Luxury hotels have long been defined by fine dining, elegant interiors, and exceptional service. While JAG Hotel in downtown St John’s, Newfoundland, is no exception to these amenities, its luxury is driven by a sense often overlooked when designing premium guest experiences: sound.
Owner, John Steele lets his musical passion shape the hotel’s identity, creating an extravagant atmosphere of high style, comfort, and character.
Music is the defining personality of this boutique hotel, with Steele even hand-picking the playlist each day, making audio quality not simply an afterthought, but a deeply ingrained value for staff and guests.
Last year, JAG Hotel unveiled a bold new addition to its eighth floor – a lavish cocktail bar named the Mojo Lounge.
To reflect John Steele’s vision, the Mojo Lounge, along with the office floor and penthouse suite, required a premium audio system that would put music at the centre of the customer experience.
Praised by music lovers and audiophiles around the world, Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers were chosen to play this defining role in the hotel’s identity.
Providing expert technical assistance and customer care to businesses across Canada, AV distribution and integration specialist, SFM, was commissioned by Steele Hotels to work alongside its in-house installation crew and oversee product selection and programming of the new audio system.
“Music is such an essential part of the JAG Hotel experience, and visitors have come to expect care and quality in the way sound shapes their stay,” said Jodi Rhuland, Regional Sales Manager at SFM.
Occupying the top three floors of the eight-story building, the luxurious Mojo Lounge, office floor, and penthouse suite are situated furthest from the hotel’s AV control room, located on the second floor.
“Despite the distance, it was critical that these upper audio zones offered the same premium sonic performance as the rest of the building, especially in the newly opened Mojo Lounge.”
In addition to this logistical challenge, the sound system also needed to match the hotel’s boutique aesthetic.
“The Mojo Lounge was designed to reflect the hotel’s commitment to luxury,” said Rhuland. “Therefore, any installed loudspeakers could not disrupt the visual identity of the lounge; they had to become part of the environment as a carefully chosen design feature rather than a purely functional necessity.”
Combined with a tight deadline for project completion, SFM needed an audio solution that could deliver premium sound, simplify installation, and preserve the architectural integrity of the space.
“Due to the distance between the AV control system and the Mojo Lounge, we realised that a PoE solution would allow us to deliver a reliable loudspeaker network to the top floors of the hotel without adding unnecessary infrastructure, disruption, or visual clutter,” Rhuland explained.
SFM’s Professional Services team, headed by Evan Nearing, was responsible for system programming and product selection, ultimately specifying Genelec’s Smart IP series loudspeakers to deliver premium sound to the hotel’s latest guest experience.
“Genelec is a well-respected brand in both the luxury hospitality sector and the music industry due to its excellent studio-quality performance and clarity,” said Rhuland. “JAG Hotel places music at the forefront of the customer experience and Genelec’s audio philosophy perfectly aligns with the vision of Steele Hotels.
“On top of this, the active PoE solution of the Smart IP series was exactly the workaround we were looking for to overcome the architectural and logistical challenges.”
A total of 71 Smart IP loudspeakers were installed by the hotel’s in-house technical team across the Mojo Lounge, office floor, and penthouse suite.
Fifty 4435 in-ceiling models were deployed throughout the new audio zones for discreet, high-quality coverage, while 21 powerful 4430 loudspeakers – the largest of the Smart IP range – were surface-mounted to the walls of the Mojo Lounge using accompanying 8000-402 adjustable brackets.
The Mojo Lounge has an undeniable sense of sophistication. Therefore, the decision to openly display the 4430 loudspeakers is a testament not only to the audio quality, but also to how the Genelec brand is regarded by music enthusiasts.
“It was a conscious decision to ensure the loudspeakers were not hidden away,” Rhuland added. “They are a prominent feature of the lounge and perfectly match the hotel’s aesthetic and values, elevating the space with design as well as purpose.”
Since the grand opening last year, the Mojo Lounge, along with the penthouse suite and offices, has received rave reviews from guests to the boutique hotel.
“The goal with this project was to create a listening experience, not merely a background audio solution, that would stand out to guests, especially those from the music industry,” said Rhuland. “Thanks to Genelec, this project is a strong example of how premium hospitality can use professional audio, not just for functionality, but for shaping its identity.”
Shawn Basha, Property Manager at JAG Hotel, also commented on the impact the new sound installation has had on the hotel staff and guests; “We at JAG Hotel don’t believe in background music – it’s something we actively avoid. Instead, we believe in the power of foreground music for defining the atmosphere and identity of our hotel.
“With Genelec, we have been able to create a space that reflects the true JAG Hotel brand – bold, music-led, and committed to the experience of our guests.”
