In German-speaking Europe, hotel PR is often approached as a logistics exercise: compile a media list, send a press release, follow up, repeat. When results don’t materialise, the instinct is to expand the list, increase frequency, or “do more PR”.

But in today’s DACH media landscape, distribution is rarely the bottleneck. The bottleneck is editorial fit — and, more specifically, the quality of the story signal you send to editors.

The DACH reality: less space, sharper selection

Travel and lifestyle journalism in the region has not disappeared, but it has changed. There is less print space, fewer dedicated travel pages, and more reliance on curated formats. Editors have become more selective not only about what is “good”, but about what is publishable now — and what aligns with their readership’s expectations.

For independent hotels, this is both a challenge and an advantage. The challenge: generic messaging dies instantly. The advantage: strong, specific stories still travel far — because truly distinctive independent properties are rare.

What editors actually decide on

Most hotel pitches fail within seconds for one of two reasons:

they don’t offer a clear editorial angle (only a list of features), or
they don’t make it easy for an editor to imagine the piece.

A helpful way to think about DACH PR is this: editors don’t publish “hotels”. They publish narratives that happen to be set in a hotel.

That narrative can be design-led, culinary, cultural, seasonal, human, craft-based, historical, or place-driven — but it has to be real, tangible, and specific. “Luxury”, “boutique”, “authentic” and “unique” are not angles; they’re adjectives.

The difference between a hotel description and a publishable story

Independent hotels often have the raw material for strong PR, but they translate it into copy that reads like a website. Editorial storytelling requires different mechanics:

A reason to publish now
Not every story is news. But good PR always has timing: a seasonal window, a new chapter, a restoration, a chef’s arrival, a cultural collaboration, an anniversary, a fresh perspective on a destination.
A proof-based point of view
DACH journalism tends to be sceptical of hype. Claims need anchors: a person, a craft, a process, a location, a “why”. The more premium the positioning, the more important the proof.
A human centre
Independent hotels have a natural advantage here. Owner-led decisions, the personality of a host, a chef, a designer, a guiding philosophy — these are often the real story, and they differentiate more than facilities ever will.
An image world that carries meaning
“Nice pictures” aren’t enough. Editorial image sets need narrative range: atmosphere, details, people, food, place, context. Images should not only illustrate, but suggest a story.
Low-friction editorial logistics
DACH editors are busy and risk-averse. Clear facts, availability, responsive contacts, and a coherent press kit matter more than most hotels assume. Friction kills interest.

Why independent hotels should resist “PR templates”

What works for big chains or glossy press-release cycles often works poorly for independent hotels. Templates flatten personality. They dilute what makes independence valuable: specificity.

The most effective DACH PR for independent hotels tends to be less about volume and more about editorial precision: