Of all the hotels we work with and admire, the ones that stick with us most are the ones with the ability to form a sense of community among their guests. What a special gift to be able to bring together travelers from all over the world to share time together, even if for only an evening. One way we have seen our clients create community is with a movie night.
Whether traveling for business or pleasure, there are times when guests really just want to enjoy a nice evening in. For most travelers, staying in means staying in their hotel room. Hosting a movie night at your hotel is a great way to give your guests an entertainment option they don’t have to leave the property to enjoy!
Movie under the stars
An outdoor movie showing is a delight for guests of all ages! Whether you have a beautiful rooftop garden or terrace or an outdoor pool, your guests will love the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy their surroundings and a movie. Whether they watch kicked back in a lounge chair or floating in the pool, an outdoor movie night is a great way to entertain your guests and show off your beautiful outdoor amenities.
Cocktail hour
Cocktail hours are a delight for guests who want to mingle socially and those who don’t. Depending on your hotel layout, the cocktail hour might be its own event before the movie or continue throughout the showing. Take advantage of the opportunity to show-off your hotel bar by creating a custom drink menu to match the feature presentation. You could serve daiquiris and mojitos along with a showing of Pirates of the Caribbean at your cocktail hour movie night or showcase your wine selection alongside a showing of Ratatouille.
Seasonal classics
Traveling during the holidays can bring a lot of stress and a holiday movie night might be just the thing your guests need. A movie night the week of Halloween could feature any of your favorite spooky films with a costume contest and trick-or-treating for kids. Christmas is perhaps the holiday with the most film options so choose any one of your favorites and set the mood with twinkly lights and some tinsel. Holiday decor can be easily made to fit the style of your hotel and is a fun way to encourage your guests to get into the festivities and escape the stress of the holidays for an evening.
Make it a game
One way to make a movie night a little more exciting is to make a game out of it! You can prepare movie night bingo cards for guests to play during the movie or host a trivia game before the movie starts with movie-themed prizes for the winners. This is a simple way to make your movie night a more participatory event and encourage your guests to mingle and have some fun!
Dinner and a movie
Dinner and a movie is a classic combination. Why not bring that winning combo to your hotel? Plan a movie themed movie to coordinate with the film you plan to show. For example, you can serve dinosaur shaped finger foods during a showing of Jurassic Park or peking duck alongside A Christmas Story. Catering to a more adult crowd? Serve wine and a pizza for two with a romantic comedy. The possibilities are endless.
A movie night is a great way to get creative and have some fun putting together an event that your guests are sure to enjoy. Whatever type of movie night is right for your hotel and your guests, just make sure you don’t forget the popcorn (or the decorations)!