Why Hilton Created a Pop-Up Hotel Room in the Middle of a Golf Course
We wanted to share this great article written by Claire Hoffman, showing Hiltons Marketing at it’s best. This is a great example of experience marketing.
Hilton brought golf lovers into the action at this year’s RBC Canadian Open by building a stylish pop-up hotel room—next to the third hole at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.
TORONTO—Golf lovers, have you ever dreamed of waking up in the middle of your favorite golf course? Hilton just made that a reality.
During this year’s RBC Canadian Open golf tournament, which took place June 6-12 in Toronto, Hilton Hotels launched its first-ever “Hilton on the Green,” a one-bedroom pop-up hotel room located right by the third hole at the renowned St. George’s Golf and Country Club. The unique activation aims to be the ultimate golf experience for fans, with highlights like a personal concierge and golf cart, gourmet meals delivered directly to the room, breakfast in bed, and a view of the green.
Hilton’s partnership with Golf Canada, the presenting association for the RBC Canadian Open, dates back to 2019, explained Jennifer White, Hilton’s director of destination marketing.
“This year’s RBC Canadian Open is an exciting stage on which to showcase Hilton’s innovative spirit—and, in conjunction with [advertising agency] FUSE Create, we conceptualized the world’s first hotel room available right on the course of a PGA tournament,” she said. Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
The pop-up was built and sourced from Canadian materials and constructed on a custom trailer system that was driven directly onto the golf course—where it stayed for the duration of the tournament. Guests could check in to the space around 4 p.m. and were asked to vacate by 10 a.m. the following morning; they were also given tournament passes to enjoy for the rest of the day.
Photo: Courtesy of Hilton. Hilton oversaw the design elements, which incorporated details from various Hilton properties.
“With 160 hotels available across Canada, Hilton wanted to provide a unique experience that brought a taste of its 18 different brands to Hilton on the Green, including Frette linens from the Waldorf Astoria, Byredo Mojave Ghost bath amenities from Conrad, and even DoubleTree cookies,” White said.
To make a big impact in such a small space, White added that the team was “extremely intentional in the design, where every amenity has a purpose and a place. We prioritized light and nature in the space, so the hotel room has 180-degree views of the course, thanks to the huge picture window and the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that fully open to a walkout deck with views of the third hole,” she explained. “The result is minimalist luxe, with a muted color palette, curved edges, and natural fibers that feel at home with the bucolic golf course setting.”
The custom-built hotel experience was open for three nights. TSN Golf Talk Canada’s Mark Zecchino stayed the first night, while two contest winners enjoyed it the following two evenings. The pop-up, which is currently in a storage facility, will return later this summer during the CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club from Aug. 22-28. Fans can submit to hiltononthegreencontest.com for a chance to win their own stay.
For Hilton, creating these types of out-of-the-box, memorable experiences is more important than ever right now.
“We know that travel can often be a high-stakes endeavor, especially as families, couples, and friends are beginning to start enjoying time together after a long two years of uncertainty,” White noted. “For Hilton, we know that it matters where you stay: You want a well-appointed room, helpful team members, and an opportunity to relax and decompress.”
She added, “At Hilton on the Green, we wanted to show that Hilton can make the stay an integral part of your vacation, or your business trip, or your wedding, no matter where in the world you end up staying—even on the third hole of the RBC Canadian Open!” Photo: Courtesy of Hilton