Hotels hide their best features to spark guest curiosity

Sandra Reichl observed a hotel in Athens that omitted its private dojo from all marketing materials, leaving guests to discover the space by accident (A PASSION THING). This discovery sparked a personal connection for the guest, who recognized the practice from her own experience with Aikido. Reichl argues that such omissions invite curiosity and encourage guests to share their experiences with others, as she did. The Alto Group similarly avoids abstract branding by inviting guests to explore the Arnica Acker initiative, where they experience fresh produce production firsthand at the company's hotels (A PASSION THING).

Effective storytelling relies on specific, lived experiences rather than broad statements of intent. Creative studio A Passion Thing demonstrates this by documenting the people and relationships behind a brand, such as the makers of bed linen, instead of listing vague support for local producers on a website. Elliot Grove, founder of the Raindance Film Festival, identifies transformation as the primary engine of narrative, distinguishing it from plot, which merely creates a sequence of events (Elliot Grove Rants and raves about…).