What journalists and influencers should include in a hotel Press Stay request

Introduce yourself and your work

Start with your name, professional role and the publication, programme, website or social platform relevant to the request. If you are freelance, explain whether the work is commissioned, intended for a regular outlet or being developed for a particular audience. Link to representative recent work that allows the hotel to understand your style and subject matter.

Be accurate about your relationship with an outlet. Writing for a publication previously is not the same as holding a current commission from it. Clear provenance builds trust and lets the hotel assess the opportunity on its real merits.

Explain what you are working on

Give the hotel a useful editorial angle or content proposal. You might be researching a destination guide, a feature on restorative breaks, a food-led itinerary or a considered series about historic hotels. Explain why the property belongs in that work rather than relying on general praise.

If your plans are at an early stage, say so. A hotel can still consider a relevant idea, but it should understand whether the work is commissioned, proposed or self-directed. Never imply that coverage is confirmed when it is not.

Choose the correct arrangement

For an Editorial Press Stay

Explain the editorial purpose, intended outlet and likely format. Editorial coverage is never guaranteed, even where a stay supports genuine research. Do not promise a positive review, predetermined wording or publication simply to secure hospitality.

For a Hosted Creator Collaboration

Propose content you can genuinely deliver and that appropriately features the hotel or experience. Be clear about formats, quantities, likely timing and any usage request. The collaboration must be disclosed appropriately, and its details should be agreed before the stay rather than negotiated after arrival.

Include the practical details

• Dates and flexibility: give preferred dates and useful alternatives, especially if your trip depends on transport or other assignments.
• Length of stay: request only the time needed to experience the property and complete the proposed work.
• Guests: state who will accompany you and why. Never assume that additional rooms, adults or children are included.
• Hospitality requested: be specific about accommodation, meals, activities, treatments or transport you are asking the hotel to consider.
• Access needed: mention interviews, photography, filming, early access or particular experiences that are important to the work.
• Relevant constraints: share dietary, accessibility or production requirements early enough for the hotel to assess them properly.

Make the relevance easy to see

Tailor the request. Refer to a genuine aspect of the hotel that fits your work, and explain the audience or readership for whom it matters. Avoid copying a destination name into a generic message or asking the property to invent an angle for you.

For influencers, audience size alone is not a complete case. A hotel also needs to understand subject relevance, audience geography, format and the quality of previous work. For journalists, a recognisable outlet helps, but a precise commission or credible specialist track record is equally important context.

Before you send

• Check that your professional profile and work examples are current.
• Confirm that the requested dates and guest details are accurate.
• Remove claims you cannot substantiate and promises you cannot control.
• Make sure the proposed pathway matches the work you intend to do.
• Read the hotel's Stay Opportunity carefully and answer any stated requirements.

A clear request respects the hotel's time and gives both sides a better basis for deciding whether to proceed. If it is accepted, continue with the same clarity when confirming the arrangement and communicating before the visit. Read the Professional Standards, explore PressStays.com for journalists and influencers, or review what a Press Stay involves.