STUDIO CIRCA

Your F&B concept deserves its own spotlight, just like your hotel. The same care and attention that goes into your hotel’s story should go into your restaurant’s. Here’s how you can make sure your F&B concept stands out on your website: 1. Tell a unique story. Guests should know what makes your F&B concept special. The same way your hotel should have a strong story and concept, your restaurant should follow suit. Give each F&B concept its own page on the site to enrich the story with copy and video, and link to that specific page from socials and ads. If you can, develop an micro-site for the F&B offering, so that locals don’t feel like a tourist in their own city by being on your hotel website. 2. Make reservations easy. Add a “Reserve Now” button to on you F&B website page, letting locals know they can book. This helps capture more reservations, especially during the low season while building your brand presence within the community. 3. Showcase the menu. Let people browse before they reserve. This builds excitement and makes the decision easy for them. Having a PDF menu allows you to showcase more of the restaurants brand identity, without conflicting with the hotel’s UX. This also makes it easier to upload new documents when ready, instead of having to change the menu content on the back-end of the website. 4. Highlight which dietary restrictions you cater to. For resorts or isolated properties with limited options, this is essential for building guest trust. Theyll need to know if you cater to specific restrictions, which reduces hesitation and gives them confidence in booking. It’s simple: treat your F&B as part of your brand DNA, not a side order. Your restaurant deserves its own identity—and your guests deserve a seamless experience across the board. We’ve seen the impact this can have. #guestexperience #hotelrestaurant #boutiquehotel #independenthotel #hotelwebsite #hotelbranding #restaurantbranding Clip taken from my chat with Scot on Hospitality Huddles (Auden Hospitality)

Hoteliers, it’s easy to think the booking process ends with a confirmation email. And we understand, a lot of the hard work’s been done getting the traveller to trust you and buy into the story - leading them to book. But here’s the truth: You’re missing a golden opportunity to extend your brand. Sending a simple "Booking is confirmed" email is just the beginning. What if you could get your guests excited *before* they even step foot on your property? What if every email between booking and arrival reinforced your brand and embodied your values? Here’s how you can turn post-booking emails into a brand-building machine: 1. Personalize the tone of voice Make every email feel like it’s uniquely for them. Not just "Dear Valued Guest." If your brand is quirky and fun, infuse the emails sequences with that tone of voice. They already resonated with what you had written on your website, keep that connection going. 2. Pre-arrival excitement Share local experiences, events, or attractions to build excitement. These experiences also ‘Extend and Enhance’ your brand - as we like to call it. Aligning your values even more than just words, but with local partnerships and community experiences that demonstrate what you value. 3. Upsell with intention Offer room upgrades, spa packages, or dining experiences that align with their interests and preferences. 4. Visual consistency Every email should look and feel like your brand—consistent design, colors, and imagery. A brand that’s represented consistently earns 23% more revenue than brands that isn’t. 5. Automate and segment for customization and engagement Use automated email sequences that feel human, not robotic. Segment your guests relating to specific data they provided, and showcase content relevant to their preferences - not everyone visiting your property has the same vision for their experience. The goal isn’t just to get them to show up. It’s to make sure they’re *excited* to arrive and feel connected to your brand. This is where you build a deeper connection—and grow revenue while doing it. Are you using post-booking emails to the best of your ability? #guestexperience #hospitalitybranding #hotelemail #hotelbranding #hotelstrategy #hospitalitystrategy Clip taken from my chat with Michelle on Expitality

We believe the true strength of a multi-property brand or hotel collection lies in delivering a seamless experience. Whether it’s a large resort or a cozy cabin, the experience shouldn’t feel like two different brands. Yes, the brand identity, interiors, and programming may differ from one property to the next. But it’s the seamless transition in quality and standards between locations that builds trust and loyalty. Here’s how we recommend developing a consistent brand experience across a diverse portfolio of assets: 1. Define your parent brand (if applicable) The overarching brand should guide everything. Each property is a reflection of that, even if their location or visual direction is different. 2. Development of sub-brands. Each location CAN have its own identity, but still connect back to the parent brand with a consistent through-line of concept, standards, storyline, or in some cases the brand name. 3. Keep standards consistent. Guests should expect the same level of quality, regardless of the property type, size, or location. 4. Different format, same experience. A guest staying at your resort should feel just as valued at your cabin. The ‘vehicle’ might change, but the feeling remain be the same. 5. Strategy is everything. Don’t choose properties randomly. Ensure every new addition aligns with the overall vision for the collection. Restraint and being selective can bring higher returns than throwing a wide net. In the end, guests aren’t just booking a stay—they’re buying into your brand experience. And when that experience is consistent across locations, they’ll come back again and again through loyalty to the experience, rather than a single property. That’s how we would approach building a collection of properties that stands firm on the individual level and as a unified whole. #guestexperience #hotelbranding #hotelstrategy #boutiquehotel #independenthotel #hotelgroup Clip taken from my chat with Zach on Behind the Stays

How did we manage 55%+ direct bookings in a few months for our hotel client, with minimal marketing spend? It was a simple strategy: built around the strength of the brand and web experience - and limited by a small allocation of resources for marketing. For context, the European average for direct bookings hovers around 28%*, compared to the ~55%+ we delivered. How did we make that happen? 1. Friends & Family Network: Upon opening, we knew the ownership’s network would drive initial bookings. This led to early reviews, build up of their social media presence, and valuable word-of-mouth. 2. Brand Positioning and Website Experience: We developed a brand concept that connected deeply with guests and told a clear narrative of the experience. The custom website was built to convert visitors into direct bookings: with a seamless user experience, animations, beautiful photography, enticing copywriting, and customization to their booking engine. 3. Strategic OTA Listings: We used OTAs for free traffic (’Billboard effect’), understanding that many guests use them for research. Once they found the hotel they’d head to the branded website for more details, and resonate with the experience and story so much that they would book direct. This was confirmed in conversations between the client and visiting guests! 4. Micro-Influencers: While larger influencers grew the brand’s social following, it was micro-influencers who led to direct bookings. Their audiences trusted them, and it showed in the conversion rate. In the first couple of months, growth was slow. That was something we expected with the small allocation of funds. But after 2-3 months, our efforts picked up - and direct bookings consistently hit between 55% and 75%. Now, our client is onboarding a new specialized PR/social team, and we’re confident they’ll push their total occupancy and direct bookings further with substantial increases in traffic. STUDIO CIRCA #guestexperience #directbookings #hotelwebsite #hotelbranding #hotelstrategy #hospitalitybranding #independenthotel #boutiquehotel * D-edge 2022

When developing a hotel story and web experience, it’s tempting to reveal all the little details of the experience. But we dont think that’s the best approach. I’ve found that holding back a few details can create a far more captivating guest experience. After all, surprise and delight are magical parts of hospitality. But, your website needs to strike the right balance between intrigue and showcase. Too much mystery? The guest may feel confused and not book. Too much content? That’ll overwhelm them and leave nothing to be revealed on-property. Here’s how we approach it for our clients: 1. **Reveal enough to spark curiosity.** Highlight key experiences that create intrigue and build that initial desire. 1. **Keep some cards close to your chest.** Surprises make in-person experiences unforgettable. Save those special moments for when they arrive. 1. **Ensure your brand voice leads the way.** Use storytelling to entice visitors, but don't give away all the magic, otherwise they’ll know what you’re planning, leaving little to the imagination. 1. **Focus on satisfaction first.** If the details on the site can convince a guest to book, you've done it right. The surprises on-property become icing on the cake. Ultimately, you want the website to get them excited—while holding back enough to leave them wanting more. And giving you the opportunity to go above and beyond when they arrive. #guesexperience #boutiquehotel #independenthotel #hotelbranding #hotelstrategy #hotelwebsites Clip taken from my chat with Scot Turner on Hospitality Huddles (Auden Hospitality)

Boutique hotels, what is your core product? Technology, or emotion? All the talk these days is about technology in hospitality, and for good reason. It can create massive efficiencies, offload stress from staff, and enable a more seamless journey. Good stuff right? I’m with you. But it seems that many in the industry are neglecting the emotional part of the experience, especially in the research / discovery phase of the guest. Emotion is truly your core product. Technology should assist in selling emotion, not replace the need for it. Guests will go through a brick wall of terrible booking flows and contact forms to book with you, Only if you’ve captured their curiosity and desire. But the reverse isn’t true. If you haven’t fostered a sense of excitement from your guest, They won’t really care about an AI chatbot, or that they can make their booking with ApplePay. Some statistics on why this is important: - Brands that are communicated and presented consistently earn up to 23% more revenue than brands that don’t. (Semrush) - Guests that are fully engaged and connected to brands spend an average of 46% more than ‘passive’ ones. (Gallup) Here are some quick tips we recommend for emphasizing connection and desire: 1. Story Focus: Hospitality is all about experience, and experience begs for narrative and story. Amenities and features aren’t important to a guest unless they can visualize how they fit into their overall stay, and the transformation they will go through when using your spaces and services. 2. Unique Identity & Positioning: Use the story you’ve developed to craft a distinct visual and written suite to stand out from the competition. Brand building is the game of associations and recognition through design, imagery, copywriting, service delivery and programming. If you can take your brand DNA and translate it to your website experience, you’re 85% closer to a direct booking. 3. Organizational Understanding: With a newfound identity in place, its critical that staff also embody the brand to create consistency in the experience. Creating brand standards and empowering staff is the final piece of the puzzle. If you attracted the guest through great storytelling and design on your website, they now have high expectations. Meeting those standards during the stay will ensure guest satisfaction, increased spend on-site, and word of mouth. Staff will also be able to update the website, social media, and other assets without compromising or diluting the strength of the newly built positioning. We work the same way with our clients in our Branded & Booked™ Framework, which is made of 3 key phases: Phase 1: Brand Unlock Phase 2: Destination Design Phase: 3: Future Proofing Want to learn more about our process? Send me a DM and I’ll walk you through it #guestexperience #boutiquehotel #independenthotel #hospitalitystrategy #hospitalitybranding #hotelwebsite #hotelbranding STUDIO CIRCA

Tech on your hotel’s website can make or break the guest experience. Sure, chatbots and AI-enabled widgets sound exciting, But is your tech truly helping guests book or adding friction and overwhelm? Here’s the truth: We see hotels swamped with tech options. But few are thinking about how adding tech can negatively impact the guest experience. We’ve seen hotel websites that load a chatbot, a rate parity widget, a newsletter signup, a special package offer, and loyalty program alert all block the content of the site - making it a pain for your guests to navigate. Here’s what we’ve learned from working with hotels: 1. Prioritize user experience, storytelling, and brand over flashy tech No one cares about a chatbot if they don’t resonate with your brand story. Get the fundamentals right before adding extra layers of tech. 2. Simplify your booking process If your “book now” button leads to a request form, you’ve already added a whole layer of friction (we see you villas, and Inns) Don’t make them type out details and wait for your response to validate if they have availability. Give them real-time options and easy to understand add-ons. There are plenty of great booking engines out there. 3. Vet your tech providers Always make sure the new tech integrates with your systems—and your team can actually use them. Doing demos with staff that will be responsible and accountable for managing the tech stack is key. A sophisticated tool is worthless if your staff finds it confusing. Don’t make a decision before getting your their input. 4. Prioritize functionality over features A chatbot or fancy plugin won’t help if guests can’t figure out the basics. Make sure your navigation is a breeze to use, content is easy to scan, and guests can find relevant information within 3 clicks. Prioritizing functionality and structure makes adding a layer of technology even more efficient. 5. Test and integrate carefully Before rolling out a new tool, test it with your staff and other systems. Is it user-friendly for borth guest and staff? Does it make daily operations smoother? Is it rendering correctly on mobile devices? This is especially important form groups and multi-property hotels. Test the new system in one location first, resolve any issues that come up and stay in dialogue with the tech provider before rolling the system out to the group. We always remind our clients: Tech should enhance a guest journey—not complicate it (the same goes for your internal staff journey). Make your web experience attractive before layering on tech that could distract and overcomplicate the browsing experience. Invest in what fosters positive emotions, builds trust, and drives conversions. Everything else is just noise. #guestexperience #hospitalitystrategy #hoteltech #hospitalitybranding #hotelwebsites #directbookings Clip taken from my chat with Michelle Oliver on Expitality

As a partner at a restaurant, it can often be hard to see day to day efforts paying off. More often than not we are putting out fires while trying to look ahead. But, a few days ago we received notice that our restaurant Heni, got on the Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2024! Our entire team is over the moon and they deserve every bit of recognition for the hard work put it over the last year! So here’s to a moment of celebration, and excitement for the road ahead. #restaurant #restauranteur #montreal #aircanada #enroute

Hoteliers, have you downloaded our free hotel brand audit tool? We re-released it a couple of months ago and been very well received, with over 500+ downloads across multiple channels That shows us that hotels - especially boutique hotels - are coming to terms with the reality that their brand and website are critical components to their business goals, rather than separate from them. These ambitious hoteliers and marketing directors want to improve and gain an edge on the competition. The free resource includes: - Our proprietary brand-audit tool for hotels - In-depth 55+ page document - Comprehensive video walkthrough If you’re interested in getting the Framework, you can download it directly through the link below https://lnkd.in/eqcASaVi #guestexperience #boutiquehotel #independenthotel #hotelbranding #hotelstrategy

Coming up this Thursday! New podcast episode with Mauricio on Schulering s.r.o. Hit the bell on my profile as Ill be sharing the link, and follow Mauricio and Schulering too for more insightful hospitality podcast episodes! STUDIO CIRCA #guestexperience #hotelbranding #hotelwebsite #independenthotel #boutiquehotel