How to use social media to bag a luxury holiday or a free hotel stay

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Many hotels offer free one-night stays to those with a big following
Mallorca's Sol Wave House calls itself the world's first 'Twitter hotel'
A high Klout score can lead to free airport lounge access

Published: 06:59 EST, 27 March 2015 | Updated: 10:31 EST, 27 March 2015

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Being 'shared' or 'liked' on social media is worth its weight in gold these days, with plenty of companies looking to reward users and gain publicity for their brands.

It's a good time to be a popular person on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, as travel companies and hotels have started to offer 'freebies' in exchange for recognition on social media.

Hotels and airlines are opening up to the commercial opportunities of tourists posting rave reviews or impressive holiday snaps through social media channels to their thousands of followers.

A little thing such as taking a selfie and sharing it on social networks can get you freebies on holiday

Many are more than willing to offer healthy perks and discounts, so long as payment is offered in the form of positive reviews online.

Here, MailOnline Travel takes a look at some of the best deals on offer.

A Nordic delight

A hotel in Sweden offers discounted accommodation to those with a high number of Facebook friends and Instagram followers.

The Nordic Light Hotel in Stockholm launched a 'Social Network as Currency' promotion giving travellers anywhere from 10 per cent off the price of a room to a free one-night stay that usually costs £230.

Nordic Light Hotel in Sweden has launched a 'Social Network as Currency' promotion offering free stays

The promotion gives travellers from up to 100 per cent off the price off a room - usually costing around £230

The only caveat? Visitors must share a post when making the reservation, checking in and checking out

Anyone with 100,000 followers on Instagram, 2,000 private Facebook friends or 100,000 on a fan page, will be gifted seven nights per year at the hotel free.

The catch is that, in return, the hotel expects social media publicity.

As a visitor, you must share a post when making the reservation, then again at check-in and one at check-out.

The post must mention the hotel's website and Facebook page.

The 'Instagram hotel'

The unique boutique 1888 Hotel in Sydney, Australia has been designed with Instagram users in mind, meaning that every angle, every detail and every element of the hotel has been curated to be worthy of an Instagram photograph.

1888 Hotel in Sydney, where those with over 30,000 followers can redeem a free one-night stay

Those who take and post the best photos of the hotel on Instagram can also win a free night at 1888 Hotel

The hotel claims that every detail and element has been curated to be worthy of an Instagram photograph

The hotel, which says of the property that 'every level has a view', encourages guests to take photographs of the furniture, rooms and views and post them on Instagram.

Instagram users with at least 30,000 followers are eligible to receive a free one-night stay.

Those who have fewer followers can share their snaps of the hotel on Instagram for a chance to win a free night.

The 'Twitter Hotel'

Of course, there's a 'Twitter hotel' too.

The Sol Wave House hotel in Mallorca has Twitter-themed rooms decked out in blue and white, to match the social network's iconic colour scheme, and holidaymakers can check-in, find out about events, order room service and get exclusive deals using dedicated hashtags.

When guests check-in they are given access to an exclusive Twitter app, only available on the hotel's Wi-Fi

The hotel also has Twitter-themed parties and offers Twitter-themed drinks such as a blue mojito.

When guests check-in they are given access to an exclusive Twitter app, only available on the hotel's wifi.

Guests at Sol Wave can then tweet each other, share photos, send private messages, see who's online and flirt by sending virtual kisses using the #SocialWave tag.

It has two Twitter concierges who greet guests via Twitter.

The Sol Wave House hotel in Mallorca allows guests to order food and drinks through Twitter

The hotel also has #TwitterPartySuites that sleep up to four people.

Anyone who stays in the suite gets 20 per cent discount on all bars and restaurants, VIP hammocks and customised mini bars.

Minibar fridges can be also be restocked by tweeting a #FillMyFridge request to the Twitter concierge.

Food and drinks are ordered at the pool bar by tweeting the @SolWaveHouse Twitter handle.

The suites also come with champagne, blue balloons and liquorice in the shape of the hash symbol.

Each Friday there is a #TwitterPoolParty as well, where Twitter guests receive a free drink.

Best Western Facebook appeal
Best Western are responsible for 4,000 hotels in over 100 countries worldwide so a freebie from them can go a long way.

They hold a weekly Travel Trivia Tuesday challenge that offers a $100 Best Western Travel Card to the person picked at random who can correctly guess a location from a jigsaw puzzle.

Best Western are responsible for 4,000 hotels in over 100 countries worldwide so freebies are worthwhile

Facebook users can win a five-night stay around the world and $2,500 to spend through Best Western

It's free to enter, and all you have to do is input your name and email address.

The hotel company are very active on Facebook, and run a number of competitions throughout the year, where winners can win a five-night stay around the world and $2,500.

The Hilton hashtag

Hilton Hotels maintain an active presence across all platforms of social networking.

And their #HiltonStory campaign encourages users to share their experiences of their resorts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Hilton Hotels have an active presence across all platforms and a dedicated hashtag for freebies

People are encouraged to share their opinions and photographs followed by the #HiltonStory and the best are selected for a free two-night stay anywhere in the world.

Free air miles with Klout

Klout, the app that measures your social media following announced a partnership with American Airlines whereby the more popular you are, the more benefits you can get with the airline.

If you have a Klout score of over 55 (ratings go up to 100), you can access 37 of American Airlines' exclusive lounges in 22 different cities in the US.

But don't worry if you fall below that score; if you visit the dedicated page on the airline's website, your entry will be submitted into a draw to win a day's pass.

It pays to be socially active

New hotel-booking site Hotelied, with the tagline 'It pays to be you', is offering its members the chance to stay at high-end properties in New York, Miami, Portland, Los Angeles and Tel Aviv for 50 per cent off.

However, discounts are only for those who have a large number of friends and followers on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Those with a following can save £107 per night at Metropolitan by COMO in Miami Beach through Hotelied

These 'tastemakers', as the website describes those with an active online presence, will be offered customised concessions tailored to their social media profile.

It means that the more popular a Hotelied member is online, the larger the discount will be offline.

Depending on how many followers they have on Twitter, members can save up to half price on hotel stays.

A night at the Metropolitan by COMO in Miami Beach, which is usually priced at $429 a night (£268), for example, is currently available for a discounted rate of $258 per night (£161).

At SIXTY in New York, rooms which are usually $454 a night (£284) are priced at $364 a night (£227).

Puerto Rican prizes on offer

La Concha Resort in Puerto Rico is currently promoting a ‘Take a Selfie Adventure Package’.

Available between May and August, the deal costs from $179 per night (£106), and includes discounts on visits to sites like the Bacardi rum distillery.

Simply for taking a selfie and posting on social networks, a world of freebies can be opened up

Guests are encouraged to pose for selfies at locations such as the island’s 16th century Fort San Felipe del Morro – in the hope that they will ‘tag’ the hotel using its Twitter handle, or mention it on other social media sites.

In return, they can win further nights of accommodation.

The hotel will select one of the submitted selfies for each of the four months of the promotion, with each winning photographer earning another three-night stay.

Expedia want to listen

For 90 minutes every Wednesday, travel giant Expedia host a sponsored chat session on Twitter.

Expedia offer luxurious holidays as prizes and all Twitter users have to do is use the #Expediachat

The topics and prizes change each week, but as long as users discuss the items for discussion, tweeting at least once using the hashtag, they will be entered into a prize draw.

Prizes in the past have included an around-the world trip, stays at exclusive beach resorts in the Caribbean and $500 (£335) vouchers.

Belgrade on a budget

A hostel stay is a popular choice for those who wish to spend their money wisely or are on a strict budget.

The Belgrade Modern Hostel is offering a free stay to anyone who has 2,000 or more Facebook friends.

In Serbia the Belgrade Modern Hostel accepts personal social networks and blog posts as currency

Those with more than 100,000 followers on Instagram will similarly be awarded a free night at the hostel in Serbia.

Guests are expected to post information and pictures from their stay in return as payment.

Not quite there yet? Visitors can still be awarded money off if they have a substantial number of friends or followers. The hostel has introduced a sliding scale of discount depending on online popularity.

A statement on the hostel's website says: 'As the first hostel ever, Belgrade Modern Hostel accepts personal social networks and blog posts as currency.

'The size of your social media network is the basis for a discount ranging from five per cent up to free hostel stays.'