Defining Virgin Hotels Guest Experience Vision

Being brilliant by uncovering what’s ‘un-brilliant’

The first step for the Engine Service Design team was helping Virgin understand the needs and behaviours of their target guests, and how we might encourage repeat stays. Based on this, we developed three overarching ideas that the hotel experience would be built upon: Community and Membership; Personalisation and Seamlessness; Fun and Irreverence. We also wanted to address all those little things in hotel stays that didn’t work well and, if fixed, could make a huge difference.

Exclusively for Everyone

We then set about designing the concepts that would deliver these three big ideas throughout the guest experience and across different customer journeys. From a couple staying for a long weekend, to first time and repeat guests; working closely with Virgin Hotels Executive team we developed signature services for Virgin Hotels, the things that would become synonymous with the brand and would keep people coming back.

Technology enabled hospitality

Our service design approach developed a guest experience that brings together the small and big ideas to create a uniquely Virgin guest experience; Staff are trained to be able to give local tips and knowledge at the drop of a hat and technology allows customers to interact with their hotel via their smartphone and an in-room personal assistant. This includes booking your favourite room with one click, controlling the TV or the air conditioning or making easy reservations.

“Branson’s Virgin Group is trying to give business travellers an alternative to large impersonal hotels.”

NANCY TREJOS, USA TODAY, ‘VIRGIN HOTEL MAKES ITS DEBUT IN CHICAGO’

Growing steadily after the success of the first hotel in Chicago, Virgin Hotels continues to expand and win awards for all aspects of its unique guest experience.