Musicians Lobby for Free Hotel Publicity and “Staycation” at GEM

Hotel lobbies are notorious for playing mediocre jazz on repeat. GEM Hotels, a new collection of boutique hotels in NYC, wants to change that.

“Room for Tunes” is GEM Brand Hotels’ new marketing initiative to fill its lobbies with the trendy sounds of New York. The boutique hotels, with three New York City locations, pride themselves on their intimate connection to the neighborhoods in which they are located. Ritesh Jariwala, president of Gemini Hospitality Management, the company that owns GEM, decided to showcase local musicians in the hotels’ lobbies in an effort to further this neighborhood connection.

New York artists are encouraged to leave their CDs in the lobby of any GEM Hotel in New York through May 31. If their album is selected, their songs will rotate on the hotel lobby’s playlist. Then—this is the real perk—the artists will receive a free room at the hotel, which they can use for what GEM calls a “staycation.”

A “staycation” is a vacation that doesn’t include getting on an airplane (which means there are no worries about baggage or taking Dramamine). “If they [the bands] are students, it’s a good get away from roommates in their apartments or dorms for a weekend, and a good opportunity to visit different neighborhoods and enjoy at least one night,” Jariwala said. There are no transportation or hotel costs, and the “staycation” includes a mini bar and crisp, turned down sheets.

Though Jariwala said that the hotels are looking for any and all genres of music, with only “restrictions based on language,” it is hard to imagine anything but easy listening. Unless GEM Hotel wants its customers rocking out in the lobby, it is probably selecting a certain kind of music—music that is not too loud, not too depressing, and not too weird.

Additionally, music plays a minimal role in these settings—it should be nonintrusive and calming. As it stands, local artists might have reservations about associating their music with GEM Hotels. It is questionable whether the “Room for Tunes” campaign will be beneficial to either GEM Hotels or local artists—why not hire a young hip DJ to pick out a good playlist?

Maybe because “Room for Tunes” is a compelling mixture of buzz marketing and mutual interest advertising. It is subliminally accessing the deepest insecurity of every musician. Will someone make room for my songs, my voice, my artistry? GEM Hotels will.

Symbiotic relationships are the kind artists crave. Especially musicians. Musicians need sponsors, writers, fans, and venues to launch their artistry. Consumers need music to inspire them, to look hip, and to feel good. “Room for Tunes” is promoting one such relationship. So what have you got to loose? You’ve got tunes? They’ve got rooms.

GEM Hotels have three locations in NYC: SoHo at 135 E. Houston St., Midtown at 449 W. 36th St., and Chelsea at 300 W. 22nd St.