Identity ideal: Why your hotel concept should appeal to all senses
People judge a book by its cover as they judge a hotel by its look and feel. If you are developing a new concept for your hotel, think about all its graphic, verbal and sensorial aspects.
From corridor signage to website layout and up to the hold music, each and every ingredient is an opportunity for a hotel to assert its unique identity. Since these items are experienced by guests before, during and after their stay, the identity they express must be fully coherent with the story of your hotel.
Keep in mind that…
Visual identity plays a particularly important role in creating an identity. It also contributes to your hotel’s perceived value: stellar website design is good advertising in and out of itself. The visual identity you develop also extends to the content you create. Your Instagram posts, trade show banners, YouTube videos – make sure that your content is always “on-brand”. Repetition and consistency will help ingrain your concept into the minds of your customers. An often overlooked but highly effective way to build a special connection with your guests is your sensorial identity. The scent of fresh croissants in the morning might convince a guest not to skip breakfast. Replacing the complimentary chocolate by a local delicacy may create an extra connection with your surroundings. Even the choice of toilet paper can have unexpected effects on your guests’ wellbeing.
The identity must be fully coherent with the story of your hotel.
Watch out!
Clichés and stereotypes can ruin an otherwise authentic experience. Be sure to avoid pictures of soulless city views – or worse, stock images – and do not use local landmarks as a replacement for a hotel logo. Sensorial experiences need to be subtle too. A funky playlist can enliven your bar in the evening, but is likely to drive away guests if it’s playing the next day at breakfast. Pay particular attention to the smell and composition of bathroom products: nothing ruins a good shower like blatantly artificial fragrances and a dry scalp.
Questions to ask yourself
- Do your hotel name and visual identity match with your hotel story ?
- Does your hotel stimulate all five senses ? Does it have its own smell ? Its own sound ?
- What is your hotel’s tone of voice ?
- Is your identity timeless or just trendy ?
Get inspired by: STAGE Paris, France
STAGE, at our client property the Terrass” Hôtel in Paris, blurs the line between event and community space. Its modular layout serves to host Sunday brunches, children’s activities and corporate meetings. To translate this innovative story graphically, we created an original and playful visual identity. We designed the logo using the Terrass” Hôtel’s typography and developed a series of colourful brush patterns to express the creative and versatile nature of the space.
Get inspired by: The Fife Arms Braemar, UK
The Fife Arms Hotel is a luxury hotel in the Scottish Highlands, housed in a restored Victorian coach inn. It boasts a consistent identity across all touchpoints and a story about connecting heritage, hospitality and contemporary art. Everything from their website to their luggage labels has been designed or curated to fit with the hotel concept. The hotel even created its very own Scottish tartan, used for staff uniforms and bed covers. To complete the picture, staff are encouraged to speak with a strong Scottish accent to keep the original soul of the place alive.
