De Bruijn PR

By Roos Bouws | June 4, 2024

PR launch suites Château Neercanne

Château Neercanne, a 17th-century fairytale castle in Maastricht and part of the Oostwegel Collection, started a significant renovation of its roofs in 2023. Camille Oostwegel, the owner and general manager of this family business, turned this necessity into an opportunity by simultaneously developing seven luxury suites at Château Neercanne. This was a special project, as overnight stays had not previously been possible at the castle. Previously, guests could only visit the Michelin-starred Restaurant Château Neercanne or the Bib Gourmand-awarded lunch restaurant L’Auberge.

The challenge

With the addition of the suites, Château Neercanne’s proposition evolved. De Bruijn PR was tasked with the exciting challenge of supporting Oostwegel Collection in repositioning Château Neercanne and securing national and international visibility for the suites, from the start of construction through to the grand opening and beyond.

Suite Château Neercanne

Our strategy

We crafted a PR strategy divided into several key phases:

  1. Positioning
  2. Opening reservations
  3. Pre-opening
  4. Opening

By segmenting the strategy into these phases, we ensured the involvement of key stakeholders throughout the entire process, from the initial construction to the official opening. In the first phase, we focused on establishing the right positioning. We began with a strategy session with the Château Neercanne team.

The outcome was a PR strategy centered on exclusivity, building anticipation, and enhancing experiences. We aligned this approach with the Oostwegel Collection’s mission and vision: to cherish heritage and hospitality, with meticulous attention to detail and preservation of original character, transforming monuments into unforgettable hotels and restaurants that offer meaningful luxury. Our goal was to connect travelers to Château Neercanne by offering them exclusive, enriching, and adventurous experiences.

Ultimately, our aim was to position Château Neercanne as the premier luxury and exclusive travel destination in the Netherlands, appealing to both national and international travelers. This provided a robust foundation for long-term brand awareness.

Chateau Neercane

PR activities

  1. Opening Reservations: By October 2023, construction had progressed to the point where the first reservations for 2024 could be made. To announce this, we organized a press afternoon for local, regional, and industry media, offering them an exclusive sneak preview of the ongoing construction and roof renovation. This gave future guests and local residents insight into the progress and highlighted our commitment to cultural heritage. This event resulted in coverage in outlets such as De Limburger, Chapeau, Het Belang van Limburg, Misset Horeca and items on  RTV Maastricht and L1.
  2. Pre-opening: In March 2024, the first guests had the opportunity to stay in the seven suites. To underscore the exclusivity, we organized a pre-opening event for a select group of national and international media, dubbed the ‘Lucky Number 7.’ We selected seven influential media titles, inviting them to be the first guests to experience the unique suites. Each journalist and their guest enjoyed an intimate and exclusive stay, replicating the experience that future guests would have. This led to stunning features and reviews in prestigious international publications like Robb Report en Centurion, L’Officiel België and in the Netherlands LINDA., Quote, Barts Boekje and Nouveau.
  3. Grand opening: On April 18, 2024, the suites were officially opened by the Mayor of Maastricht and Humberto Tan. Maintaining the theme of exclusivity, The Hospitality Group organized an extraordinary event the day before the official opening, featuring a sensory tour of the Château that engaged all seven senses, reflecting the seven suites. At this stage, we broadened our media approach, combining coverage from local media, industry journals, lifestyle publications, and influencers. Our goal was to secure in-depth reviews and reports in lifestyle media, generate news coverage of the suites’ completion in local and industry outlets, and inspire social media engagement through influencers. We also invited wedding and event planners to showcase Château Neercanne’s new possibilities with overnight stays. ELLE, Enfait, Holland Herald, Marie Claire België and Wanderlust, among others, published extensive reviews of the suites. We also achieved attention through influencers such as Liza Chloë, Jolielot en Paulien Riemis, and  relevant media such as Misset Horeca, Entree, Chapeau and De Limburger.
Pers bij Chateau Neercanne

Results

All media coverage for Château Neercanne was achieved through earned media; no payment was made to any media outlet or influencer for content creation or event attendance. Alongside the press visits, we distributed two press releases announcing the start of reservations and the suites’ grand opening. In total, we secured 43 publications, with an advertising value exceeding over €200,000, a PR value of over €180,000 and nearly 2.5 million reach.

Also curious about a PR approach for your campaign? Then contact us to explore the possibilities!

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