Picture this: rolling hills, ancient olive groves, medieval ruins, and luxury villas that transport you straight into an Italian dream. But beyond its breathtaking scenery, Tenuta di Murlo is a masterclass in hotel marketing online, leveraging strategic branding and digital storytelling to captivate high-end travelers.
That’s Tenuta di Murlo, one of Italy’s most exclusive private country estates. Spanning thousands of hectares of woodlands, lakes, and rivers, this estate has been in the same family for generations. But I didn’t discover it through word of mouth or a personal visit—no, I found Tenuta di Murlo through their powerful hotel marketing online strategy, particularly their Instagram presence.
So, how does this historical gem leverage digital marketing to attract its high-end clientele? Grab a cappuccino (if it’s before noon), and let’s break it down! ☕️
Table of Contents:
- Branding Strategy: The Tenuta di Murlo Experience 🌿🏰
- Marketing Strategy: How Tenuta di Murlo Wins on Instagram 📲📸
- The Power of Press, Influencers and an Agency 🏆✨
- What They Could Do Even Better 💡
- Key Takeaways from Tenuta di Murlo’s Marketing Strategy 🏆
- Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Elevate Your Own Hospitality Marketing 🚀
- Final Thoughts 🌟
Branding Strategy: The Tenuta di Murlo Experience 🌿🏰
Before we dive into their marketing strategies, let’s talk about their branding. Exclusivity is the keyword here. Their approach to hotel marketing online is all about positioning themselves as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, rather than just another luxury stay.
🏡 A Website That Feels Personal (But Could Use a Revamp)
Their website is elegant and easy to navigate. However, unlike most luxury accommodations, you can’t book directly—instead, you fill out a request form. While this may seem unusual, it makes sense for an ultra-exclusive destination like Tenuta di Murlo. High demand means they can afford to vet inquiries and maintain a tailored, personal booking experience.
That said, while the site isn’t outdated, a refresh could elevate its user experience even further.
🛡 A Logo That Speaks to History
Their logo, the estate’s crest, immediately hints at heritage and prestige. It reinforces the estate’s historical depth, subtly telling potential guests: This isn’t just another luxury stay—this is a place with legacy.
Marketing Strategy: How Tenuta di Murlo Wins on Instagram 📲📸
Social media, especially Instagram, is where Tenuta di Murlo truly shines. Their content strategy is built around three core pillars that define their success in hotel marketing online:
1️⃣ Breathtaking Visuals 🌅🏊♀️
Their Instagram feed is a masterclass in dreamy content marketing. Here’s what stands out:
✅ Drone Shots: Sweeping aerial views showcase the vastness of the estate.
✅ Seasonal Beauty: While summer dominates their content (pools, sun-kissed villas), they also highlight autumn’s charm.
✅ Luxury Accommodation Focus: Villas take center stage—every angle, every detail, every sun-drenched terrace.
✅ Guest Content: They frequently use UGC (user-generated content) and credit the photographers and guests in captions. However, in my opinion, they miss out on collaboration posts—imagine the extended reach they could gain by tapping into the reach of influencer accounts. They’ve only done this a handful of times.
2️⃣ Shareable, Relatable Text on Visuals 📝
Their text overlays on videos are brilliant. Simple, yet highly engaging. Some standout examples:
This subtle but effective strategy makes their content instantly relatable—followers want to tag friends or share these posts in their stories.
3️⃣ Strong Call to Actions (CTAs) in Every Post 🎯
This is where Tenuta di Murlo truly levels up its Instagram game. Almost every caption includes a direct CTA, typically:
💬 “Save this hidden gem for your next vacation.”
Why does this work? Because when people bookmark a post a lot, it triggers Instagram’s algorithm. Meaning: Instagram knows people like your post, and will show it to more people, leading to bigger reach.
They started using this CTA format about 13 weeks ago, and it has definitely helped to keep the engagement on their posts high.
The Power of Press, Influencers and an Agency 🏆✨
📖 Major Features in Vogue & Condé Nast Traveler
Getting featured in Vogue and Condé Nast Traveler has instantly given Tenuta di Murlo next-level credibility. These aren’t just travel magazines—they’re aspirational lifestyle bibles for many. This has no doubt led to more bookings and brand awareness.
When a place like Tenuta di Murlo lands a feature, it signals prestige. And when their audience sees these high-profile endorsements, it reinforces the idea that this estate is a bucket-list-worthy destination.
📲 Influencer Mentions
Tenuta di Murlo has also been mentioned by multiple influencers.
While they could maximize their reach by turning these into collaborative posts, the fact that influencers organically mention their stay still helps drive traffic and brand awareness. Their strategy is working—and with a few more direct influencer partnerships, they could expand their reach even further.
Working with an Agency 🤝
In September 2024, Tenuta di Murlo took a step further in its marketing game by partnering with VIVRE Agency, a digital marketing firm specializing in luxury hospitality. The results were impressive: a 70% increase in bookings and a doubling of engagement rates on their social media platforms.
VIVRE Agency helped Tenuta di Murlo in three major ways: social media management, targeted ad campaigns, and influencer collaborations.
Do You Need a Marketing Agency for Your Boutique Hotel?
Here’s the thing: Tenuta di Murlo was already highly successful before this partnership. Their strong brand identity and content strategy laid the foundation for their hotel marketing online success.
💡 What’s the lesson here for other hotels (on a budget)? You don’t necessarily need to hire a marketing agency to achieve similar results. Instead, focus on these two fundamental elements: your brand identity and content strategy.
What They Could Do Even Better 💡
Even luxury brands have areas to refine. In my opinion, they could focus a bit more on:
🔹 More Collaborative Posts: Right now, they rarely leverage collaborative Instagram posts with content creators. Given their existing partnerships with photographers and influencers, this is a missed opportunity for extended reach.
🔹 More Behind-the-Scenes Content: We occasionally see glimpses of the family behind the estate—which is fantastic. But a deeper look into the staff, chefs, and local artisans could add warmth and authenticity.
🔹 Highlight Their Restaurant More: Their restaurant, set in a medieval farmhouse rebuilt over a 14th-century defensive tower, is a story waiting to be told. While they show some kitchen shots and dining pics, they could do so much more—introducing the chef, sharing signature dishes, or even promoting food and wine pairings.
Key Takeaways from Tenuta di Murlo’s Marketing Strategy 🏆
- Gorgeous Visuals Sell the Dream – Their content makes you feel like you’re already there.
- Simple, Relatable Text Hooks Viewers – Overlaying text like “This and no internet” makes posts shareable.
- Strong CTAs Drive Engagement – They consistently encourage saves and shares, fueling Instagram’s algorithm.
Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Elevate Your Own Hospitality Marketing 🚀
1️⃣ Audit Your Instagram Strategy: Are you using CTAs in captions? Could you add more shareable text overlays? Double check and don’t slack!
2️⃣ Dial in Collaborations: Identify content creators and influencers who align with your brand—offer them a stay in exchange for content, preferably collaborative posts if on Instagram.
3️⃣ Highlight People & Stories: Guests love seeing the faces behind the brand—show your chefs, housekeepers, or the family running the business.
Final Thoughts 🌟
Tenuta di Murlo is a perfect example of heritage meets modern hotel marketing online. They know their audience, craft stunning content, and use Instagram as a powerful tool to keep engagement high and bookings flowing. Their strategy—combining strong branding, viral content stacking, and well-placed influencer features—is a masterclass for boutique hotels looking to stand out online.
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