How Hotel Lumio became Hyatt’s hub for discovery in China

Challenge

In 2022 Bravo Group and Hyatt Hotels, along with the district government signed an agreement to launch the first Hyatt Unbound Collection hotel in China’s Greater Bay Area – “晓庐” (Xiao Lu). Bravo Group aimed to establish the hotel as a luxury landmark in the region, offering unparalleled services and experiences.

Solutions

Prophet partnered with Bravo Group to develop a compelling hospitality brand. We started by identifying its target audience, brand concept, and guest experience.   

We conducted immersive research to gain a deeper understanding of the target demographic—affluent, young professionals—and their evolving preferences for luxury hospitality. Today’s travelers seek not just comfort but rejuvenation and inspiration from their hotel stays.   

The unique location and its rich history provided the perfect backdrop for a distinctive brand story. Historically a vital trade hub along the Pearl River, Pazhou is now a thriving center of innovation and sustainability in the Greater Bay Area.   

Drawing on these insights, we crafted the brand story: Just like the boats along the Pearl River, bringing newfound treasures from the East and West, guests will discover new experiences to inspire, recharge their body and soul and reconnect with people. This hotel empowers guests in their own journey of rediscovery. 

Prophet translated these unique equities into a brand-new design direction “Evolving travel”. Building upon the design direction, we crafted a new brand logo with a kinetic logomark and its Chinese logotype. We also curated a distinctive brand palette and typographic style, developed a travel photography style fused with the warmth and romance of magic hours, and created a series of applications throughout the passenger journey. The brand’s fresh visual identity expertly uses dynamic lines to capture the vibrant energy and fluid motion of the China United brand. 

The Chinese name “晓庐” (Xiao Lu) created by the client evokes the poetic imagery of “illuminated retreat.” Taking the brand story as foundation, we developed the English name Lumio, symbolizing “light” and “illumination” while creating a strong phonetic link to the Chinese name. Furthermore, we developed four experience principles and an impactful visual identity to bring the brand to life.   

Our creative team seamlessly fused Pazhou’s rich cultural heritage with Hyatt’s global sophistication, crafting a visual identity that harmonizes Eastern and Western aesthetics. Lumio’s logo features fluid curves inspired by traditional brushstrokes, embodying a sense of artistry and movement. The carefully curated color palette—coral and navy for the hotel, and pine green, gold, and sandstone white for the properties—evokes the warmth of nature and the depth of history. To further bring the brand to life, we established a distinctive photography style that captures the modern, dynamic energy of this East-meets-West fusion. 

Results

As the first Hyatt Unbound Collection hotel in the Greater Bay Area, Hotel Lumio has entered the final stages of preparation for its grand opening. Located in Pazhou, a hub of innovation and technology, Lumio is poised to set new industry standards and lead the way forward, illuminating the path for the future of hospitality.