Hotel branding plays a main role in how the hospitality industry develops. It is said to have an impact on guests’ perceptions and decisions. It is clearly more than just a logo, a name or some combination of colours. Brand strategy’s based on a comprehensive strategy to try to transmit the hotel’s whole identity and values, as well as the kind of experiences that it offers. It is a crucial aspect when it comes to differentiate your properties in a very competitive market as the hotel sector.
The brand identity not only involves the visual elements like the hotel’s logo. Each hotel tells a story, has its own narrative and history, and this is also told through its service, ambiance and guest experience. A strong brand delivers a clear message about what guests can expect, fostering familiarity and building trust.
Key Components and Strategies to develop a strong brand identity
Each hotel should be special, different and memorable for our guests; in order to achieve a strong and successful hotel branding, it is essential that you:
- Know your guests: It is crucial to understand what type of customer you would like to attract, as well as knowing how they communicate to reach them properly. To catch your guests’ attention and make their stays memorable, you will need to know what attracts them, why they would choose one brand compared to another and how to satisfy these needs.
- Understand your own brand (or brands): Be specific on how you would describe your hotel brand and how you would like for it to stand out to your target audience. Your brand’s identity must be a combination of its visual, experiential, emotional and communication features.
- Make your branding “international”: You need to pay attention on whether your logo, slogan and brand features are able to be taken abroad. Not every culture is the same, has the same values or preferences.
- Monitor and make adjustments on your brand strategy if needed. Another key to the success of a hotel brand strategy is keeping up with the everchanging market trends and continuously monitor and adjust your brand strategy to remain competitive in the sector.
Ideas on how to improve your hotel brand
As we have seen, developing a strong brand identity for your hotel is a critical component of success in the hospitality industry. Building your own hotel’s audience and making your brand recognizable can help you widen your hotel’s reach and increases its growth potential. On this article we are going to go through some tips and ideas to create a good hotel brand strategy:
- Determine a Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Think about what the features, benefits or services your hotel can provide that will make it stand out from its competitors. What is that one thing that makes your guests to keep on returning to your hotel? That is your USP.
- Develop your hotels’ brand guidelines: It is important that your brand’s logo, colors, fonts and style are followed brand-wide so that you achieve a coherent and consistent image for your guests and potential customers.
- Tell brand stories: The best advertising campaigns take us on an emotional journey. Share narratives that connect your brand identity to what you think your guests care about the most when it comes to booking a holiday, a work trip or a workation. This will create an image and a story that resonates with your potential customer base.
Emerging trends
We have talked about how new ideas and strategies can bring your business up to date. Many hotels are opting to make a more digital use of their services and trust the latest technologies on the market to do so. Here are some ideas on late trends you can start applying on your hotel branding strategy:
- Personalized guest experience: It has been made clear that guests are the center of any strategy when it comes to branding. Considering that the new consumer demands differentiation and added value in hotels when making decisions, personalizing their experience by being a pet friendly or sustainable hotel would be a great way to raise the image of your hotel and build customer loyalty. By offering unique differential experiences and creating memorable experiences, you will undoubtedly encourage recommendations.
- Take a sustainable approach. Green practices are becoming increasingly important to guests. According to a survey made by a major travel marketplace worldwide in 2022, 79% of travelers on a worldwide level say that they would like to start travelling on a more sustainable way. Taking a sustainable approach, like reducing energy waste on your hotel, can improve your brand’s reputation, because it shows a commitment to environmental responsibility.
- Enhance your facilities and embrace technology: Making use of modern facilities and amenities are key for distinguishing your hotel form competitors. Make sure that your offerings align with what guests expect from you and the brand image want to portray.
Case Studies and Hotel Branding Initiatives at Minor Hotel
Achieving remarkable hotel branding requires of a deep understanding of your brand’s values and the use of innovative strategies to keep it up to date. In this section we will be highlighting some branding initiatives form our hotels’ portfolio. Showcasing how their different identities and creative campaigns have boosted our hotels. We’ll explore the permanent branding strategies that define our newest hotels, like nhow Frankfurt and Avani Alonso Martínez. And we will see some impactful temporal branding efforts for brands like Tivoli’s 90th anniversary and NH Collection’s 10th anniversary.
nhow Frankfurt
nhow Hotels & Resorts has redefined traditional hospitality by transforming its spaces into dynamic canvases for cultural immersion and creative expression. Each location where there is a nhow hotel blends innovation and art to picture the essence of its destination. nhow Frankfurt perfectly exemplifies this with its “art of money”, theme fitting perfectly into the financial hotspot of Frankfurt. The way concept of money and capitalism as a system are transforming our society is cleverly integrated into the hotel’s design and aesthetic, creating a vibrant and thought-provoking environment. The hotel’s branding strategy includes:
- Artistic Design: Collaborations with visionary architects and artists ensure each space is a masterpiece of avant-garde design. Hotels of nhow Hotels & Resorts are an excellent example of this point: the stairs in the lobby of nhow Frankfurt that mimic coins stacked one on top of the other, or the wall behind the counter that mimics gold bullion make it clear that money has been the inspiration for this artistic design.
- Cultural Integration: The hotel’s interiors are adorned with art pieces that blend urban and pop art to create a stimulating atmosphere around money.
- Distinctive Experiences: nhow Frankfurt offers unique surroundings such as the NFT SKYBAR & RESTAURANT, which combines modern digital art with high-end culinary experiences.
These elements not only create a memorable experience for guests but also reinforce nhow’s brand identity as a disruptor in the hospitality industry.
Avani Alonso Martinez Madrid
Avani Alonso Martínez in Madrid perfectly encapsulates the brand’s philosophy of balance between contemporary design and traditional charm. The hotel embodies the vibrant spirit of the Spanish capital through modern USP and the cultural heritage of the city of Madrid. Some key branding strategies on this hotel include:
- Cultural Homage: The hotel’s design pays tribute to Madrid’s local culture, featuring elements such as cat sculptures and shapes, houndstooth plaid bed clothes inspired by traditional “chulapos,” and cat-patterned wallpaper.
- Local Identity: Decorative details throughout the hotel, including Manila shawl paintings and map lamp shades, invite guests to immerse themselves in the Madrid’s history and traditions.
These branding efforts create a unique and authentic experience for guests, positioning Avani Alonso Martínez as a premier destination that celebrates the essence of Madrid.
Temporal or special occasion branding for Minor hotels:
Anniversaries are an excellent occasion to make different and innovative branding and especial activations, which will help you to improve your hotel brand, by telling stories, highlighting unique selling points and creating a strong brand identity.
Tivoli 90th anniversary
During 2023, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts celebrated its 90th anniversary with a branding campaign that honored its rich heritage and aimed to inspire. This campaign consisted of a two-year journey that combined nostalgia with modern sophistication, with several actions, that included:
- A rebranding initiative: Tivoli Hotels & Resorts updated its brand identity to embrace its 90th anniversary, by combining traditional elements that went along with its story, with a twist in branded elements.
- Tivoli Timeless Tour: A special trip program that offered a 10-day stay across several Tivoli properties in Portugal, the beginning of its history. This trip promoted some of the main brand concepts, like the “Slow Living”, allowing our guests to savour each moment and destination. The Timeless Tour also included a Travel Creator Road Trip, showcasing Tivoli’s properties, leveraging the creators’ influence to reach broader audiences and create authentic, shareable experiences around the brand and hotels.
These initiatives not only served to celebrate Tivoli’s history but also reinforced its position as a timeless and elegant brand in the hospitality industry.
NH Collection 10th anniversary
In the year 2024, NH Collection Hotels & Resorts reaches its 10th anniversary, with an ambitious campaign that’s created to enhance the brand’s global awareness and to celebrate a decade of extraordinary moments of hospitality. Here are some of the key components of this campaign:
- A creative storytelling around celebrating meaningful moments, centered on delivering extraordinary experiences, combined with an enhanced guest experience and new brand concepts to ensure a lasting impact beyond the anniversary year.
- Brand’s humanization, through the Feelings Creators and Collectors. A campaign that highlights the real people behind the experiences in NH Collection Hotels & Resorts. By including both staff and guests, depth and relatability are added to the brand’s message.
This strategy not only commemorates NH Collection’s milestones over the past decade but also sets the stage for future growth and innovation.
The Decisive Impact of Branding in the Hospitality Industry
To sum up, effective hotel branding is essential to stand out in a highly competitive market, creating memorable experiences and building lasting relationships with guests. But bare in mind that successful branding it is not simply about visual elements, but about building an identity that reflects the values and unique experiences that the hotel offers. Strategies such as knowing your customers, adapting the brand to emerging trends and taking advantage of important moments are key to successful branding and not only will attract new guests, but also will foster loyalty among existing ones.
