Joie de Vivre Hospitality re-launches interactive website

July 20, 2007 · By Jens

Recently I wrote about Shangri-La’s new website launch at a pize tag of only $2 Million, which disappointed me a little bit.

This time, I found a new hotel website launch that made me smile. Joie de Vivre Hospitality, based in San Francisco and California’s largest independent boutique hotel company launched a new website to, as they say “celebrate 20 years of creating dreams”. The site is designed to enrich California travel experiences, which include a list of local contacts with like-mineded interests (ever heard of the concept of residents inviting travellers? well, here is a nice attempt…something you would hope to see from a tourism marketing organization). The site is more about booking rooms, but more with connecting with the community - well done! I have only stayed in a JDV Hotel in San Francisco once, and the experience was ok (not great), but the marketing innovation deserve recognition.

Some of thee new website enhancements include:

- California Connect - A new Joie de Vivre Hotels online community infuses a web 2.0 element into the site, enabling travelers to blog, meet fellow travelers and exchange recommendations, write reviews, join group discussions, upload photos and more.

- Your California - A California destination web portal with travel planning tools and information, such as:
1. Things to Do: Close to 400 regional attractions that include more than the usual tourist stops … local treasures, hidden gems and great finds ‘off the beaten path.
2. Experience Planner: Users select specific items from the recommended “Things to Do” section and create a custom itinerary that can be printed, or forwarded to travel partners.
3. Videos: Users can watch quirky video shorts of specific San Francisco neighborhoods, filmed by locals, for a real-time perspective of the destination.
4. Joy of Life Guides: More in-depth and ‘polished’ recommendations with details that go beyond the Experience Planner. These guides, authored by locals, can be found for subjects from ‘I Need My Java’ to ‘Mommy, I’m Bored.’
5. Locals Talk: Joie de Vivre staff and friends share their local favorites;

- Hotel Matchmaker - Building on an idea Joie de Vivre Hospitality introduced in 2003, the Hotel Matchmaker offers advanced search capability that enables guests to find the perfect hotel, with surprising accuracy, through personality-based questions that result in three hotels, potential activities and two like-minded individuals.

Have a look at the article from our friends at HOTELS Magazine, written by Karyn Strauss that explores other hotel companies’ foray in the wonderful world of Web 2.0 - and last January, I showcased my personal favorites of 2006 hotel website launches.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Written by Jens · Filed Under Hotel Marketing, Jens