A star, reborn: Dennis juggles a historic soul and a modern look in its makeover for Hotel Regina — The Brand Identity – Home of the Greatest in Graphic & Brand Design

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.

This considered balance between heritage and contemporary design – remaining “true to the original while reinventing itself for the future” – extends to the custom number set, developed from the building’s iconic 1917 façade numbers.

“We wanted to do something special for the room numbers while highlighting the history of the hotel, an important part of the brief set to us by Regina’s head of marketing, Laura Salvador,” notes Nathanson. The team carefully studied the ‘1,’ ‘9’ and ‘7’ in order to interpret them across a full set of numbers. “We made our own slightly wobbly version in-house before passing them to lettering expert Alan Levett (just days before his retirement!) to make final refinements,” he continues. “The result is a unique, ownable and quirky set of numbers that are distinctly Regina.”

The identity’s typography is rounded out with LL Bradford and Monotype Grotesque. Bradford, a modern typeface inspired by early 20th-century typography, pairs naturally with Monotype Grotesque, first released in 1926 – around the same time as Regina’s founding. “Both typefaces were chosen for their timeless qualities,” explains Designer Marina Coll. “Monotype Grotesque is a true classic, with a quirky and charming nature that fits with the overall tone of the visual identity.”

For the lobby bar, Gina’s – a versatile space where locals can work, meet, and enjoy cocktails throughout the day – Dennis adopted a more youthful approach. “Gina is the cool younger sister of Regina,” says Nathanson. “She comes from the same family and shares the same values, but is a bit more socially active and likes to stay up late for a party. This strategy in both approach and naming gave us an opportunity to create a sub-brand that would appeal to locals as much as to tourists.” Gina’s wordmark uses the same typeface as Regina’s sub-brand system, Monotype Grotesque, maintaining visual consistency while allowing for a more relaxed and contemporary expression.

An illustration of a windswept lady holding a nest of birds became the inspiration for Gina’s distinctive brand mark. This mysterious figure kept appearing throughout Dennis’ research, showing up in both an old mural and vintage matchboxes. “We never found out exactly where this illustration came from or the true meaning behind it,” reveals Coll, “but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use her somewhere... And so Gina’s was born!”

The result of an extensive collaborative effort – from the Hotel Regina team to Dennis’ crew of freelance collaborators – the identity invites guests to write their own stories within the historic walls of Hotel Regina, where personal reinvention meets Barcelona’s enduring charm and timeless allure.