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Case Study · Shangri-La, Yunnan, China
across a portfolio of legacy properties.
Experience Design · Cultural Curation
As part of a broader brand relaunch, Shangri-La Hotels sought to explore a more culturally grounded and place-led approach to guest experiences — in this case, across its properties in China.
LHC was engaged to support two pilot properties in Yunnan province — Kunming and Diqing — in shaping locally rooted guest experiences.
Services
Shangri-La’s scale and long-standing presence in China created both an opportunity to re-examine how the brand could express a more distinctive, location-led point of view for today’s guest.
Beyond positioning, the challenge was to translate this into lived experience — exploring what this meant in practice across the group’s varied destinations, while remaining true to the character of each location.
Working closely with senior corporate executives and operational teams, LHC led the development of experiential concepts across the two pilot locations.
LHC shaped the experience approach around its nuanced and extensive understanding of how discerning guests seek meaning, connection and discovery through travel.
Each destination was approached individually, drawing deeply on the rituals and craft of Yunnan’s local culture — from its cuisine and craftsmanship to its landscapes and community life — to create experiences that felt authentic rather than curated.
A culturally grounded approach to guest experience that translated brand ambition into distinctive, location-led realities across two pilot properties.
Distinctive Experiences
A series of destination-led experiences reflecting the character of each location.
Brand Alignment
A clearer expression of Shangri-La's evolving positioning, connecting the experiences more meaningfully to the brand.
Experience Delivery
Concepts shaped with a clear understanding of operational realities and delivery considerations.
