Pop-up hotel ‘The Bell’ | A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort in Palm Springs
3-6-2019
The recently announced Taco Bell hotel in Palm Springs will be adding a spicy twist to summer for their guest. Get ready for ‘Bell’ hops and Baja Blasts, fire sauce and sauce packet floaties, because the Taco Bell Hotel is coming and will give fans an unexpected and unforgettable trip. Only open as from August 9 for a limited time! Pop-up hotel ‘The Bell’: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort in Palm Springs, California, making fans’ dreams come true with an immersive way to celebrate the best of the brand.
PERENNIAL® | The 50+ consumer is getting more and more important
3-6-2019
We keep spotting more and more products, initiatives and simple, small gestures that benefit the 50+ consumer. Product wise we recently spotted PERENNIAL®. As they put it, the world over 50 is aging like no generation before, but the entrepreneurs behind PERENNIAL® think people could be aging better, and that is why they’ve launched their first product, to support those who want to thrive and not slow down like prior generations.
PERENNIAL® is just one of the products we recently spotted for the accelerating 50+ market in the US, we recently also spotted ‘Town Square’, an interactive experience for senior with dementia or Alzheimer’s. We think it’s trendy and time to start preparing the hospitality industry for the elderly guests. We don’t need to create new products but check if our daily offerings are attractive for this booming market. As they’re the ones that are enjoying more free time and most of them have the finance to have some fun! Unfortunately PERENNIAL® isn’t available on the Dutch market yet but we can expect these kinds of drinks or foods focusing on older groups of consumers, on the market within a couple of years.
PakaPaku ǀ The first Japanese fondue restaurant in the Netherlands
31-5-2019
PakuPaku will be the first Japanese fondue restaurant in Amsterdam and as far as we know even the first in the Netherlands. PakuPaku means: ‘munch-munch’ in Japanese. One of the future owners experienced the Japanese fondue when she first visited Tokyo in 2016. She decided to bring this concept to Amsterdam because she thinks the food is pure, delicious, healthy and fun to eat. A selected group of hospitality professionals already experienced the menu during a tasting of PakuPaku (see the movie above). Their overall reaction: “We can’t understand that this concept doesn’t exist yet!” In many other countries Japanese fondue is very popular. The future owners Prema and Franciska want to change this so that everyone can enjoy their shared dining experience. They had a small crowdfunding at Kickstarter which is pledged. PakuPaku will be a hangout place where locals and expats can meet, eat and mingle. You could even practice your Dutch in a fun and informal environment at their joined table!
Gastronomic highlights during the Spanish Wine Week 2019
23-5-2019
Spain is, among other things, loved for its excellent gastronomy. This is experienced by many as one of the most attractive aspects of this country. Every Spanish wine region has its own culture, regional products and gastronomy. In the Netherlands there are also many lovers of Spanish wine, so it is time to introduce the Spanish Wine Week in the Netherlands. During this week, the public literally and figuratively get a taste of the Spanish flavor!
Dinner With The Queen | Culinary bee experience!
21-5-2019
These days, more and more people are becoming aware that without bees there are no more bell peppers, raspberries or mustard. Each of those crops is only viable after pollination by a bee, and they are not the only ones! No less than three-quarters of all our vegetable crops only come into existence after pollination. As if that wasn’t enough, these brightly colored creatures are the creators of the so-called ‘nectar of the gods’: honey. With “Dinner With The Queen” organizer Gilles De Backer and chef Lieven Lootens pay tribute to the flowers and bees, especially the queen bee. You can reserve for a culinary bee experience from 17 June to 14 July on their website. Location: ‘Plukweide purfruit’ on the outskirts of East & West Flanders in Belgium: Dentergem, Oeselgem.
Workspitality | Accor launches WOJO coworking spaces
9-5-2019
Accor recently launched WOJO to become the largest coworking brand in Europe by 2022. WOJO stands for ‘Work. Live. Share.’ and is Accor’ take on workspitality. With the launch of WOJO, Accor continues to execute its augmented hospitality strategy, expanding into new verticals and becoming relevant in the daily lives of consumers. Stephane Bensimon (CEO): “As we are directly in touch with companies and workers on a daily basis we have a thorough understanding of their needs and expectations in the work space. A personalized welcome, premium services, a friendly atmosphere and designer spaces are all essential features covered by our expertise. Through our new range of spaces, we are now able to meet a key customer need: combining the quality of work life with mobility.
The WOJO coworking spaces will be launched within Accor hotels worldwide with different offerings, across all segments (economy, mid-scale and luxury segments). Accor is the first hotel group to work with a recognized player in the coworking field to offer a brand experience that is unique in content and that is open to both travelers and locals.
BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition | Olympic Games for bartenders
9-5-2019
Within a couple of days there will be a lot of stirring and shaking during the eleventh edition of the BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition. The competition challenges bartenders from all over the world to design an original BACARDÍ rum cocktail with no more than 6 ingredients. The competition will be held in Amsterdam this year, with the final on Tuesday 14 May. These Olympic games for bartenders will start on Saturday 11 May with an introduction and workshops.
The semi-finals and the Grand Finale can be followed live via the BACARDÍ LEGACY Facebook page.
Also in this article the recipe for last year’s winning cocktail, created by Eric van Beek!
Enso Ango by Ango Hotels | Kyoto’s first dispersed hotel
7-5-2019
Opened in the fall of 2018, ENSO ANGO’s five zen-inspired properties function as one to immerse the traveler in the living culture of Kyoto. Each property contains communal spaces and facilities, so that guests aren’t staying in one hotel building. Guests can choose to visit spaces in five buildings nestled into the charming side streets of central Kyoto. With six more buildings planned to join the current five, the people behind the progressive hotel concept ‘Enso Ango’ are committed to a continuing process of evolution and to further enriching the experience of their guests.
November 2019 we received a notice that as of November 30, 2019, Ango Hotels will end the operation of ENSO ANGO and Global Hotel Management will take over its operation from December 1, 2019 by mutual agreement. The name of the hotel is a subject to change in the future as the brand ENSO ANGO is created by Ango Hotels Inc.
Faena Hotel Miami Beach | An artistic story
29-4-2019
Last January we visited Miami Beach, unfortunately just one night and last minute so the hotel was fully booked. But in the morning we hired bikes to stroll the scenic bike path of Miami beach and took a short moment to visit this particular and truly artistic hotel. Even breakfast was fully booked but walking through the entrance to the garden with the famous Damien Hirst’ sculpture ‘Gone but not Forgotten’, was worth the visit. The Faena Hotel Miami Beach is part of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ and is famous for their commitment to transform the ordinary to the extraordinary. Faena Hotel Miami Beach features remarkable works by artists including Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Alberto Garutti, Gonzalo Fuenmayor, Manuel Ameztoy and Juan Gatti.
So if you’re going to Miami Beach and love art, we definitely recommend you to check whether you can stay at this artistic hotel! You could also try to make a reservation at one of their restaurants or have a sip at the Saxony bar.
3DEN | Pay-as-you-use urban spaces
29-4-2019
3DEN (pronounced “Eden”) is the second generation of the ‘third place’ (a space that’s neither home nor work). A non-membership, pay-as-you-use destination, 3DEN offers convenient and luxury amenities including sound-proof phone booths, nap pods, a spacious lounge, refreshments, private showers and more. With a nature-inspired design that fosters ease and focus, it’s the third place between home and work where you can get things done and refresh for wherever you’re headed next. The 3DEN app allows guests to reserve amenities in advance, as well as purchase any of the products they discover while in the space. 3DEN’s first location opened inside Hudson Yards on March 15, 2019, with a network of additional locations launching throughout New York City this year.
The place can be used to get some work done or for example if you have time to fill between meetings, or if you just arrived in town after a long flight and need somewhere to freshen up before going to your office or a meeting.
The Bell - a Taco Bell Hotel and Resort
