Lessons from Building a Hotel Brand from the Ground Up

Opening a hotel is one of the most complex and rewarding challenges in the hospitality industry. I recently had the opportunity to be part of such a journey – and while every hotel launch is different, the experience taught me lessons I’ll carry with me throughout my career.

My role centred around the creative direction of the hotel brand, shaping everything from branded collateral to visual storytelling and concept development. It was a chance to build a hotel brand identity from the ground up – and ensure that every design decision supported the guest experience.

The Energy of a New Beginning

In the run-up to launch, the atmosphere was understandably intense. The entire team was focused on meeting ambitious timelines, particularly during the final weeks before opening. While things eased slightly after the initial soft launch, many branding and graphic design deliverables were still in early phases and needed close attention.

One of the consistent challenges was working with long lead times for hotel marketing collateral, while managing evolving timelines. This reinforced the importance of adaptability and a solid hospitality design strategy.

Adapting and Collaborating

Throughout the project, I worked closely with various operational teams – each focused on delivering their part of the hotel pre-opening strategy. Collaboration was crucial, especially as everyone balanced immediate guest-facing needs with broader, long-term branding goals.

There were also moments where creative roles expanded beyond design, requiring flexibility. This taught me a lot about managing creative workflows in a dynamic environment.

Leading with Creativity

One of the areas I was most passionate about was the hotel branded collateral. Initially seen as a single deliverable, I quickly realised this would delay some key guest-facing items. I broke the work into focused phases – prioritising branded guest touchpoints based on impact and feasibility. This phased rollout allowed us to ensure core design elements were in place before opening.

A brand concept was shaped by the team, bringing together different perspectives to align on tone, style, and purpose. It was important that each touchpoint – from menus to signage – contributed to a cohesive and engaging hotel storytelling experience.

Reflecting on the Experience

Professionally, this experience has been invaluable. I’ve gained a clearer understanding of how to manage graphic design in hotel pre-openings, anticipate roadblocks, and streamline timelines. If I were to open another hotel tomorrow, I’d begin separating design projects and production timelines much earlier.

This experience also deepened my confidence in overseeing a hotel branding workflow – not only creatively, but strategically.

Advice for Others

If you’re about to be involved in a hotel opening, my advice is simple: structure your creative projects early. Whether you’re in marketing, design, or operations, use tools like Asana or ClickUp to manage tasks, keep accountability clear, and avoid last-minute fire drills. Tools like Excel and daily status meetings often become more about micro-tracking than meaningful progress.

Every hotel brand launch is unique, but clear planning, creative focus, and strong collaboration can make all the difference. It’s a journey that tests your agility – and rewards you with invaluable insights into both branding and the broader world of hospitality design.