The best hotel branding: 5 stunning examples (and why they work)
Want to know the secret sauce behind 5 hotel brands? Get the inside scoop from our branding experts.

For a hotel to succeed, you need to invest in lots of things. A by no means exhaustive list would include the building itself, your booking system, staff and marketing. But if you ask Steve Forbes (editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes), there's something more important than them all: your brand.
"Your brand", he says, "is the single most important investment you can make in your business." Whether or not you agree with the hyperbole (more important than the
building, Steve?), there's no doubting the importance of your brand when marketing your hotel.
That's because your branding is all about capturing attention and managing expectations. An inner-city hotel that's small but perfectly formed will need a different brand from a sprawling country pile. Without brand differentiation, people have no reason to trust you – and if they've no reason to trust you, they've no reason to book.
But what is a brand, exactly? It's not a mission statement – although your mission statement can inform your brand. Nor is it the same as marketing – although your brand will undoubtedly influence your marketing.
Instead, a brand is a consistent look that communicates your USP. The consistency is key. A brochure isn't a brand – but a brochure that has the same vibe as your website, logo, staff uniforms and even pillowcases just might be.
Because a brand encompasses so much – and so many different activities – it can be hard to know where to start. But perhaps the best way to figure out your own brand is by looking at hotels that have cracked it.
Learning from the best ups your chances of standing out in a crowded marketplace and building trust among customers. It allows you to differentiate yourself, make your mark and turn one-time visitors into loyal fans.
So, without further ado, here are five hotels with brilliant branding.
1. The deluxe: St Ermin's Hotel, London
Look up St Ermin's Hotel online and the first thing you see is a tree-lined canopy flanked by heraldic statues. The glimpse of architecture within the canopy suggests history on a grand scale.
St Ermin's knows how to turn its exterior into a promise of what guests can expect within. Its website leads with a night-time shot of the exterior, now bathed in gold, suggesting opulence and warmth.
Meanwhile, the copy emphasises its historical ties and its present-day amenities – the kind of bridge between old and new to reassure guests looking for a spot of luxury. At the same time, the hotel's London-ness is brought front and centre.
One look at this hotel's branding and you're left in no doubt that this is a luxury hotel with history behind it. Bravo!
2. The revitalising: The Midland Hotel, Manchester
Some hotels promise more than a good night's sleep. They also offer a spa-like environment (or an honest-to-goodness spa) where you can unwind and recharge the batteries.
The Midland Hotel in Manchester is one such place. Like a cosy fantasy novel, it's at once homely and exotic – greeting the guest with "We're so pleased to see you" before inviting them to "escape the everyday".
Some wellness-centric hotels run the risk of looking like they're chasing a bandwagon. The Midland Hotel's branding cannily sidesteps this by highlighting its 120 years of history – and backing up its claims with carefully chosen testimonials.
3. The independent: The Sandy Duck, Falmouth
In the hotel world, "independent" means more than just "non-chain". It also suggests uniqueness, personality and even quirkiness. This needs to be reflected in the hotel's branding to differentiate it from its corporate competitors.
The Sandy Duck bed and breakfast in Falmouth achieves this feat through a minimalist design that has a quiet, understated confidence.
Open its website and you're greeted with an unhurried slideshow, a cool colour scheme and the hotel's name in a minimalist sans-serif typeface. No need for hyperbole. No rush. The branding exudes restraint.
The copy is minimal, too, shifting into a literary serif font. The Sandy Duck has no time for boasting. Instead, it quietly tells you what you can expect before moving on to testimonials. Sometimes, the brand tells us, less is more.
4. The rural: Chewton Glen, New Milton
If you run a hotel in the countryside, your location will form a key part of your brand. Typically, this will convey to your guests that your hotel is somewhere to relax in nature with physical activities and natural beauty close at hand.
Chewton Glen in New Milton takes a slightly different tack. Yes, the auto-play video on its website immediately brings to mind a rural expansiveness. But it also suggests a place to go and
play,
reflected in its self-description as a "playground".
And, of course, no rural hotel branding is complete without an emphasis on green and pleasant lands. Chewton Glen reflects this in the profusion of green on its website – as well as the tasteful sprig in its logo.
5. The "no-frills": The Resident, Liverpool
Want a reliable service, a good night's sleep and not much else? Then you're probably after a no-frills hotel.
The Resident in Liverpool is one such establishment. Its lack of pretension is reflected in its minimalist signage: just a dark brown sign with a large "R" hung from a large, elegant ex-warehouse.
The website, meanwhile, makes it all about Liverpool. The Resident, you get the feeling, is the perfect base to explore Liverpool's culture and nightlife.
This isn't a luxury hotel where you can sink into the cushions or a rural hotel where you can frolic like a lamb. Instead, it's the springboard for an adventure and a reliable place to lay your head at the end of the day – all reflected in its minimalist branding.
Are you a hotel manager? Do you want to boot your brand right into the 21st century? Here at My Digital Hero, we help hospitality businesses grab attention and sell their unique stories. Explore our
hotel internet marketing services – or get started with a
free discovery call.
