DESCRIPTION
When Rolling Hills Hospitality bought a small, historic hotel in one of Lexington, Kentucky’s downtown neighborhoods, the owners saw an opportunity to elevate the guest experience and compete with the wave of boutique, one-of-a-kind locations gaining popularity with travelers. Knowing that success would require going beyond a redesign of the space, Rolling Hills partnered with Intrinzic to develop messaging and visuals that would give the hotel a presence beyond its brick walls and position it as jewel in the crown of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection lineup.
CHALLENGE
Work in collaboration with an architecture and interior design firm to turn an old hotel into a sensorial, branded experience that feels iconic and cultured, while at the same time thoroughly modern and new.
INSPIRATION
We paralleled our branding process with the process of the interior designer who was working on a new vision for the hotel’s space. Through immersion in the sights, sounds and lore of the hotel’s storied neighborhood—and the new owner’s personal connections to it (he lived there as a student at Transylvania University)—we uncovered opportunities to create a hotel brand that was truly representative of the place and its people.
OUTCOME
The Intrinzic team was tasked with uncovering the unique aspects of the hotel’s history to develop a compelling narrative that expressed both the history and uniqueness of the hotel’s location, as well as the outstanding hospitality experience that the Hilton Tapestry Collection is known for.
Kentucky holds an undeniable allure; it winks at you across the rolling hills of bluegrass, stirs you with the thunder of hooves on the track, and beguiles you in the complexities of its legendary bourbons. We sought to cultivate this Southern charm and sophistication and then give it a rustic twist—a bluegrass attitude that greets guests with a toast and an easy smile. This narrative informed both the branding and interior design of the hotel, which we renamed “The Sire” – reflective of Lexington’s equestrian and agrarian roots.
Specifically, Intrinzic:
- Cultivated a rich and enchanting brand story that uniquely captures the heritage of the local culture while positioning the hotel as the perfect balance between modern, elegant hospitality and rustic luxury.
- Defined all attributes, benefits and offerings of the hotel with a unique and succinct name that also strongly highlights the location’s heritage.
- Provided creative direction and designed all branding visuals, brand toolkits, and marketing materials for the Sire including:
- Logo
- Color proportions
- Patterns/Textures
- Photography style
- Application examples
- Marketing/Promotional Applications
- Crafted compelling copy across all materials to fully capture the essence of Lexington and provide potential visitors with the perfect excuse for bluegrass state getaway.