New York’s Pod Hotel has started using an online forum that allows guests to meet each other before arriving.

The budget hotel, which caters to the young, hip crowd, offers many high-tech amenities: iPod docking stations, free WiFi, and flat-screen TVs.  But its PodCulture forum is most innovative.

After registering, guests are sent an email with a code that allows them to register on the forum. Once there, they can begin communicating with other guests under categories such as “Eat With Me” and “Shop With Me.”

The full story from The Globe and Mail contains even more information on the broader trend of making your hotel a destination.  I’d recommend you take a moment to read it.

Marriott estimates that CEO Bill Marriott’s blog has generated $5 million in bookings for the company.

If you can’t decide whether to start a blog to promote your hotel, then perhaps this will move you to action.  The Washington Post recently published an article on using blogs as part of your marketing mix, and profiled Bill Marriott’s Marriott on the Move as an example of effective CEO blogging.

Kathleen Matthews, head of communications at Marriott, came up with the idea for Bill Marriott to start an executive blog.  The blog was launched in January 2007 to much fanfare, with the media wondering if a blog was a legitimate platform for sharing information.

Now, with over $5 million in additional revenue, it’s clear the project has been a success.  Mr. Marriott seeks to make a personal connection with his readers, appreciating how the blog makes him look like a human “just like everyone else.”  His use of experiential and observational posts (which we discussed yesterday) helps him do this.

While you may not have the platform that Bill Marriott has as chief executive of Marriott International, there’s not doubt you could reap similar benefits from starting your own hotelier blog.

You just may see your number of bookings increase.

Social media blogger Chris Brogan shares a day in the life of Yolanda, a fictitious hotel marketer.  Chris shows some good examples of using Twitter, RSS, and YouTube, but I especially like his proactive way of encouraging social media reviews:

After getting the lay of the land, Yolanda pours her second cup of coffee and browses Yelp. She’s not frustrated like some business leaders. Instead, Yolanda has a proactive approach. She’s built a process at her four hotels such that on sign-in, guests are invited to get a Yelp account, so that they can learn what people are saying about restaurants and other venues in Boston. There’s also a polite encouragement to rate their stay via Yelp.

[Read the whole entry]

The concept of encouraging Yelp registration on check-in is brilliant.  Not only does the user get introduced to great area restaurants and attractions, but guest reviews of the hotel will probably increase.

Could you do something like this to increase your social media popularity?