In the competitive world of luxury hospitality, tailored experiences are everything. And with the recent trend shift from “loud” to “quiet” luxury, that’s even more relevant. These days, it’s not velvet ropes and opulence that define luxury. It’s the delicacy of the food; the softness of the sheets; the quality of a customer’s interaction with the front desk.
The Rosewood Hotel Group’s strategic focus on ‘a sense of place’ already championed the importance of experience. As well as location-exclusive interiors, they’re known for carefully curating their building stock, with each hotel reflecting the history, culture, and sensibilities of the surrounding area.
But Rosewood didn’t just want to just thrive. They wanted to double their global portfolio and hire 10,000 new people over the following two years. So how could they grow without compromising their character? How could they scale without losing soul? This was their challenge to us.
A culture too valuable to lose
For Rosewood, luxury isn’t about spectacle. It’s about human connection. The brand’s philosophy of ‘Relationship Hospitality’ is more than service; it’s a mindset. Guests don’t just stay at Rosewood properties, but return to them. And that loyalty is built by staff: intuitive, emotionally intelligent people who make every interaction feel personal.
As Rosewood entered its next phase, it became clear their greatest asset – their people – could become their biggest vulnerability. Maintaining a culture of high-touch hospitality across so many new openings meant scaling more than systems. It meant scaling the unscalable – the personal touch.
From research to realisation
We partnered with Rosewood’s senior team to help translate their unique culture into a global talent proposition. Through in-depth insight, interviews, and co-creation workshops, we found a unifying truth: that Rosewood people don’t just do a job, but answer a calling.
A global brand for local connection
We built that idea into a global employer brand: The Calling. It wasn’t a strapline, but a strategy. One that shaped how Rosewood attracts, develops, and celebrates talent. It reframed hospitality as a shared emotional journey – something deeply human, wherever in the world it happens.
In close consultation with Rosewood’s marketing team, we created toolkits; visual and verbal guidelines; and brand assets that could flex regionally while reflecting the same emotional core. The result was a cohesive, resonant talent experience that didn’t sacrifice individuality for scale.
The Yonder impact: scaling soul across borders
Rosewood’s new talent brand has brought direction to its rapid growth and aligned its culture with a bold business ambition. In a competitive labour market, ‘The Calling’ attracts people who don’t just match the culture, but deepen it. And it gives leaders across the business a shared language to nurture and protect what makes the brand unique.
At a time when many luxury hotel groups risk becoming anonymous as they grow, Rosewood has demonstrated that scaling with soul is possible.
Client testimonial
Our global expansion plans make recruitment a top priority. From a culture and brand standpoint, we needed to crystallise what makes us so special so that we could deliver the same experience in every property, every time. Yonder was an exceptional partner for this work, helping to answer the all-important question “why join, and why stay at Rosewood Hotel Group?”.
Codifying our evolved culture was an 18 month collaboration, and we’re thrilled with the results. The Yonder team impressed with their strategic thinking, imagination and ability to surface genuine insight into what makes us so special.
Shelley Perkins, Former Chief Talent and Culture Officer
Sector
Hospitality
Geography
Global
What we did
Brand strategy
Culture
Design