Delivering a Flexible WordPress Website for a Growing Collection of Hotels and Villas
From the outset, we approached Sandglass as a brand and publishing platform rather than a transactional website. Our role was to create a digital environment that communicated the values of the group, presented each destination with care and intent, and supported the longer consideration journeys typical of high-end hospitality. The focus was on building a platform that felt considered, editorial and purposeful, rather than sales-led, allowing the brand story and destination experiences to take centre stage.
We structured the website around exploration and discovery, with clear routes into the wider Sandglass story, the growing portfolio of hotels and villas, editorial and experiential content, and individual property websites. This ensured visitors could engage at different levels, whether they were casually browsing destinations or actively researching a specific stay. Each property page was designed as a curated showcase, combining imagery, narrative, and practical information, before directing users seamlessly to the relevant standalone website.
The platform was built on WordPress using boxChilli’s in-house SDK, providing the Sandglass team with a powerful but intuitive content management system. We developed a modular component library that allowed new properties, stories, and content sections to be added without structural changes or redevelopment. This approach ensured the site could evolve alongside the collection, supporting future growth while maintaining design consistency, performance, and technical stability.
As a holding brand operating across multiple destinations across the globe, Sandglass required strong digital governance alongside creative flexibility. We implemented adaptable templates, consistent content structures, and scalable navigation patterns that helped maintain quality and coherence as new locations were introduced. This approach protected brand integrity while giving internal teams the confidence and freedom to manage, expand, and refine the platform independently over time.
