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Client

Shada Hotel

Year

2022

Service

Hospitality and Leisure

Description

Shada stands as a living narrative of Saudi southern culture, offering guests a curated stay that is authentic and adaptable, where every detail is considered, and every experience feels personal.

A Curated Feeling of Home

Client

Rooted in the heart of the Asir region, Shada Hotel is more than a place to stay—it’s a living narrative of southern Saudi culture. With its bold colors, hand-painted facades, and intricate symbols, Asiri heritage has long remained underrepresented in the modern hospitality landscape. Shada sought to change that. Our role was to elevate the brand while preserving its cultural DNA—modernizing the guest journey, refining the brand experience, and curating spatial direction that resonated deeply with both locals and global travelers.

Challenge

How do you preserve the soul of a region while crafting an experience fit for the modern traveler?

As Saudi Arabia opened its doors to global tourism, Shada Hotel was faced with the challenge of repositioning itself: to be more than just a boutique stay, but a destination where culture is not a theme, it’s a truth. The brand needed to appeal to experience, driven travelers, young professionals, and locals seeking pride in their southern roots, without falling into cliché or erasure.

Twothirds Design had to ensure that every touchpoint—digital or physical—captured the richness of Asir’s story, while offering intuitive, modern comfort that travelers expect today.

Solutions

Shada became a bridge between memory and modernity. We framed it as a lifestyle hospitality brand that doesn’t borrow from culture—it belongs to it.

Its visual identity combined raw textures with soft, modular design elements—bold patterns inspired by Asiri art balanced by contemporary elegance. From room signage to digital interfaces, we designed a system where form follows story. Every space became a platform for southern Saudi voices—through curated art, traditional coffee rituals, and the presence of local crafts and people.

Positioning Statement:
Rooted in southern Saudi culture, Shada offers a curated hospitality experience designed to foster connection, rest, and discovery—where culture meets contemporary living.
Customer Journey & Experience Design
We reimagined the guest experience as a journey of intentionality.

Arrival to Belonging: The scent of frankincense, a warm cup of Arabica coffee, and welcoming tones eased guests into a space that immediately felt personal.
Cultural Layers at Every Step: Each room, hallway, and communal area held a narrative—from wall motifs drawn by local artists to textures and colors that echoed the natural tones of the region.
Moments of Pause: Slow-living was not just a concept; it was a design principle. Guests were invited to experience Shada not as tourists, but as participants in a shared story.

We worked closely with the client’s interior team to ensure that the spatial experience was as intentional as the brand itself. Our consultation spanned layout, material selection, and cultural references—ensuring that every design decision aligned with Shada’s narrative. From the texture of wall finishes to the placement of locally inspired furniture, the interiors became a physical embodiment of Asiri heritage, thoughtfully modernized for today’s traveler.

Communal spaces were designed for connection—blending comfort with cultural cues—while guest rooms emphasized quiet, considered design that balanced tradition with modern hospitality.

Testimonials

“You translated my ideas clearly in manuals and brand guides that helped solidify the experience in my head to our guests. Even though it wasn't tangible, I believe it is clearly felt across all of the properties”

— Rana Garrash

Our collaboration with Shada Hotel was guided by a strong, shared vision. From the outset, the client had a clear understanding of where she saw the brand headed — deeply rooted in Asir’s cultural heritage, yet expressed with a modern, approachable tone. This clarity gave us the foundation to explore how the brand could grate meaningfully within the space — not just visually, but emotionally and experientially.

We experimented with how traditional southern elements could be reimagined for a contemporary hospitality experience. This included testing patterns, materials, and layouts in a way that allowed the brand to resonate both culturally and aesthetically. Our goal was to strike a balance between authenticity and elegance, making every touchpoint — from the scent on arrival to the placement of local artwork — feel considered and purposeful.

By collaborating closely with the interior design team, we created an immersive guest experience where the brand’s essence wasn’t applied superficially, but built into the bones of the space. Through continuous iteration, we ensured that Shada’s identity didn’t just look good on paper — it grated into the environment with a sense of place, ease, and deep cultural respect.

Process

SERVICE

Hospitality and Leisure

CLIENT Shada Hotel

YEAR 2022

Shada Hotel
A Contemporary Revival of Southern Saudi Hospitality.

Inspired by the Qatt Art elements of Asiri Culture we created an iconography system. Inspired by the windows and the openings we created visual elements that can be used for important numerical information like dates.

Shada Hotel A Contemporary Revival of Southern Saudi Hospitality.

Related Projects:

Shada Hotel
A Contemporary Revival of Southern Saudi Hospitality.