Five star luxury Algarve beachfront resort, steeped in regal history
Dona Filipa Hotel is a five star luxury beachfront resort in Algarve, Portugal that was built in the 1960s but has always been closely associated with the queen that it’s named after. She was Dona Filipa (Philippa of Lancaster), an early British ex-pat in the region who was married to Dom Joao (King John I) in 1387 – indeed, the flagship restaurant at the hotel is name after their son and heir Dom Duarte (King Edward I) who reigned from 1433. Paying tribute to this regal association, I created a coat of arms for the hotel logo following the general rules and symbology of classic heraldry. The crown denotes the royal connection; the castle relates to the property itself; the shield of the Portuguese royal family is also included; and the powerful image of the pelican in piety which symbolises nurture and protection.
A simple two colour primary brand palette allows for bold applications across the various hotel requirements. This dual colour design of door hangers becomes easily recognisable signage for guests and housekeeping alike. Door keys are different colours so that guests who are sharing a room don’t get mixed up and confused by whose is whose. The branding is easily scalable and its application to many functional items of collateral throughout the hotel is bold and familiar.
The digital campaign design systems are more dynamic and colourful. Social campaigns are bold and clear with friendly, welcoming messaging. The images tell the story with location photography showing off the beautiful property, as well as bold lifestyle imagery to appeal directly to specific demographics within the hotel’s sales and marketing strategy. I launched the hotel’s email marketing strategy, creating a new avenue for outreach and a great way to focus their sales drive to specific need periods within the hotel’s annual marketing calendar. Aspirational images lead the way, with clear sales messaging and an inviting call to action. Interactions and conversions are tracked through hidden reference codes and an independent CRM.
