Hotel Branding Strategy: Building an Authentic Identity in Hospitality

When a prospective guest is ready to book a hotel, there are several factors they’ll consider when making their decision. Once they’ve ticked off location and price, an important and often subconscious consideration is your hotel branding.

Your brand is a representation of what your hotel is and stands for. It’s what makes your hotel unique and sets expectations for prospective guests. If your brand resonates with them and the location and price are within an acceptable range, they’ll choose your brand and make a booking.

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, where competition is fierce and customer expectations are constantly shifting, your branding needs to cut through the noise and make the right impression on your customers. But what can you do to make the right connection and why must you innovate to survive?

What is hotel branding?

Hotel branding is the process of creating a visual and written representation of the hotel that makes it stand out from the competition and increases its appeal to customers. A successful hotel branding strategy adds credibility to the business and builds customer trust and loyalty, helping to attract more guests and crystallize its place in the market.

There are many elements to incorporate in a hotel branding strategy, from your advertisements and website to your logo, brand name, and the tone of your writing. These elements should create a cohesive and consistent message that encapsulates the hotel’s identity, personality, and values.

Why is hotel branding important?

Successful branding is the careful curation of a unique identity that leaves a lasting impression on your audience and differentiates your hotel in a crowded market. Studies have shown that hotel branding influences customers’ purchase intention through quality expectation and emotional arousal, and it directly impacts financial performance.

Effective hotel branding can also:

• Ensure a consistent experience across multiple hotels – Successful branding across your hotel chain ensures customers receive a consistent experience through every stage of their journey from the booking and checking-in process to the stay itself, regardless of the location.
• Tell your customers what to expect – Your branding tells customers what they can expect before they arrive. Meeting those expectations builds trust, strengthens customer loyalty, and increases repeat bookings.
• Give you an edge on the competition – In competitive markets, having a recognizable brand differentiates your hotel and allows you to compete on something other than price. This unique added value can help to protect your revenue and profit margins.
• Create an emotional connection – Storytelling and experiential marketing build a brand that resonates with your customers and creates personal and emotional connections.

5 tips for building a successful hotel brand

Creating a brand identity that’s an authentic representation of your hotel and appeals to your audiences can feel like a big undertaking, particularly in a fast-paced market where industry trends and consumer preferences are constantly changing. It’s important to keep in mind that a brand must appeal to the current market and have the potential to grow and evolve with grace. You can’t go about changing your branding every few years, so be sure to invest the time and effort in getting it right. These are the steps that can help you get there.

1. Develop your unique value proposition

Before creating your various branding elements, think about what your hotel offers, what it’s best at, and what makes your guests smile. Answering the following is a good starting point:

• What makes your hotel unique?
• Why would customers choose you over your competitors?
• What features, benefits, or services do you provide that you are most proud of?
• What keeps your customers coming back?
• What positive customer feedback do you receive most often?

Successful branding is about understanding and highlighting what sets you apart. For example, you may use sustainable products in your rooms, have a building with a unique heritage, or have an incredible rooftop bar. Whatever makes you special, ensure it’s a central and recurring theme in your branding efforts.

For an interestingly simple example from the hospitality industry, consider this example from a small restaurant in Glasgow, which was so authentic and appealing that it left a lasting impression.

2. Determine your target market

Most hotels have a cross-section of guests but appeal to one or two demographics more than others. The size of your rooms, whether you have an on-site restaurant and bar, and your proximity to nearby attractions will make you a natural fit for business travelers, city breakers, young solo travelers, or families.

To create a cohesive and consistent brand, you must be clear about who your primary customers are and the amenities they look for. You should then communicate those clearly in your branding. Consider this insight from the Novotel hotel chain:

“Twenty years ago, when we first arrived in China, the concept of traveling with children was not very common. Also, mid-scale hotels for pleasure or business did not really exist here. Our story was very foreign to the Chinese, but we took advantage of our French origins and built upon this. We were able to differentiate ourselves by offering a family place of leisure, where you can also conduct business meetings and events. We focused on the needs of the family and have continued to tell the story based on family. We are not a luxury hotel, nor are we an economy hotel. So, we focus our story on family and business”.

Thierry Douet, Former General Manager of the Novotel Beijing Peace Hotel

3. Create your brand story

There’s more to branding than focusing on the physical features of your hotel and the services and amenities you offer. These days, guests want to have personalized experiences and stay at hotels that share their values.

Creating a brand story can help you develop personal and emotional connections, draw customers in, and differentiate your hotel from the competition. Your narrative should focus on the values at the heart of your business. By weaving together the history and mission of your hotel and introducing the individuals behind it, you will bring your brand to life while staying true to the things you hold dear. For ideas on how the storytelling process translates into a strong brand image, consider these examples of strong brand storytelling from various industry sectors.

4. Get creative about the guest experience

A study from Deloitte suggests that great experiences increase guest satisfaction, while McKinsey research shows that positive past experiences are the main reason consumers choose a travel brand over value, quality, or convenience.

In the hospitality market, there are all sorts of new technologies that you can use to engage your customers and offer personalization. Using the latest tools, you can ensure a guest has their favorite table for dinner or provide customized menu options for guests with intolerances or allergies.

You should seek to constantly innovate to keep your customer experience fresh. For example, you can host special holiday events, invite pop-up stalls into the lobby, or have tie-ins with local businesses. Other examples from the realm of immersion tourism include:

This excerpt is extracted from the Hotel Concept Handbook, developed by Creative Supply in partnership with EHL and has been used to create winning hotel concepts.

5. Keep an eye on the wider market and your competition

Your brand is not something you can set and forget. In the ever-changing hotel industry, innovative brands stay ahead by constantly evolving and adapting. Keeping one eye on changes in the wider market and adapting your brand and offering accordingly will show that you are committed to delivering a high-quality experience that meets guests’ changing needs.

For example, sustainability has become a priority for many consumers. Introducing eco-friendly changes, such as energy and water conservation and waste management, and involving guests and making them aware via your branding, can keep you relevant and create a competitive advantage.

Use brand innovation to fuel growth

Building an authentic brand and constantly updating and refreshing it to meet the changing needs of your customers can help you maintain a strong foothold in the market. Remaining agile and looking for opportunities to innovate will show customers that you are committed to delivering the best possible service and boosting satisfaction.