In response to Poland’s shrinking birth rate, one of the country’s top hotel chains is getting creative — turning family planning into part of the guest experience. Arche Hotels, which operates 23 properties across Poland with more than 4,000 rooms, is now offering complimentary celebration packages to couples who conceive a child during their stay at any of their locations, according to CNN.
This approach comes as Poland grapples with a demographic challenge, having recorded just 1.2 live births per woman in 2023. The figure represents a substantial decline from 2.06 in 1990, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency. The program represents a light-hearted yet strategic response to a serious national concern, as countries worldwide, including the US, face similar demographic trends.
The Hotel Celebration Package
Władysław Grochowski, the owner of Arche Hotels, has committed to providing eligible couples with a free family celebration in one of the chain’s event rooms or restaurants. “Parents of the first child born under this program will also receive a stroller and a special welcome package,” Grochowski explained in an interview with financial site money.pl.
Some properties also feature renovated churches that can be used for weddings or baptisms, while others have parks where a tree will be planted for each eligible birth recorded. However, not everyone is eligible to participate in this program. The hotel chain has established specific eligibility criteria to ensure the initiative benefits Polish citizens. Couples must reside in Poland, and at least one parent needs to be a Polish citizen.
A Growing Trend In Hospitality
Arche Hotels isn’t pioneering this concept entirely. Other hospitality brands have previously offered similar incentives focused on romance and reproduction. In 2020, Canadian chain Hotel Zed offered free stays to couples who had Valentine’s Day babies. In 2024, New York’s Walker Hotel Tribeca introduced a “self-love” package for solo travelers, as noted in CNN’s coverage.
