From Best Western to Boutique Hotel
A boutique hotel rebrand and revenue-focused identity system
Overview
Starting Point
The Inn at Lewisburg began as a Best Western hotel operating under a national franchise. Ownership wanted to reposition the property as a boutique destination to differentiate from nearby chain hotels and support a more premium guest experience.
The Work
I developed a full boutique brand identity and visual system for The Inn at Lewisburg, ensuring the new branding felt local, intentional, and elevated while still meeting Best Western’s boutique program requirements. The complete branding system was submitted for franchise approval and approved for use across the property. I developed this in coordination with an interior design firm, Eleventh Floor Design, in order to ensure a cohesive guest experience across both visual branding and physical space.
Strategic Foundation
Beyond the visual identity, this work included competitive research to understand how travelers were discovering and comparing hotels in the local market. I analyzed nearby competitors, local search behavior, and high-intent keywords to identify opportunities to differentiate the property, increase perceived value, and support higher room rates within the boutique positioning.
The Challenge:
As a franchise hotel in a competitive regional market, the property faced limitations that made it difficult to stand out among similar chain options. While the location and ownership vision had strong potential, the existing brand did not reflect the experience they wanted to deliver or the rates they needed to support.
What I Needed To Solve:
Differentiating from nearby franchise and mid range competitors
Shifting guest perception from “standard chain stay” to “boutique experience”
Supporting higher room rates without alienating existing demand
Working within franchise brand guidelines while creating something custom and local
Aligning the brand with how travelers were actually searching, comparing, and booking hotels in the area
This was not just a visual problem. It was a positioning, perception, and pricing challenge that required strategy before design.
Strategy came first. Design followed.
Strategy:
Before touching visuals, I focused on strategy to ensure the rebrand would support real business outcomes, not just a new look.
My approach centered on three core areas: positioning, competitive differentiation, and search behavior.
Positioning the Property.
I developed a boutique positioning framework that allowed the property to move away from a “standard chain stay” perception and toward a more intentional, elevated experience. This meant defining what made the hotel feel distinct within its local context while still working within Best Western’s boutique program guidelines.
The goal was not to abandon the franchise, but to leverage its flexibility to create a brand that felt local, considered, and premium.
Competitive and Market Research.
I analyzed nearby hotels and regional competitors to understand how similar properties were presenting themselves, where they were competing on price, and where gaps existed in the market.
This research informed both the brand direction and the messaging strategy, ensuring the new identity differentiated the property from surrounding mid-range chains rather than blending in with them.
SEO and Search-Driven Insights.
To support higher room rates and increased perceived value, I reviewed local search behavior and high-intent keywords related to hotels, boutique stays, and travel in the area.
This insight helped guide how the brand would be positioned online, how travelers would discover it, and how the property could align its messaging with how guests were actually searching, comparing, and booking.
By grounding the brand strategy in real market data and search behavior, the rebrand was designed to support visibility, differentiation, and long-term revenue growth. This ensured the brand performed not just visually, but commercially.
Execution: A Flexible Brand System Built for Franchise Approval
I designed a complete brand system that balanced boutique character with franchise requirements, enabling approval under Best Western’s Signature Collection while supporting higher-end positioning.
Exterior Signage System: Custom logotype and heritage mark adapted for permanent, franchise-compliant signage.
Guest Experience Touchpoints: Branded in-room collateral designed to reinforce a boutique, elevated stay.
Pattern & Texture System: Botanical motif developed as a flexible background for print, digital, and interiors.
In-Room Applications: Consistent identity across functional guest materials.
Franchise Integration: Rebrand approved under Best Western’s Signature Collection while maintaining boutique positioning.
Brand Texture Library: A repeatable visual system used to unify guest materials and interior touchpoints.
Framed Signature Mark: A styled variation of the primary wordmark for specialty placements and heritage moments.
Heritage Seal: A secondary emblem rooted in the property’s founding year, used for accents, packaging, and storytelling moments.