Has the neutral hospitality trend run its course yet? And I don’t mean just mean the 50 shades of beige that many properties adopt these days. When hosts put design in the driver seat, making design the most important aspect of the stay, the guest experience suffers from a lack of engagement. This often results in vanilla, uninspiring destinations. Design is a magnet, drawing people in with beauty, but it is not a substitute for substance!
It’s time to bring personality, charm, and magic back to the industry. And the best way to do this with meaning is through storied experiences. The following properties show us that it’s never too late to bring a colorful personality and story into the mix. A vibrant narrative can be infused into every aspect of your destination – these are just a few of those ways!
A Puglian Paradise Comes Alive at Night
One of the best examples of this is Borgo Egnazia. The destination itself is a maze of whitewashed stone and cream-colored interiors. Except for the pops of fuchsia from the flowers climbing up the ancient-looking walls, the property is a mirage of sand-hues through and through.
BUT the story and personality of the property comes alive in the Piazza during festivals and nightly programming. Cavalieri e Murgesi, La Cerasa, Il senso della Terra, La Fenice… each festival honors the symbols of Puglian culture in dazzling ways. Spirited colors and crafts abound, and just like that: the subdued energy of this hospitality village is transformed.
A Madrid Love Story With Intrigue
At first glance, Brach Hotel is just like any other hotel. But upon closer inspection, it “offers a journey into the history of the Spanish capital. It recreates the atmosphere of the 1920s cafés and the intimacy of a love nest. The rooms and public spaces were imagined as a kind of refuge for a couple of lovers separated by the Francoist regime, where every element offers a biographical clue and composes a Wunderkammer (room of wonder or cabinet of curiosities).”
The narrative is most evident in the bedrooms, with a storied mural surrounding the bed frame and meaningful mementos from the couples’ life together. Without story driving this concept, the hotel would be just another place to sleep in Madrid. As a newly opened hotel, it will be interesting to see if/how they extend the narrative into programming and activities. Adopting the ‘lover’ archetype, there are many possibilities to bring this story to life!
Seasonal Storytelling At Its Best in Somerset
Depending on the season, guests of The Newt will find themselves immersed into an imaginative realm. Take for example, their holiday narrative. “This year’s reimagined tale, ‘I Believe in Miracles’, casts a new light on the magic and folklore of Georgian times, through the eyes of a little girl named Apple. If the humans of Hadspen stayed at home for Christmas, would the woodland creatures still come out to play?”
The story isn’t just told in video online – it serves as the underlying narrative for the entire holiday season. It brings a magical quality to the property that would otherwise be difficult to create. Story serves as the roadmap for wondrous moments and memories, introducing a playfulness that is often left behind in luxury hospitality.
All of these properties go the extra mile to immerse guests into the local culture and do so in thoughtfully enriching ways. That is what creating a Storied Experience is all about. A riveting story can transform beautiful yet hollow spaces in so many powerful ways. If you're ready to create a more vivid and compelling experience, let's discuss!
Комментарии