Westin hotels to offer “Sudoku Sanctuaries”

Hotel chain Westin has launched a Sudoku-themed experiential campaign and has signed deals with two food companies to promote the concept of personal renewal at its hotels.

The company, owned by Starwood Hotels, is running “Sudoku Sanctuaries” in London, Paris, Milan and Madrid from next week until the end of June.

The Sudoku-themed garden, a modern version of the “chess garden” concept, is constructed from wood and decorated with live plants. The sanctuary will be based at London’s Broadgate Arena between May 5 and 12.

The company says the aim of the campaign is to convey the feeling that guests will experience at a Westin hotel.

The experiential aspect will be accompanied by a campaign aboard airlines, with sudoku puzzles distributed to passengers, and with ads running at airports.

The sudoku theme has been developed in conjunction with Nikoli Company, the biggest puzzle publisher in Japan.

Westin is also introducing a “brain training” aspect to the fitness offering at its properties by challenging guests to solve new types of Sudoku puzzle, developed in partnership with Nikoli. It says the aim is to allow guests to “unwind and exercise their minds”.

In addition, the company, which has 135 hotels and resorts in 31 countries, has signed a deal with tea company JING to offer a menu of flowering teas at its hotels.

The chain is also extending its deal with SuperFoods into its hotels outside North America, offering customers specially designed menus featuring dishes high in antioxidants and other health-giving nutrients.