Through clever campaigns and more down-to-earth branding, hotels are connecting to guests on a deeper level
I read somewhere that “The best brands don’t sell; they make you want to join the club.” More hotel brands are subscribing to that idea and building cult-like loyalty through creative direction, cultural programming and merchandise.
It’s not exactly a new approach—think Aman’s fiercely loyal fandom, otherwise known as Aman Junkies, or Mandarin Oriental’s “I’m a Fan” campaign—but more hotels are adopting this as a strategy, and more travellers are willing to spend on hotel brands that they feel align with their values, style and personality.
When it comes to choosing a hotel, storytelling and emotional connection to a brand is more important than it’s ever been.
A group that’s been leading this charge is Belmond. Once a quiet portfolio of boutique hotels, the brand has exploded in popularity since it was acquired by LVMH in 2019, with new creative direction that gives its properties distinct personalities—not unlike fashion brands. Girly girls wear Chloe and stay at Hotel Cipriani in Venice; the jet-set fashion crowd wear Gucci and take the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express sleeper train from Paris to the Amalfi Coast; and the playfully confident wear Miu Miu and stay at Maroma in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
See also: Splendido, the legendary Portofino hotel, has reopened and we were one of the first to check in
Speaking of the fashion-hotel axis, hotel merch has become quite the fashion flex.
Potato Head in Bali’s collection combines eco-conscious Balinese craftsmanship with a modern style, featuring nods to the music and culture of the island and dropping new collections regularly to eagerly awaiting fans. An incredibly successful line of hotel merchandise has been Rosewood Hotels’ collaboration with high-end athleisure label Sporty & Rich. Preppy wool caps and crewnecks bare the labels of some of their most famous hotels—such as The Carlyle in New York or Le Bristol in Paris—worn with the same pride and gusto as one might wear their team colours.
In October, Rosewood debuted a chic refresh of its branding and overall visual identity, tapping into a global community of creative minds to produce artful photos, graphics and short films by the likes of photographer Sarah van Rij and videographer Conner Griffith. The goal? To take travellers’ association with the Rosewood name from a series of luxury properties to a brand with something to say; with its finger on the pulse when it comes to art and creative talent.
