Although summer just ended, the desire to get away from routine and enjoy a vacation is always there.  Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants understands that, and is using it to their marketing advantage.  In order to publicize the launch of the company’s new web sites for each of its eight high-end Larkspur Collection hotel properties, the hospitality group is presenting the “I NEED A VACATION BECAUSE…!” contest.

The Bay Area-based Larkspur recognized the need for new websites and now that those are up and running, is using the contest to attract visitors to those sites.  Larkspur’s Vice President of Marketing, Richard Flores, commented that the sites now “communicate each Larkspur Collection hotel’s unique personality, while creating a user-friendly, engaging website experience.”  However, the contest itself, interestingly enough, does not require contestants to visit any of the Larkspur Hotels websites—instead, it requires contestants to be Facebook members.

For the, “I NEED A VACATION BECAUSE…!” contest, contestants will need to log into Facebook, visit Larkspur’s Facebook page, and become a Larkspur fan.  Then, in 50 words or less, contestants will describe why they deserve a vacation and post it on Larkspur’s Facebook page.  The contest is accepting wall posts until November 17, 2009 and then the company will choose eight entrants as winners—each winner will receive a vacation at one of the eight Larkspur Collection hotels.

The eight participating hotels are: The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach, CA; Casa Munras in Monterey, CA; Hotel Abri in San Francisco, CA; The Lodge at Tiburon in Tiburon, CA; The Sainte Claire in San Jose, CA; Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos, CA; Villa Florence in San Francisco, CA; and the RiverPlace Hotel in Portland, OR.  The vacation includes a two-night stay with deluxe accommodations at one of these hotels, a complementary bottle of sparkling wine, dinner for two at the hotel’s restaurant, early check-in and late check-out hours, and a $150 Southwest Airlines voucher to help with travel.

Via: Hotel Chatter