How Hotels Are Helping Get Out The Vote In The 2020 Election

When you think of hotels, you probably imagine snuggling into a freshly made bed piled high with pillows, indulging in room service and letting your worries melt away. But securing the future of our democracy? Yep, you can now add that to the list, too. 

Hotels around the country are empowering guests take action this election through creative programs and packages. These hotels don’t care if you’re Democrat, Republican, Independent, or of any other political persuasion—they just want to make sure all their guests have the tools and info they need to cast their ballot. And some are even offering special incentives to guests who show up wearing their “I voted” stickers. 

Take a look at how hotels are helping get out the vote in the 2020 general election.

Hotel Figueroa 

Amid the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Hotel Figueroa in Los Angeles has decided to become an official L.A. County voting center from Oct. 30-Nov. 3. The progressive hotel was built by women, for women, nearly a century go, so getting involved in the 2020 election felt like another way to stay true to its feminist roots. Voters will be able to cast their ballots at Hotel Figueroa’s Gran Sala ballroom, a spectacular 2,100-square-foot space with arched windows, ironwork chandeliers and the building’s original limestone fireplace. Who knew a polling place could be this posh?

Extended Stay America

Extended Stay America is making it easier than ever for guests to get ready for the election. Each of its 561 company-owned hotels, scattered throughout 41 states, are virtual voter registration centers through the brand’s “Stay Counted” campaign. The hotel has trained its associates to serve as voter registration ambassadors who can answer questions about the process. What’s more, Extended Stay America is also giving guests who live in states that don’t offer online voter registration access to printers and stamped envelopes to mail in their applications.  

Hamilton Hotel 

Hamilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. has already been paying tribute to women’s right to vote through its one-of-a-kind Suffrage Suite, unveiled a couple months ago. The history exhibit-style hotel room is themed around the 19th Amendment, complete with framed copies of Woman's Journal and Suffrage News (a women's rights periodical), vintage photos of women casting ballots in 1917, and stories of change-makers, like Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But now, the hotel is making sure all its guests are plugged into our democracy through iPads that connect to When We All Vote’s voter registration page, located in every room. The landing page gives guests info on registering to vote online or in person, along with key dates and resources for every state. 

Bunkhouse

The design- and music-focused boutique hotel brand Bunkhouse wants to make sure members of its community have all the info they need to prepare for the upcoming election. It recently rolled out a one-stop shop of online voting resources anyone can use to see if they’re registered to vote, check out state-by-state absentee ballot deadlines and early voting calendars, find info on polling place locations (and the documents you may need to bring with you on Election Day) and more. If you happen to be in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 3-4, you can also swing by Bunkhouse’s cafe, Jo’s Coffee, for an in-person voter registration drive and a complimentary Topo Chico. Score!

InterContinental Miami

Located near multiple early voting sites, InterContinental Miami is leveraging its strategic location to encourage Miami-Dade locals to vote with a special staycation package. It’s treating guests who vote ahead of Election Day to free early check-in and exclusive amenities, like access to a South Beach IHG partner hotel and beach club, two beach lounge chairs, an umbrella and on-site activities and classes. The “Early Voting, Early Check-in Election Staycation” package, which starts at $185 per night, is available Oct. 19 to Nov. 30.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City is reminding guests about the upcoming election in the sweetest way possible: a giant chocolate “Vote!” sculpture. The massive dessert, set to go on display in October, will clock in at 300 pounds and stand 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The brains behind the display is executive pastry chef Thaddeus DuBois, who was the executive pastry chef at The White House under President George W. Bush’s administration. DuBois, plus three other team members, will spend approximately 80 hours crafting the eye-catching reminder to participate in the upcoming election.

Virgin Hotels

Virgin Hotels is reminding guests that it can be as easy to prepare for the election as it is to book a hotel room with a new “Register to Vote” button at the top of their website. The link takes guests directly to Vote.gov, where they can choose their state and see detailed guidance on how to register to vote, mail-in and in-person registration deadlines, and other important info to get ready for Nov. 3.

Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale

Proof of voting comes with special perks at the Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas’ first new hotel in more than 70 years. The hotel’s “Exercise Your Right & Stay The Night” staycation package, exclusively for guests who have participated in the election, gets you a second night for $59 (in honor of the 59th presidential election). Plus, you’ll score your first drink at the on-site Harborwood Urban Kitchen & Bar for just $5.90. Swing by Harborwood on Election Night for whiskey specials—a nod to President George Washington, who distilled his own whiskey and even “plied voters with booze.”