PROJECT OVERVIEW
We set out to design and develop a hotel that is not only modern and welcoming but also has no-frill and homey experience. From check-in to check-out, from website for booking to physical space and environmental signages at arrival, we design to deliver a comfortable stay, with consistent branding and service standards for the guests so that they experience comfort and convenience during their stay.
Wyne Hotel is located in Yangon, a commercial capital of Burma (Myanmar). The 91-key business and leisure hotel was designed in 2012 and was completed in 2016. The goal was to fill the gap in hospitality industry at a time when mid-level three-star hotels for business and leisure travelers were not widely available on the market.
Project Value
18 million USD
Location
Yangon, Myanmar
My Roles
Designing guest experience from website to architecture and anything in between
Responsibilities
360 Customer Experience
Web Design Exp
Architecture & ID
Environmental Signage
Branding
MVPs
As a new independent 3-star business hotel entering the market with tight budget and resources, the MVP goals for Wyne were:
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Design a functioning and aesthetically pleasing website to deliver critical business information and provide basic booking features
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Deliver a smooth check-in process in calm and inspiring environment to build trust with guests and visitors, beginning at the lobby all the way to the guestrooms
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Drive the image of high service standards across digital and physical space
DIRECT BOOKING RESERVATION SYSTEM
While independent hotels rely on the majority of the online bookings from OTAs, direct booking is still required to establish trust and reliability for both new and returning guests.
Wyne decided to use Wix hotel booking system to manage its rooms because it was the most cost-effective and time-efficient than to develop something from scratch.
USER-CENTERED ARCHITECTURE
Users (hotel guests) are the driving force behind the layout and design of the hotel. Major user-centered design features in the hotel include:
1. recessed ribbon windows for shading and visual comfort
in the guest room from hot tropical sun,
2. room-length working surfaces for business travelers and
recessed stripped lighting for modern comfort,
3. comfortable and spacious double-height sitting lounge
as their living room when they meet guests,
4. quick-grab cafe for morning kick-off
5. mellow pub for evening cool-off
6. relaxing roof-top spa for de-stress
Based on the potential users' path of travel and flow within the building, intuitive circulation is planned. Users ascend and descend from the towers to the central circular courtyard. A double-height lobby is planned in the first phase where travelers will converge and connect with the future phases. Through a conjoined ground floor plan, the vertical circulation is designed to meet the horizontal circulation.
Exterior design responds to the solar orientation of the building. The southern facade with floor-to-ceiling angled windows not only block direct sunlight during the day but also direct views towards Shwe Dagon Pagoda, a cultural landmark of Yangon. Clean and modern aesthetics with ascent gold, the color associated with Burma, the Golden land, and natural tones, complement the hotel's image and branding.
Architectural Concept
LOBBY EXPERIENCE
The light funnels floating along the ceilings were designed as directional devices to visually guide the guests gradually towards the reception and the double-height lobby, evoking the sense of an abstract dreamscape. The reception is angled towards the main entrance to be visible to the incoming guests but setback from the center to leave enough space for comfortable user circulation between entrance and lobby during the busy hours.
DESIGN FEATURES
Double-height
Lobby Sitting Area
The spacious lobby provides
a meeting place for guests and visitors, and it is also the future connection to the circular court which will connect to the two towers in phase 2 and 3.
Well-designed
Windows
Recessed windows provide shading. They protect guests from harsh tropical sunlight. The antique gold ascent references city's cultural landmark as the windows frame the beloved golden pagoda.
Room-length
Working Surface
Generous working surface are provided for busy business travelers so that they can comfortably spread out for productivity.
Hotel Spa
Double-height lobby space for a rooftop spa with 9 massage beds and facilities.
Cafe Lounge
Small coffee shop where guests can pause and refresh before leaving the hotel for the day.
Hotel Pub
Chic pub with windows dispersing rainbow-colored light to the space.
BRANDING THE EXPERIENCE
Inspired from the hotel's architecture as well as location's cultural meanings and local language, Wyne which translates to roundness in Burmese, evokes the positive emotions associated with unity and togetherness. Wyne is envisioned as a place for people to gather and meet, work and relax.
Logo Development
LOGO BRAND GUIDELINES
BRANDED HOTEL COLLATERALS
ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNAGES
Wyne environmental signages are standardized to provide easy navigation, familiar identity and branding for users, orienting the guests within the building. They are designed to complement the space but not to overwhelm the architecture or the surroundings.
HEALTH REMINDERS
Earlier days of Covid-19 pandemic pose significant challenges for the hotel as many are confused what to do and what not to. As a hotel that prides itself on safety of both our guests and our staff, we took steps to educate and remind the best hygiene and health practices as well as the safety precautions through temporary environmental signages throughout the property.
Communicating to the guests and staff about the seriousness of the pandemic and following the Ministry of Health guidelines, Wyne Hotel was one of the first hotels to receive Covidi-19 safety certificate from the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism.
MARKETING COLLATERALS
Working together with Sales and Marketing teams, the marketing collaterals such as fact sheets, brochures, are designed for in-person corporate sales call, and outreach to tour operators to reflect the services offered at Wyne Hotel. Print and online advertisements are also supported by the in-house design team.
A4 Hotel Fact Sheets
4-fold Hotel Brochure
Print Advertisements
Impact
Hotel Operations Achievements
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Reached 70% annual occupancy after the first year following a soft opening in a highly competitive hospitality market in Yangon and reached as high as 91% monthly occupancy in the high travel seasons.
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Served over 35k travelers of which 20% are returning guests annually that made up of more than 70 nationalities visiting Yangon.
Website Achievements
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Primary purpose of the website was to deliver hotel facts and information to corporate guests, travel agents and individual travelers who use other OTAs. Between 2017-2021, as a standalone hotel website, more than 25k people has visited the website with over 83k page views, achieving 4 page visits and 1.5 minutes per pax.
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Website user acquisition data showed 39% direct, 28% organic search and 10% social media page, meaning hotel's online visibility is largely driven by direct interest for the brand.
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