When my friend Tiza told me she’d quit her corporate job in NYC and bought a boutique hotel in Bali to pursue her childhood dream of running a hotel, I was thrilled for her. I was even more thrilled for myself when she asked me to create the brand identity and website, because dreaming about a vacation in Bali brings a lot of fun to the work. Our goal was a brand identity that clearly communicates the experience of a stay at The Damayanti: eco-friendly luxury with an experience of traditional Balinese culture. I pulled patterns from fabrics and tiles on the property to create her brand icons and textures, since Tiza has furnished each room with traditional textiles and antique furniture and acccents. The written brand speaks to this sense of place and reverence for the culture as well, bringing in stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana (two Sanskrit epics!) to give each customer an idea not only of each room’s features but of the energy of the character it embodies. Finally, we set up an online booking system that is easy both for customers to use and Tiza’s staff to manage. If your travels take you to Bali, make The Damayanti a stop on your journey!
