Good deeds beget good deals on hotel rooms under a promotion launched by a Denver lodging firm.
Sage Hospitality Resources is offering free or discounted hotel rooms at its properties to those who volunteer at least eight hours at nonprofits.
In a similar promotion by Broomfield-based RockResorts International, visitors who work on designated environmental and conservation projects receive discounted rooms in Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen and Jackson Hole, Wyo.
It’s a new twist for a hotel industry awash with offers intended to fill empty rooms in the midst of a recession.
Rate discounts and free nights on multiple-night stays are commonplace at many chains and boutique hotels.
But Sage officials said their chief motivation is to support charitable organizations by inducing volunteerism.
“One of our values is giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said Brad Robinette, senior vice president of operations at Sage. “It’s a tough environment right now for philanthropic groups, and we hope this gives them a boost.”
A limited number of rooms at Sage’s 53 hotels nationwide, including 15 in Colorado, will be given away, each free for one night to people who can verify their volunteer work on the letterhead of tax-exempt 501(c)3 organizations.
Sage also is offering volunteers a 50 percent discount on published rates for most rooms during the promotion’s run through Dec. 20. Some dates are blacked out.
“Sage is known for being charitable in the community,” said John Montgomery, managing director of consulting firm Horwath Hotel, Tourism and Leisure. “They’re not making a lot of money at a 50 percent discount — it’s kind of a break-even deal — but it helps them with their exposure. And 50 percent is better than having a room sit empty.”
He said Sage stands to benefit if customers attracted by the promotion spend on food and beverages at the hotel.
Sage’s hotels in metro Denver include the Curtis, the Oxford, JW Marriott and several TownePlace Suites.
Information on the Sage promotion can be found at . RockResorts program details are at .
