"We want you to close your eyes and create the hotel you have never created." The dream of any creative person is to do what they have never been allowed to do. That was our first conversation with Domi and Johanna, a couple with a dream: to create a hotel so special that it would provoke "WOW" and "OM" in each of their guests. Without haste, but with the strength of the most impressive storm... that's how we described the 10 years it took Domi and Johanna to find the panoramic land they were looking for and the concept their dream should respond to. That's why we could only dedicate all our talent, creativity, and love to give shape to that idea: a boutique hotel with 9 suites and breathtaking views of the sea in Muros (Galicia), based on the concept of salt. An oasis that provides a unique and memorable experience focused on rest and well-being, while also showcasing the local and sustainable aspects. Moreover, it would house the only salt interpretation center for many kilometers around. Our mission was to create the branding and present a solid proposal for the look and feel of the hotel's interior design and website. After analyzing the competition at the national and international levels and deeply studying the trends and transformations in the hotel market, we arrived at a definition that fit perfectly with the concept we needed to shape: SALT REBOOT HOTEL. Reboot is one of the English words used to define a restart. And precisely, our hotel is the place to restart our soul, mind, and body, in this case, through the natural treasure of the Muros area: salt. But this concept also needed body and soul, and it had to materialize by surpassing the limits established by the competition, challenging expectations, and telling new stories—ultimately, leading its own reboot on the preconceived ideas of a boutique hotel and landscape hotel. Salt brought this hotel to life. It showcases the seafaring reality of the town and the color of its streets; it represents the 5 canning factories of Muros and its countless salted products. Domi's grandparents were ship captains who dedicated themselves to bringing, storing, and commercializing salt. And salt means calm, silence, and purity. It's life. Salt is vital for living beings, especially for the people of this area, their gastronomy, economy, and environment. However, in excess, it hinders survival. Only halophyte plants are capable of living in and with salt, taking root in the most difficult terrains, turning adversity into an opportunity to flourish. Taking into account that the landscape surrounding our hotel is bathed by the sea and numerous reserves of these plant species, we drew inspiration from everything we share with one of them, the Algodonosa, modernizing its botanical name (Otanthus Maritimus) to create the name of our hotel: OTANTUS. Resilience and strength are just some of the characteristics we absorb from it to build our imagery. After all, our hotel is precisely that place, the place to reboot, to gather strength to face the day-to-day, to seek opportunities, and to pause and find ourselves. The simplified and modernized Latin etymology provides a premium sensation, a sense of quality, without the need for ostentation or grandiosity. OTANTUS holds significant power in its spelling, sound, and rhythm. It symbolizes and evokes what we intended. It features a typographic branding reminiscent of traditional Galician-style fonts, very open and rounded, allowing us to appeal to the imagery and sentiment of the area. Additionally, its sinuous and curved style inspires the marine world with which our hotel is strongly connected. The colors used evoke calmness and introspection, representing the characteristic tones of the Algodonosa plant, grays and greens that are also reflected in the treatment of our photography. This visual world is complemented by illustrations treated as seals with a botanical style that perfectly supports this universe. OTANTUS is the "SALT REBOOT HOTEL," the place where you always emerge better. That's why it welcomes all those who seek a restart through the pursuit of physical and mental well-being. And that's why our hotel aspires to become a place of pilgrimage, a refuge. Feeling safe from the very first moment, slowing down and calming down as soon as you enter it, are some of the sensations we were looking for with the proposed Look & Feel and the recommendations we made in terms of materials, color palette, lighting, and furniture. We aimed to create an intimate and natural ambiance with a nest-like effect. Monochromatic colors connected to nature, marking each zoning, respecting natural lighting through large windows combined with almost scenographic lighting to create contemplative moods, and the simplicity of furniture and its connection to local craftsmanship were the references we proposed to create a harmonious and tranquil whole that invites calmness. The goal was for them to develop the interior design project themselves following this guide, so that the final result would be consistent from start to finish with an elevated brand experience.
