Westdrift hotel delights guests and drives revenue with Vouchers

“East Coast bold meets West Coast cool.” That's the ethos of westdrift Manhattan Beach, a Marriott^TM Autograph Collection hotel located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. With pristine beaches, a major international airport (LAX), and a professional sports arena just a few miles away, it’s the perfect launching pad for business and leisure guests.

Westdrift emphasizes wellness and relaxation. Some of its resort-style amenities include a golf course, pickleball courts, a full-service restaurant, a CrossFit-inspired gym, daily yoga classes, and indoor-outdoor event and meeting spaces.

Although the hotel has enticing offerings in an excellent location, its team is always looking for new ways to surprise and delight their patrons. “We do a lot of group business here,” says Dean Yamashita, westdrift’s Director of Sales and Marketing. “For planners or companies looking to host corporate meetings, we wanted something to differentiate ourselves from other hotels being considered.” One of the ways they do that is with Vouchers through Uber for Business.

A customizable way to stand out from the crowd

Vouchers are a nimble way to give customers and guests Uber credit redeemable on rides or meal delivery. Guests will often receive one with their room reservation, and westdrift has extended this program across many uses.

For large groups

Vouchers are a powerful tool for group sales. “Our sellers position them as a luxury to utilize for rides or Uber Eats,” says Yamashita. “It’s a conversation starter … in offering unique amenities that few hotels have at their fingertips.” Beyond an experience differentiator, Yamashita says corporate planners benefit from the potential savings on costs and administrative time. Hotel-provided vouchers mean one less thing an organization has to cover, and individuals don’t have to expense their transportation after their trip.

For business travelers

Vouchers are also an attractive perk for individuals on work trips, as well as their employers. They provide an easy way for a rider to get to and from the airport, and geofencing capabilities mean destinations can be limited to only those that are work-approved.

For leisure travelers

In addition to airport rides, guests use vouchers to get around. Many come to town for a game or a concert, where parking can be time-consuming and expensive. With Uber, they can get dropped off or picked up at the venue, avoid sitting in traffic after an event, and save money on parking fees.

For hotel employees

Vouchers help hotel employees treat notable visitors to a top-notch experience. If VIPs are coming from the airport to do a site tour, salespeople will send a voucher link and allow the guests to book Premium rides, like Uber Black. That way, they’ll get to the hotel in style and comfort.

For influencers

Westdrift sends vouchers to food and travel influencers as part of welcome packages. Anna Udrea, the hotel’s Social Media Manager, says: “It’s been super simple, and they seem to love it. They can [order] from local restaurants or use it to go to other beach cities to create content. It’s been awesome.”

Easy to use, with measurable ROI

It isn’t just hotel guests who benefit from vouchers. The westdrift team also appreciates how easy they are to use and customize. Uploading names in bulk or in small amounts and sending the credit to guests is simple and quick. The ability to set date and time parameters also helps keep spending in check.

The team relies on the metrics and reporting features within the dashboard to gauge how the program is doing overall. Spoiler alert: it’s working. To assess their overall return on investment, they compare the combined cost of vouchers with actualized revenue across guest sales. Yamashita estimates that the return is about 20 to one, as the program helps convert large groups.

Looking to the future

From business to leisure travelers, westdrift Manhattan Beach will keep using vouchers to meet the transportation and meal needs of its many ‌guests. It all comes back to providing a unique experience and standing out among the competition. Yamashita sums it up nicely: “Be something that no one is. As an independent type of hotel, that’s the positioning you want.”