When you’re bored of predictable hotels and Airbnbs, there is another option: Check yourself into a brothel.
That’s what I did on a recent trip to Lisbon.
Okay, an ex-brothel. But the essence of the building’s old purpose was still there.
Its history lived on, evident in every nook and cranny. And there were many nooks and crannies. If those walls could talk, and all that.
As a marketer, I was swept up by the inimitable brand experience, which began long before I even checked in.
Here’s a sneak peek into what happened. It was a jaw-dropping, but inspiring, stay.
Welcome to Pensão Amor.
The lead-up
A couple of weeks before you arrive, you start receiving texts from “Madam”.
They’re doused in mystery and they set the scene.
You receive details like your check-in time, with options to customise your stay by simply replying to the message.
And by customise, I don’t just mean a room upgrade. You’re offered gifts, surprises, toys and costumes.
The up-selling begins before you get there, but it’s subtle.
It’s “you” focused. It’s fun, not salesy or sleazy.
“Hop on a journey through the lives and secrets of the harlots of Pensão Amor.”
The greeting
The moment you arrive, you’re taken up some stairs to a lavish reception room.
It feels like turning up to a party where you’re guest of honour.
The host opens a globe drinks cabinet and serves you an elixir from a tiny glass. You have no idea what’s inside it but you drink it anyway. It’s delicious.
“In every corner, unusual personal objects, surprising documents of day-to-day business, mysterious messages and many surprises reveal the life of the old brothel in the 60s, during a time when harlots could legally exercise the oldest profession in the world.”
The stories
When you arrive, the host hands you a welcome letter. It’s on pink paper with a font that looks hand-written.
The letter addresses you as “My desired” and talks as though you’re a real-life client back in the 60s.
It opens “My body shivers at the news of your arrival.” There are contact details and the promise of instant service should you need anything. There’s even a line that reads “I have already warned the girls that I demand special treatment for you.”
You know they give this letter to every guest, but it feels like it’s written just for you.
It ends: “And don’t forget: I want to see you at the bar, enjoying my famous parties. Sleep can wait, enjoy while you can.”
The hotel knows you’re in holiday mode. It uses one of the best sales tools in the book, FOMO, to boost sales at the bar. You don’t want to miss out on those “famous parties”.
Just before you’re taken to your room, the host tells stories of the girls who once occupied your particular hotel room. Their names, the sorts of clients they attracted, their “special skills”.
The whole experience suddenly seems even more authentic and you feel a closer connection to the hotel.
The aesthetics
I knew the rooms in the hotel would be unique but I hadn’t anticipated exactly what would be waiting for us behind those heavy doors.
I kid you not: Sex swings. Poles. Hoops. Disco balls. Leather wrist straps on chains. And a big ole’ box of sex toys, which is added to your final bill should you indulge.
The mini bar is filled with wine, champagne and beer. And you can use a QR code to order cocktails straight to your room. Just in case you’re too, er, busy to leave.
Every item and piece of furniture is on-brand. Think fringed armchairs, velvet walls and decadent headboards. The colour scheme oozes moody purples, navies, blacks and scarlets.
The whole place is dimly lit, so you can get lost in the atmosphere and lose your inhibitions.
You can sense Madam’s presence. Even though you’ve never met her, it feels as though she’s waiting around every corner.
“Famous for its bars, parties and cultural events, Pensão Amor opens the door of Madam’s Lodge for a unique experience: To inhabit the rooms that belonged to the harlots and find out the unrevealed secrets of this ancient brothel.”
A lesson in branding from Madam
I’m not saying you should give your customers condoms and c*** rings. But we could all learn a thing or two from this unique hotel in Lisbon.
The immersive experience, the “Madam” character that ignites conversation between brand and customer, and the one-of-a-kind tone of voice that seeps into your pores.
Shoot me a message if you want to bring some creativity to your brand experience.
