A star, reborn: Dennis juggles a historic soul and a modern look in its makeover for Hotel Regina

Like any great rebrand of a historic hotel, Dennis’ identity for Barcelona’s Hotel Regina captures the establishment’s legacy while adding a modern sparkle that today’s guests will connect with. “The hotel’s owners were practically born there, with the business being in the family since 1957,” Creative Director Josh Nathanson explains. “It being such a personal project meant that it was paramount to respect the history of the hotel while ensuring that it appealed to younger generations. A big part of our strategy makes an effort to position the hotel as ‘old is cool’!” Armed with the driving concept of “Reinvent yourself, Stay timeless,” a rich archive of photography and designs dating back to the hotel’s 1917 opening, plus a historian’s detailed account of its past, the hospitality branding and design studio embraced the challenge. Glimmers of the building’s history are felt throughout the design system, starting with the central wordmark, which draws inspiration from a 1970s logo discovered in the hotel’s archives. Designer Allie Heesh explains how they modernised the vintage letterforms by removing serifs and adjusting the spacing while preserving distinctive elements like the quirky ‘G’ and ‘N.’ “It was important to us that the logo be designed to stand the test of time, be robust enough to work across the various print and digital applications, and remain distinctive enough without getting tired,” she says.