Krista Skehan, founder of Silicon Valley-based branding firm Personify has one of the coolest jobs ever—giving hospitality brands their unique personality. Blame it on hours personifying her childhood stuffed animals, Krista now infuses everything with a human persona—imagining hotels and restaurants as real people—visualizing how they would dress, act, think, feel—to better connect with guests.
And together with interior design firm Parisa O’Connell, Krista gave personality to the Bay Area’s newest luxury retreat: Park James Hotel and its swanky Oak + Violet restaurant — a unique hospitality brand that blurs bespoke charm and cutting-edge California craft for a modern Silicon Valley oasis. We sat down with Krista to understand how the Park James got its character.
What exactly does it mean to “Personify” a hotel? Why is it important? As humans, we connect and relate to places through our senses. What really makes us want to stay in a hotel? What makes a property extraordinary? Beyond a welcoming consistent feel, we all want an escape beyond the ordinary—a place that’s going to deliver the most authentic, dreamy experience from room to food, amenities and beyond. Sure, it’s a hotel – there’s a bed and a bathroom, but what makes it feel personalized, unique and truly connected to you?
To get the answers, the persona needs to be created—be it wall colors, art, beautiful wood materials, handcrafted signage, elegant stationery or even clever tagline. These are just a few of the many details that come together to form the intangible. And all of these decisions start with the WHO. When Personifying a hotel, it’s not just creating a name, voice or look—it’s weaving an emotional patchwork that allows guests to experience something new, and relish in a moment.
How did you begin the Personification process with Park James? My first step is always questioning and listening—it’s my favorite part of the whole process! For Park James, my team and I met with everyone involved (hotel management group broughtonHotels, Parisa O’Connell interior design, and Hornberger + Worstell architects) to understand the vision and goals from both a visual and financial standpoint. Then from all the info and research gathered, we began creating personas of the different types of guests that might frequent the property. For Park James, due to its unique Silicon Valley location and offerings, we had a wide range including Stanford medical professionals, young tech execs, to local couples dining at the hotel’s restaurant.
We also knew the owners wanted to connect the property to Menlo Park’s history and its sister city in Menlough, Ireland, which helped inspire a unique “world traveler” vibe throughout.
With each element we referred back to the goals and audience to validate decisions. We also asked ourselves a series of questions like, “How would Park James communicate to a Stanford professor? How would he present himself in a party? When he’s on social media, what would he say? What would he never say?” When you understand exactly who you’re creating for (rather than what), you’re more connected to the hotel and what it should embody to elicit just the right vibe, tone, and emotion. The process is always collaborative, super creative and so fun!
What type of person did you imagine the hotel to be and why? Do you really visualize them as a real person (walking, talking, thinking…)? Why and how does that work? Throughout every Personification process, I create a story about each property as if it were a real person—but embodying a larger than life persona and taking on many forms. For example, if Park James were a person, the hotel would be a he—masculine and refined with class and smart sense of humor. He’s a scotch drinker, discerning with wine pairings. While he’s conservative at work, he knows how to throw a party. A lover of live music, he even dabbles in acoustic guitar. He’s half Irish and his extended family still lives in Menlough, Ireland. He travels frequently and not just for business—seeking out the finest, most fun establishments, museums and entertainment.
As Park James began to Personify, we started referring to the hotel as a HIM. I was constantly asking “him” about shapes, color, texture—curating not only what visually felt right, but also emotionally. “He would do this. He wouldn’t like that color, or would shop here.” If it felt aligned with the vision and goals, it became part of his story. The hotel group enjoyed the process so much they even took the personification further referring to “him” as P.J.
What makes Park James personality different/unique from any other hotel? Park James is super sophisticated yet comfortable. It feels like a familiar place yet so new and detailed to perfection. Everything feels custom and crafted. With every turn you see sensory elements like floor tiles etched with worldly sayings, drink coasters that tell a story, to hand-drawn illustrations on the menus. The personality connects, resonates and speaks through every communication form.
What do you think most hotels get wrong in the guest experience? I think hotel brands focus too much on what looks good on paper and analytic reports—location, specials, trendy lighting, what the competitors are doing, etc. Instead, hotels should dig within and Personify down to the slippers and toothpaste flavor. It will allow for stories and decisions based on human emotion and connection. You build from there. Once you have the personification, you’ll know in a snap what lotion to put in the guest bathroom.
