The Guild
Redefining Hospitality: Creating a Seamless Brand Experience Across Digital and Physical Touchpoints
Creative Director
The Client
The Guild pioneered a new hospitality model that bridged the gap between traditional hotels and short-term rentals. Their innovative approach combined the reliability and service standards of hotels with the authenticity and local character of residential spaces, creating a distinctive travel experience for discerning guests.
The Challenge
While The Guild's founders possessed strong business acumen, they lacked specialized design expertise to fully realize their vision of a cohesive guest experience. As Creative Director, I faced two main hurdles: First, I needed to build a design function from scratch with just two designers on staff, stretching our resources by bringing in outside specialists when needed. Second, I had to create a consistent, memorable experience that followed guests from their first website visit through to their actual stay in our properties. This meant coordinating everything from website booking flows to physical room interiors to ensure they all felt like part of the same brand experience—something especially challenging for a company expanding into multiple cities with unique local cultures.
The Solution
I developed and implemented a holistic design strategy that integrated brand principles across all guest touchpoints. By coordinating internal resources with specialized contractors in brand development, photography, SEO, and video production, we created a distinctive identity and guest experience that differentiated The Guild in the competitive hospitality market.
Book It
My team transformed The Guild's digital presence from a basic Squarespace site with a third-party booking system to a custom-developed platform that delivered a seamless booking experience. We redesigned the entire digital journey, optimizing conversion paths while maintaining brand consistency. This comprehensive redesign significantly improved booking metrics and established a digital foundation that could scale with the company's rapid expansion into new markets.
Reimagining Traditional Hospitality
I collaborated with brand strategists and design agencies to develop a distinct brand identity that balanced nostalgia for classic travel with modern hospitality standards. This partnership yielded a visual system that evoked both excitement and reliability—crucial emotional touchpoints for travelers. Throughout this process, I served as the bridge between external brand experts and the founding team, translating design concepts into business value and helping the founders develop design fluency that informed their strategic decisions.
Localizing Guests Through Product Design
Working closely with product and engineering teams, I guided the development of digital tools that enhanced the guest experience. We created a mobile app that provided streamlined check-in processes, local recommendations, and concierge services. This was complemented by on-site technology solutions including self-service kiosks that maintained the warmth of personal hospitality while adding modern convenience. These digital touchpoints transformed guests from tourists to temporary locals, deepening their connection to each destination.
The Power of Visual Storytelling
I directed photography, video, and social media strategies that captured The Guild's unique positioning. Rather than standard property photography, we created visual narratives that showcased the transformative moments guests experience during their stays. This approach not only elevated the brand's visual presence but drove significant growth in social media engagement across Instagram and Facebook, creating a community of brand advocates and improving marketing efficiency.
Crafting Memorable Experiences: Wayfinding, Interior Design, and Collateral Creation
My team collaborated with design agencies to create distinctive interior environments for each property that reflected local character while maintaining brand consistency. We developed custom wayfinding systems that seamlessly guided guests through unfamiliar environments, particularly in mixed-use buildings where apartment residents and Guild guests shared spaces. These systems were rigorously tested on-site to ensure clarity and effectiveness.
We also created comprehensive collateral including welcome materials, neighborhood guides, sales presentations, and branded merchandise that reinforced The Guild's identity at every interaction point. Each piece was thoughtfully designed to enhance the guest experience while strengthening brand recognition and perceived value.
Conclusion
By the time COVID-19 disrupted the travel industry in 2020, my team had successfully established design as a core strategic function within The Guild. Our comprehensive approach to brand experience—spanning digital platforms, physical spaces, and guest interactions—had become a key differentiator in the market. The integrated design system we built not only elevated the guest experience but provided the company with scalable templates that supported their expansion while maintaining consistent quality across locations. This transformation from a business concept to a fully realized brand experience demonstrates how strategic design leadership can create tangible value, even with limited resources.
