A hotel in Canada is encouraging couples to make a baby this Valentine’s Day with an offer of an annual free stay for the next 18 years.
Hotel Zed, which has branches in Victoria and Kelowna and is launching another on Vancouver Island this summer, is offering the freebie as part of its Nooner promotion, which lets guests book in for four hours on Valentine’s Day for C$59 (£34).
This year, it's promised couples that produce a baby nine months later a free night at Hotel Zed every Valentine’s Day until 2038.
However, Zed has made it clear that the prize isn’t just for heterosexual couples who have their own biological child.
“As a proud Pride at Work partner, Hotel Zed welcomes everyone to participate in the Baby Maker Nooner promotion regardless of gender expression, gender identity and sexual orientation,” it says on the website.
“We know that the stork can take many routes to bring a baby into your family.
“As long as a new child has been welcomed into the family nine months after your Nooner, we’ll be celebrating with you!”
Hotel Zed CEO Mandy Farmer said she got the idea for the Nooner slot, which can be booked from 10am-2pm on Valentine’s Day each year, when she and her husband were struggling to spend quality time together as parents of young children.
She told CNN Travel: “I don’t think we’re going to convince someone who’s not thinking about having a baby to have a baby. But if you’re serious about expanding your family, why wouldn’t you try?
“If you succeed, you’ll win a way to celebrate your baby’s conception for the next 18 years.”
Couples must submit documentation with dates on to prove they had their child nine months or so after Valentine’s in order to receive the Nooner Baby Maker prize.
Hotel Zed describes itself as “super cool and kick ass, but totally down-to-earth”, and offers free bikes, free coffee at reception, ping pong lounges and mini discos complete with disco ball, fog machine and karaoke.
