A new, independent hospitality group, creating wonder-filled, happy hotels in Britain’s most intriguing cities.
From Bath to York and Margate to Brighton, Britain is full of wonderful cities. They are perfect for a weekend away but what was missing was a hotel brand that you could explore them with. A hotel group that didn’t focus its attention on London but instead championed cathedral and university towns. A hotel that welcomes everyone and has thought about what children and dogs need in a city. A place dedicated to guests feeling happy.
The brief
Our friends at & SMITH got in touch with us when a new client of theirs, three brothers, expressed a vision to build a hospitality brand. As this was their first foray into hospitality, they needed a group strategy and a hotel brand that would give them a clear future direction. And, as an extension of their 100-year-old family business, they also needed that brand to capture the essence of their family values.
The strategy
The GuestHouse group strategy needed to be flexible, allowing for the right properties to be purchased and for each hotel's building and design to champion the best of the city they were in. Still, it needed to have a consistency that makes all the hotels feel like they were from the same brand. A portfolio of brothers and sisters, each with their personality. Not identical twins.
With the brothers’ surname being Guest, the name GuestHouse was a gift. But really, it was about Guesthouses being the pinnacle of Great British hospitality. Welcoming and homely with their doors wide open, they are never stuffy, intimidating or uncomfortable. They may be wonderfully eccentric, but they always put their guests first. The hotel naming strategy was simple – we hero the address. This gave birth to the first hotel's name, No. 15 Pulteney Street.
The hotel concept is simple. They are hotels that believe in wonder, curiosity, happiness and comfort. They encourage and facilitate your exploration of the city you are in. And the hotels are filled with little touches that make you happy. We packed the guest journey full of unique experiences. Think tipis in the rooms for children, Norland Nannies ready for hire so you can enjoy a date night, pantries from which to help yourself, and bag pick up at the station so you can wander as soon as you reach your destination.
No. 15 opened in Bath in 2020 quickly followed by No. 1 York and No. 42 in Margate. This growing British hotel group is one to watch.
We delivered
Group strategy | Hotel brand strategy | Guest experience mapping | Staff behaviour and initiatives | Staff culture book | Launch and marketing strategy.
Created in partnership with:
GuestHouse - Client | & SMITH - Brand design | Martin Hulbert - Interior Design | Regard - Copywriting | BIRD - PR | Journey - Digital | Mum - Recruitment
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