Meridian Hotels
A 40-year hotel group that had grown into something their guests no longer recognized. We gave them a brand worth checking into.
01 · Situation
Meridian had been running for four decades. The properties were beautiful. The service was personal. But the brand looked like it belonged to a Holiday Inn competitor from 2009. The disconnect was costing them the boutique-hotel traveler they actually served.
02 · Problem
Twelve properties, twelve slightly different logos, and a corporate identity that said "chain hotel" while the actual experience said "boutique." Their brand was actively underselling them. High-value guests were booking competitors who looked the part, even when Meridian was the better stay.
The Work
03 · Approach
We ran a brand audit across four properties, interviewed staff and repeat guests, and found the common thread: warmth that does not try too hard. From there we wrote the positioning, designed a flexible identity system that works across all 12 locations, and directed the rollout from signage to digital.
04 · Outcome
A unified brand that honored each property while creating instant recognition. Direct bookings increased. The founder said it was the first time in years the brand matched what guests actually experienced.
What changed
12
Properties rebranded under one system
+27%
Direct bookings in the first quarter post-launch
4.8★
Average guest rating across platforms
A hotel brand that finally felt like the experience it was actually delivering.
“We had been talking about a rebrand for five years. CDH did it in ten weeks. Our guests keep telling us it finally feels like the hotel they have been coming back to.”
Robert Langford · CEO, Meridian Hotels Group