes a themed hotel stay and a chocolate brunch.
“The New York Palace wanted to provide its guests with a fun way to welcome in the warmer weather and thought this would be a wonderful and different way to do so,” said Brian Honan, director of sales and marketing at The New York Palace, New York.
Chocolate craving
The New York Palace is lining its courtyard with two oversized replicas of the well-known Lindt Gold Bunny for the duration of its limited-time chocolate-centric package.
The Palace Gold Chocolate Package includes accommodations in one of the hotel’s high-end rooms, a $100 nightly food and beverage credit to be used on-site and a welcome kit with a 3.5-ounce Lindt Gold Bunny.
The package is available on weekends until April 22. Rates start at $369.
The Lindt partnership triggered the creation of the chocolate brunch by The New York Palace’s pastry chefs.
Guests can use their food credits for the brunch in the hotel's Istana restaurant.
Menu choices include raspberry lemon pancakes made with Lindt white chocolate mousse, banana Belgium waffles topped with Lindt fudge sauce, orange brioche french toast served with Lindt cocoa ganache and crepes topped with shaved Lindt chocolate with sea salt.
Two limited-edition chocolate desserts will be offered after brunch.
The brand is promoting the Lindt package through its Web site, Facebook page and Twitter page.
The New York Palace has worked with Lindt on previous events, packages and promotions, Mr. Honan said.
“This year we wanted to take it a step further and create a 360-degree experience for guests and visitors,” Mr. Honan said.
Package perfect
The New York Palace features other specialty packages to entice luxury consumers including the Royal Romance Getaway package and child-friendly American Girl Place package.
Exclusive experiences at a luxury hotel could drive sales when executed with sought-after brands and created with the luxury consumer in mind.
Many luxury hotels are creating consumer-focused experiences with outside brands.
For example, the Trump Hotel Collection created the Warm Your Heart package with luxury jeweler Birks that included a special shopping experience, jewelry, Champagne and VIP treatment at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto (see story).
In addition, the small luxury hotel operator Auberge Resorts invited guests to choose from a slew of adventure-themed experiences at its properties in the United States and Mexico that vary from fitness to cultural experiences and include activities such as twilight dog-sledding and a wine country photo tour (see story).
Meanwhile, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection hotel chains offered private benefits to preferred guest program members in its North American properties through VIP tickets and backstage passes to Cirque du Soleil performances (see story).
"More than adding value to The New York Palace brand, our Gold Chocolate Package with Lindt is a way to provide our guests with a sweet excuse to treat themselves while visiting our luxurious property, either overnight or for weekend brunch,” Mr Honan said.
Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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