This study examines the relationship between appropriation, urban culture, illustration and visual identity in hospitality branding, particularly focusing on the creation of a visual identity for Gallery Hostel in Porto, Portugal, a multifunctional space located in Miguel Bombarda Street, known for its integration with the surrounding young artistic environment. Through a combination of photographic documentation, literature review, and an analysis of the remix culture between low and high art, this research, part of a master’s degree project, explores how the hostel’s visual identity is constructed as an extension of the street’s creative ecosystem. Furthermore, this paper investigates the role of branding as a tool for identification and ownership in urban contexts, where illustration, appropriation and urban art emerge as alternative means of mark making and valorizing expression. The study highlights the ways in which illustration, urban art and appropriation contribute to the distinction of a hostel, reinforcing the connection between the visual identity of a place and its socio-cultural surroundings. The findings portray a significant role in illustration, appropriation of the languages of urban art and high art in branding of this hostel, to create a free but concise language for the Gallery Hostel in Porto, seeking to raise awareness around the connections between pastiche, illustration, appropriation, urban art and visual identity.