There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
Oscar Wilde wasn’t talking about hospitality, but the line has never felt more urgent in hospitality. Today, the biggest competitive threat isn’t criticism – it’s invisibility.
Walk into most luxury resorts today, and you’ll notice something unsettling: they all look the same. Neutral walls. Elegant-but-safe furnishings. Lobby cafes pouring the same espresso drinks as the property down the street. Playlists that could be swapped without anyone noticing, service polished to perfection but more scripted than sincere.
It’s not luxury. It’s homogeneity.
Fear Breeds Beige
The rise of the so-called “sad beige aesthetic” online reflects a wider truth: safe is boring.
The root cause is simple: fear of risk. Executives, under pressure to safeguard investment, play it safe by copying what’s “proven” to work elsewhere. A design trend debuts in Miami, and within two years it’s everywhere from Dubai to Bali. A competitor rolls out a wellness program, and suddenly three others launch nearly identical versions.
This copy-paste mindset makes sense in a boardroom. Familiar designs are easier to defend, and no one ever gets fired for playing it safe. But when hospitality becomes neutral to the point of uninspired, elegant to the extent of boredom, it’s the death of brand individuality. What’s defensible on paper isn’t always memorable in person. Strip away the brand signage in many neutral, carefully curated lobbies and ask yourself: would you even know where you are?
Some hotels are proving there’s ROI in risk. By transforming overlooked spaces like corridors, elevators, or low-traffic lounges, they’ve seen dwell times increase by as much as 40 per cent – turning what were once dead zones into active, revenue-generating touchpoints. Small interventions, whether in lighting, sound, or storytelling, transform what was once forgettable into a signature moment. It proves that the fight against beige doesn’t always need a full redesign – it needs imagination.
Choice Overload
Today’s guests have more choice, more access, and more influence than ever before. On instagram alone, #luxuryhotel has over 5.2 million posts. On TikTok, the travel discovery engine for the next generation of luxury travelers, hundreds of thousands more. Those numbers include polished PR campaigns, but also a flood of user-generated content for travelers, influencers, and even “aspirational tourists” who haven’t booked but are curating their dream destinations online.
In this landscape, differentiation isn’t a luxury – it’s survival. Guests aren’t comparing your property against two or three others in the same market; they’re swiping through hundreds of options globally, each promising the same amenities, spa rituals, and breakfast spreads. At the luxury level, flawless service and elegant design are no longer differentiators. They’re expected.
What actually stands out is surprise. Emotional resonance. A sense of place and personality that can’t be copy-pasted. Guests don’t tell their friends about how consistent the marble flooring was, but they rave about the unexpected: the rooftop that suddenly becomes a theatre at sunset, the lobby with a bold red design that jolted them awake, or a dinner that blends gastronomy with live performance in a once-forgotten wing.
Safe is the Riskiest Move
It’s tempting to believe that luxury is about refinement, restraint, and timeless taste. And it is – but refined doesn’t mean bland. Restraint doesn’t mean sterile. In fact, what used to mean “safe” is now the riskiest choice you can make.
Neutral design choices may protect against criticism in the short term, but they also strip away the very experiences that create loyalty. Guests want boldness, not beige. They want stories to tell, details to post, and a reason to remember you when they scroll past the next resort on their feeds.
First impressions form in seconds, and even faster online. Done right, your lobby should make that judgement for you – a bold red flag in a sea of beige. If it doesn’t, you’ve already lost your chance to make a mark.
Dare or Disappear
The upside? Sameness is a choice, and so is breaking it.
Standing out doesn’t mean inviting chaos. It means becoming strategic about personality, layering creativity and emotion into the fabric of your brand. This is why experience design has overtaken interior design as the new differentiator: visual polish isn’t enough anymore, even in a social-media-driven world.
Forward-thinking hotels are creating multisensory signatures – moments guests can recognize, even with their eyes closed. The business case is clear: properties investing in emotional design have reported uplifts of guest satisfaction of 20 per cent or more, along with higher return rates and organic content creation. That’s loyalty built on goosebumps: a visceral, unmistakable reaction.
Because guests don’t come back for beige. They come back for goosebumps.
The death of sameness is already here. The question is simple: will your brand dare to stand apart, or disappear into the noise?
We are Something New Creative, a multidisciplinary creative agency specializing in experience, engagement, and innovation.
We are not architects. We are not interior designers. We shape how spaces feel, how moments unfold, and how people connect.
From hotels and cruise lines to retail, entertainment, and global destinations, we transform spaces into must-visit, must-share experiences. Our work blends live performance, sensory storytelling, multimedia integration, and cutting-edge technology, crafting immersive moments that elevate brands, captivate audiences, and drive impact.
Our Core Services:
✔ Experience Clinic → Smart, high-impact refinements that maximize guest experience ROI without major overhauls. ✔ Visionary Guide → Future-forward creative consulting and insights from a world-class creative expert. ✔ New Experiences → Bespoke, immersive concepts that redefine brand engagement and differentiation.
Based in Toronto & New York. Working Globally.
The best brands aren’t just seen—they’re felt, remembered, and talked about. Let’s create something new.
