Brand recognition

In the hotel sector, a recognisable brand enhances the likelihood that content and marketing touchpoints will resonate with potential guests.

Leading hotel giants like Hilton or InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) now effortlessly achieve recognisability with their global footprint. But smaller brands and hotel groups can attain a similar sense of familiarity and memorability by prioritising a seamless brand experience.

Consistency across all touchpoints is key, with research showing that brand consistency can lead to a substantial revenue increase of 20%. Understanding guests through data insights is also vital in determining the desired impact of brand interactions. Hotels should consider what feelings or experiences they want to resonate with their audience, and how they can manage brand assets effectively and consistently across the guest journey. 

The objective is not only to reach an audience, but also to etch a lasting memory on their minds. 

Brand trust

In a sector that thrives on human interaction and personal connection, trust is the cornerstone that transforms curiosity into bookings and guests into loyal advocates.

Building trust and credibility should be a primary aim of any brand strategy. Studies indicate that 81% of consumers require trust before making a purchase decision, with 86% valuing authenticity in brands they support. 

Hotels should use their brand to build trust through authentic experiences, high quality imagery and guest feedback, fostering confidence and loyalty in return. Meaningful brand proof points such as user-generated content, virtual tours and guest reviews are particularly powerful. 

Guests want to be shown, not told, why they should trust a hotel to deliver the experience they are being promised.

Brand identity

A hotel’s brand identity serves as the crux in forging an emotional connection with guests. It encompasses tangible and intangible elements that collectively shape a brand’s personality and behaviour, fostering meaningful interactions that align with guest needs and motivations and evoke a specific emotional association.

Research underscores how connecting with customers emotionally is a powerful strategy to maximise customer value, and how emotional engagement through tailored content can significantly boost brand recall and customer loyalty.

For example, in the context of a chain of spa hotels, it is likely that the primary motivations of the target audience revolve around self-care and relaxation. The chain’s brand identity should therefore be meticulously crafted to encapsulate a sense of calm and tranquillity, establishing emotion-driven touchpoints that resonate with the audience’s desired state and motivations. 

Hospitality revolves around people, so understanding guests’ values, inspirations, challenges and behaviours is the key to creating a brand identity that tells a story at an emotional level.

Brand differentiation

Hospitality is constantly evolving. In an increasingly competitive market, differentiation is crucial to standing out.

Now, guests are looking beyond a bedroom. They are seeking unique experiences and personalised services that they can't find elsewhere. 

By knowing the competitive landscape, understanding changing guest demands and adopting new approaches to experience design, hotels can push the boundaries of hospitality and delight guests with stays that stand out. Embracing unconventional experiences, innovative design, distinctive packages and personalised add-ons elevates the guest experience as well as offering considerable revenue opportunities. 

Take inspiration from brands like Hotel Indigo, which draws on local neighbourhood culture to shape its interior design and guest experience. Or House of Gods, whose celebrity-inspired packages and quirky amenities drive demand for a stay that guests can't get anywhere else. Even smaller gestures – like a personalised welcome note, in-room surprises or unique dining experiences – can create a point of difference.

The upshot is not solely a memorable stay, but also a brand narrative embedded within guests’ memories, setting the hotel apart from the competition.

Linney – your connected marketing partner

Effective hotel branding extends beyond marketing – it shapes how guests discover, trust and select a property, emphasising the importance of insightful strategies tailored to the unique characteristics of a hotel and its guests.

Partnering with the right agency can help translate recognition, trust, identity and differentiation into impactful business success, creating a brand that guests will remember for a lifetime.

Are you looking for support with guest-centric brand strategy and storytelling? Contact our team to learn more about how Linney can help.