Designing for Distinction: VIP Suites that Define the Guest Experience
When it comes to hotel design, no space is more powerful—or more defining—than the VIP suite. These rarefied sanctuaries are not simply accommodations. The casino resort curates these private domains exclusively for its most loyal and high-value guests. Here, privacy, prestige, and personalization become the ultimate amenities.
For properties competing in today’s hospitality market, suites offer more than luxury—they are strategic assets that deliver strong returns. By offering one-of-a-kind, invitation-only spaces that can’t be replicated elsewhere, resorts build loyalty and memorable guest experiences. HBG Design is trusted nationwide to create signature sanctuaries. Each balances bold design statements with the comforts elite guests expect.
The Ogema Suite at Gun Lake Casino Resort
At the heart of Gun Lake Casino Resort’s $300M expansion in Wayland, Michigan, the Ogema Suite crowns the new 252-key hotel tower as its premier two-story penthouse. Meaning “Chief” in the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians’ language, the 3,096-square-foot suite is the pinnacle of prestige within the hospitality setting.
Reserved for the resort’s most important patrons, the suite offers a private elevator and dramatic countryside views. Two-story living spaces, walnut herringbone floors, radiant heating, and a bespoke crystal chandelier heighten the sense of privilege. A sculptural floating stair adds distinction and artistry. With INNCOM smart technology, drapery and lighting respond seamlessly, making the guest experience effortless and striking.
The Ogema Suite is more than a stay—it is a premier environment that symbolizes leadership and luxury, ensuring the property’s best guests are rewarded with an unforgettable experience.
Third-Level VIP Suites at Four Winds South Bend Casino & Hotel
At Four Winds South Bend, the resort elevates privacy to a new dimension. It dedicates the entire third floor to VIP hospitality suites, creating a select tier of accommodations for its best guests.
Designed for private receptions, catered parties, and intimate gatherings, these suites feature tailored aesthetics ranging from lighter, feminine-inspired palettes to darker, masculine tones. Guests enjoy private bars, screened dining nooks, fireplaces, luxurious living and bedrooms, and terraces—some with dedicated whirlpools.
By offering a level reserved only for high-value players and dignitaries, Four Winds guarantees its most loyal guests an experience that feels indulgent, privileged, and deeply personal.
Private Cottages at Rain Rock Casino Resort
At Rain Rock Casino Resort in Northern California’s Siskiyou region, intimacy defines the guest experience. Designers envisioned eight boutique cottage suites as lodge-like retreats for the property’s most valued visitors.
Nestled into landscaped grounds, the cottages embody HBG Design’s “Journey Upriver” narrative. Their power lies in the privacy and retreat they offer. Moreover, warm woods, layered stone, and spa-like interiors connect VIP guests to place, while also granting the privilege of staying apart from the main hotel.
By layering seclusion with cultural storytelling, the cottages ensure Rain Rock’s most valued guests receive a one-of-a-kind hospitality encounter.
Hotel Suites at Golden Mesa Casino
At Golden Mesa Casino Hotel in Guymon, Oklahoma, designers created boutique-inspired suites for the resort’s most discerning guests. These suites balance sophistication with simplicity.
A distinctive wooden portal signals arrival into a premier space. Inside, accent art wallcoverings, oversized pendants, and custom carpeting bring individuality. Clean-lined vanities and refined finish palettes enhance comfort. The spa-inspired shower, with dark mullions and glass, becomes a sophisticated centerpiece.
At Golden Mesa, tailored details deliver a personal, upscale experience that strengthens guest loyalty.
Prestige as the Ultimate Amenity
From Gun Lake’s dramatic penthouse to Four Winds’ dedicated VIP floor, Rain Rock’s private cottages, and Golden Mesa’s boutique suites, HBG Design’s work demonstrates one truth: the best guests deserve the best spaces.
Privacy, prestige, and personalization form the common thread—transforming suites into rewards, retreats, and lasting memories that strengthen loyalty. For casino resorts, these rooms are not just lavish showcases of design—they are strategic investments with measurable returns in guest satisfaction, reputation, and repeat visitation.
For a resort’s most valued guests, the VIP suite remains the ultimate expression of design and devotion.
A Journey Upriver: The Rain Rock Experience
HBG’s Design of the New Rain Rock Casino Hotel is Rooted in Land and Culture
A Story Written in the Landscape
Within the mountains of Yreka, California, the Karuk Tribe’s Rain Rock Resort Hotel rises from the rugged beauty of the Siskiyou landscape. Designed by HBG Design and opened May/June 2025, the 78,995-square-foot casino and hotel expansion tells a story rooted in land, culture, and connection.
Inspired by the HBG team's “Journey Upriver” concept, the design carries guests along a path shaped by the Klamath River itself—flowing through valleys and forests, into lakes and up toward the mountains—where each bend reveals a new experience and every space reflects the enduring spirit of the Karuk people.
At HBG Design, we believe architecture should tell the story of place. For Rain Rock, that story unfolds in four archetypes drawn from the natural world - the Bountiful Forest, the Winding River, the Majestic Mountains, and the Tranquil Lake.
“As designers, our goal was to craft an experience rooted in the spirit of the Siskiyou landscape and the cultural narrative of the Karuk Tribe,” reflects Joe Baruffaldi, AIA, Principal & Project Manager at HBG Design. “Every design move—from the arrangement of cottages to the choice of an earthy palette—was about strengthening that sense of place and community.”
The journey flows to the Tribal Council Boardroom and semi-private terrace. From there, it flows across the serene pool deck and anchors the private outdoor cottages as sanctuaries of reflection.
Each environment becomes a passage in the guest’s journey, moving them as naturally as the river shapes the land.
The expansion introduces 72 guestrooms and eight boutique cottages, balancing luxury with intimacy.
Spa-inspired baths, custom finishes, curated art, and warm natural palettes anchor the interiors in their Siskiyou setting. Together, fire pits and the poolside garden extend the story outdoors.
Materiality grounds the project in authenticity. Stone, wood, and metal echo the surrounding terrain. In harmony, fluid patterns and tactile textiles weave the natural story indoors. Public spaces gather around a glowing hearth, an anchor of warmth and welcome.
Beyond its restorative comforts, Rain Rock is growing as a regional entertainment destination. The expansion infuses new energy with 175 gaming positions across the 20,000-square-foot floor. It transforms the sports bar and unveils a banquet hall where gatherings and celebrations take root.
The Rain Rock Casino Resort Hotel is an invitation to journey. It invites guests to escape into the Siskiyous and follow the metaphorical river from vibrant spaces to sanctuaries. Along its flow, guests discover the enduring bond between design, nature, and community.