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Evening Standard Hotels

Take Five… Design’s top hotel identities

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

September 11, 2015 | 3 min read

When you choose a product from a supermarket shelf or from a bar display, you’re choosing largely based on the pack. The logo and broader identity are the brand’s primary means of persuasion. But when you choose a hotel, you choose based on the photography of the room, the destination, and the vibe of the brand as it comes across on (usually) the website. The logo isn’t a crucial differentiator. Perhaps that’s why there aren’t many great ones out there - they’re just not considered that important.

But they are, of course, because once you’re in a hotel or resort, the brand’s identity needs to reflect the experience of the destination.

Here’s some hotel identities that have been given the attention they deserve:

One & Only

Cheesy name, but very classy resorts. And a very beautifully crafted piece of type that feels entirely in keeping with the classic elegance of this luxeybrand.

Ace Hotels

Ace Hotels couldn’t be further from the old school vibe of One & Only. It’s almost anti-design – functional, no-nonsense, honest looking. Kind of like a quote on their website about the hotel itself, it’s ‘everything you need, and nothing you don’t

Aman

I like the understated confidence of the Aman logo, but I am even more in love with the genius of the naming strategy. Aman resorts are beautiful hotels in stunning destinations - each one unique, yet still unmistakably Aman. So the naming convention encompasses the parent brand as well as the destination – Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand; Amanwella in Sri Lanka, Amankora in Bhutan, Amanpulo in the Philippines, and so on.

The Happy Eight

Oh wait! A brand isn’t just a logo. That’s why this identity for The Happy Eight Hotel is so wonderful – it’s a whole rich visual language that’s more irresistible than any slick photography of any snazzy room.

The Standard

It’s called the Standard, but the logo’s upside down. Because you know, staying at The Standard is anything but. It’s an economic way to capture the spirit of your brand in your identity.

Take 5 is run in association with jones knowles ritchie (JKR) Singapore strategy director Katie Ewer.

Evening Standard Hotels

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