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  • KWE Partners Launch Of Hotel

Launch Of Hotel: Marquis Los Cabos Beach, Golf, Spa And Casitas Resort

 

Situation Analysis

Marquis Los Cabos is in a highly competitive luxury market with Ventanas al Paraiso, consistently ranked as the top resort in Mexico in reader polls; One & Only Palmilla, which had a multi-million dollar celebrity opening; and Esperanza which basks in the pedigree of a famous sister resort. The challenge for KWE Partners was to break through the competitive set and position Marquis Los Cabos not only as one of the best resorts in Los Cabos, but also, in Mexico, with limited advertising and budget (no paid celebrities, costly events, etc.), and no celebrity "pedigree" or recognized resort brand.
 

Objectives

Establish Marquis Los Cabos's distinctive personality and break through positioning. Grab the media spotlight on a consistent basis. Build occupancy in the first full year of operation and thereafter. Generate awareness among target audiences especially on the U.S. West Coast and niche markets.
 

Tactics

  • Develop differentiating positioning that would make the hotel "pop": The resort became the one with the 26 pools due to the number of plunge pools in the hotel's "casitas"; we invoked the Michelin experience of the French chef as in his Michelin pedigree; the Latin American art collection; and the spacious spa.
  • Create the "wows" by tying into luxury travel trends with themed packages and guest promotions (e.g. girl getaways, elopement, volontourism, appealing to travelers' creative side with programs such as painting, photography, videography); and low cost/no cost amenities that add value and generate a "buzz."
  • Leverage membership in Leading Hotels of the World, taking advantage of public relations programs in a leadership position ("Out of this World") by creating the world's most expensive package at $8.5 million for four nights (a "Vacation for Billionaires") that included everything from a round of golf with Jack Nicklaus and the golf course going private for the day; private jet from anywhere in the world; private concert with Carlos Santana; and the use of a yacht with crew of eight for one year.
  • Use dramatic visuals to emphasize the hotel's architectural and design strengths and to break through the media's copy clutter.
  • Invite media to sample the hotel.
  • Target high-end niche media, especially architecture and design, spa, and bridal. KWE Partners also coordinated a familiarization trip for wedding planners that was one of the first in the industry."
 

Results

 
  • Marquis Los Cabo's image as an architectural and design icon was firmly established (American Way magazine named the hotel's lobby the best in 2004).
  • Resort regularly appears in reviews of top resort hotels in the world.
  • When travelers come to Los Cabos, they frequently ask where the hotel with the world's most expensive package is.
  • Over 12 months, total media circulation was 32,745,000; Impressions reached 98,236,000 in high quality media reaching an upscale demographic.
  • In the first quarter of 2005, the second year of occupancy, the resort exceeded projected budget figures by double digits.