The Brand is the Experience: Why Hospitality Projects Need a Design Guardian From Day One

By Agatha Habjan, LEED AP, Director, Hospitality & Retail

In hospitality and retail development, the stakes are uniquely high. A restaurant or resort isn’t just a space—it’s a branded experience. And that experience is fragile. It can be diluted by budget cuts, misaligned consultants, or staff turnover. In short, it’s at risk every time someone new touches the project.

As a trained architect and designer with over 25 years of experience across hospitality, high-end residential, and commercial interiors, I truly believe every hospitality project needs one critical role: a design and brand guardian.

In hospitality, the brand is everything. It’s not just about finishes or a sign—it’s about how the space makes people feel. And if that gets lost along the way, the project fails, no matter how beautiful the design.

Guardianship in a high-stakes environment

Unlike corporate or institutional spaces, hospitality and retail environments live and die by emotional connection. Brand loyalty is built in the subtleties: the detail of a countertop, the quality of the lighting, the flow from check-in to lounge. At the end of the day, preserving that emotional throughline is sacred.

My goal is always to act as a bridge between the client’s vision and the design and construction teams tasked with executing it. In this role, I’m an active interpreter, able to explain to the team what matters most to the brand, and why certain design choices can’t be sacrificed without consequence.

I think of hospitality as the child of high-end residential and commercial. You need the polish and individuality of a home, but the durability and efficiency of a commercial project. It’s a delicate balance, and if you don’t have continuity from day one, you lose that balance.

Approach value engineering with care

While cost management is critical throughout, few things undermine a hospitality project faster than misapplied value engineering. The hospitality sector requires a more nuanced lens.

I’m wary of the word ‘value engineering’ in this context, because what often happens is the soul of the design gets picked apart—line item by line item—until the brand essence is gone. What are you left with? A technically correct building or space that feels completely off.

Instead, I push for early alignment between cost managers and designers, so budgeting happens during, not after, conceptual planning. This enables creative solutions that preserve brand moments without compromising financial goals.

A case study in brand stewardship

One of my most rewarding projects has been the renovation of the spa and fitness center at Round Hill Hotel & Villas in Jamaica, a legendary property steeped in old-school glamour. Every decision had to honor the brand’s DNA.

It wasn’t just about aesthetics. It was about evoking a specific feeling—relaxed elegance, effortless luxury. You can’t get that from a drawing alone. You have to live and breathe the brand to understand what must stay sacred.

I brought that same ethos to corporate work with clients like Brown Brothers Harriman, where I become an extension of the internal team. I was there to make sure that no matter how many consultants came and went, the brand identity was maintained.

The conductor of the orchestra

Ultimately, I see my role (and the role of any good owner’s rep or project manager in hospitality) as the conductor of an orchestra. The client may own the composition, but someone needs to ensure all players are in sync and that the melody—the brand experience—comes through clearly.

These projects can run for years. Teams change. Priorities shift. But the guest is still the final stakeholder. If you want the end result to resonate, someone has to protect and preserve the integrity of that vision through project close-out.

Takeaways for hospitality owners and developers

• Design continuity matters. Assign a design and brand guardian early, and keep them involved throughout the project lifecycle.
• Don’t wait to budget. Engage cost managers early to avoid losing core brand elements later.
• Beware of “value engineering.” Short-term savings can cause long-term brand erosion.
• Choose your team carefully. Everyone involved needs to understand the stakes and bring the same level of care and commitment to brand and vision.