Three goals set by the client: 1. Create the coolest hotel in Marylebone, 2. Develop and brand that instils the perfect hotel experience, 3. Inject culture, depth and uniqueness to the brand. From the outset the team researched the process from ‘couch to stay to couch’ to understand the drivers that effect our decision making and to identify a gap in the market.

Aimed at 33-55 business travellers and 25-40 modern explorers, our research showed us there can be a loneliness of city travel. Enter The Social hotel. The mission was ambitious: bridge the social distance associated with boutique city hotels. In-depth understanding of key trends such as Betterment, Status Seeking and Local Love helped form the structure for the brand.

In the first 18months to launch, the brand will set itself up as a Mononcle-esk culture guide to Marylebone and celebrate its surroundings. The transformation in to a hotel will then take place with a solid footing already established in the area and a wealth of digital followers.

‘Travel is all about connections. Your reason to visit, the culture you explore and the people you meet. Your hotel shouldn’t be just about an amazing bed in a cool looking room, in a building with an incredible bar and great customer service—it should be your conduit to the city, culture and people within new surroundings. It should be like that time you stayed with a local and discovered a city unknown to tourists – the real city. A place that removes social barriers and which naturally connects you with like-minded modern explorers. A place that understands you. That inspires you. That empathises with you. This is why we exist. This is why we are the social hotel. Welcome to The Saint.’