Industry
Pages
Platform
Focus
Brand personality + Scalable room management
KEX Hotel & Hostel
A playful, personality-driven hotel site that feels like the space itself - without WordPress limitations.
KEX Hostel & Hotel is a dual-offering property in downtown Reykjavik—housed in a former biscuit factory with salvaged materials and distinctive character. But their website had no cohesive identity. It didn't feel branded, didn't capture the vintage-industrial-bohemian aesthetic of the physical space, and didn't convey the dual hostel/hotel offering as equally premium experiences. Visitors couldn't feel the place through the digital experience.
The Why
The Result
We designed a more unconventional Duda website with :
fun layouts, illustrations, animation, and stronger brand expression so the experience felt much more like KEX itself. Every design decision—from the Scrabble-tile page titles to the monospaced typewriter typography to the warm brown circular UI elements—translates the vintage industrial-meets-eclectic-bohemian character of the physical space into every digital touchpoint.
Key Features
- Signature Scrabble-tile branding: Every page title rendered on scattered, rotated square tiles—instantly recognizable, completely distinctive, consistent throughout
- Cohesive visual identity: Warm vintage palette (deep chocolate brown, sandy cream, muted gold) that mirrors the actual aesthetic of the property
- Compelling split-screen hero: 50/50 left/right showing hostel vs. hotel rooms—immediately communicates the dual offering
- Cinematic scroll experience: Scroll-triggered animations, atmospheric photography, layered content sections that tell a visual story
- Dual-offering clarity: Full-bleed hero pages for Hostel Rooms, Hotel Rooms, Food & Drink, Activities—each presented as equally premium
- Custom iconography: Distinctive illustrated icons for amenities, activity categories, contact methods (live chat, WhatsApp, email, call)
- Thoughtful UX: Floating circular CTAs ("Book a Stay," "Chat With Us"), slide-in navigation overlay, persistent booking button, live Mapbox integration
- Rich content: Activity filtering by category, room carousels with availability checks, historical storytelling on About page, comprehensive contact options
- Design philosophy: The website doesn't just describe the hotel. It feels like the hotel. Vintage. Playful. Bohemian. Intentional.
What Our Clients Say
Gabby was amazing to work with & she delivered something way better than we could've ever imagined. We wanted a website that really showcased our personality and provided a memorable experience for our users. The whole process was extremely smooth and stressfree. Would totally recommend Gabby to anyone looking to improve their website!
