THE PRINCIPLES OF BRANDING IN LUXURY HOSPITALITY
Whether in London, Dubai, New York, Geneva, or Mumbai, there is an undeniable similarity between the clientele of luxury clubs, hotels, and exclusive medical spas, that is rooted in discernment and an expectation of elevated service.
For this reason, in the world of luxury hospitality, SUM’s approach is always to start by considering needs and attitudes of the customer, and only then to follow with the brand itself, and the experience it delivers.
People in this audience see themselves as global citizens, with an anticipation of a feeling that is more or less constant from one geographic location to another, albeit with a dash of local accent.
In recent years, SUM has had the pleasure to collaborate with a number of brands in the luxury hospitality space, across multiple categories, and in numerous locations across the globe.
ANNABEL’S
Leveraging the unique brand strength of London’s most elegant private members’ club, SUM created a set of designs that would be used in packaging a new collection of products available to the club’s members.
The concept was to extend the feeling of being in the club itself, directly into members’ homes.
Timed to coincide with the reveal of the wonderful new Xmas façade at Annabel’s Berkeley Square address, the new product range enabled the club’s brand image to be ‘stretched’ into a number of new product areas that included silk robes, cashmere blankets, and ornate napkin rings.
CERTÉ
Certé is a new travel consultancy based in New York City, that arranges extraordinary experiences for ultra-high-net-worth travellers.
Interestingly, the aspirations of Certé’s audience do not solely relate to staying in the best hotels, nor being in today’s most desirable locations. Instead, they also include unexpected experiences in which authenticity outweighs sheer monetary value.
Certé partners with illustrious luxury hospitality brands including Kempinski Club 1897, Belmond Bellini Club, Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, Rosewood Elite, and Relais & Chateaux Preferred Partner.
RIDGE CLUB
Ridge Club provides leading edge Swiss health management to its high-net-worth clientele.
The brand offers its members access to a new form of preventative medicine.
While the focus of Ridge Club is on the illness-prevention, exclusive hospitality is most certainly part of the overall experience, with clients visiting from around the world to the clinic that is located in the heart of Montreux.
BOUJIS
Boujis was always a playground for the rich and famous, with A-list clientele that has included royalty and celebrities.
Since becoming one of London's most popular boutique nightclubs, Boujis has expanded into several international locations, including Hong Kong and Dubai.
Our approach was to a juxtapose the elegance of an art deco interior, with the fun carefree ‘devil may care’ attitude of London’s booming nightlife scene.
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Luxury hospitality brands must communicate more than service — they convey belonging, anticipation, and emotion. Every touchpoint, from tone of voice to materials, shapes a guest’s perception before they even arrive. SUM’s Luxury Marketing approach ensures that identity and experience remain inseparable.
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Experience design makes strategy tangible—through spatial language, lighting, texture, and service choreography. These elements reinforce brand codes across guest journeys. SUM’s work with Luxury Hospitality Branding Agency demonstrates how environment and identity align.
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A strong hospitality brand requires clarity, emotion, and craft. It spans identity, service tone, architecture, landscape, and sensory cues. SUM’s Luxury Digital Branding thinking ensures coherence online and offline.
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SUM has extensive experience working with hospitality brands across private clubs, resorts, and wellness destinations. Each project blends brand strategy, identity, and experience design to create environments that feel distinctive and emotionally resonant. Learn more about our Luxury Hospitality Branding work.
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If you would like to discuss your own luxury hospitality branding project with us, then please reach out to SUM.