Gacha Gacha Coffee | A do-it-yourself coffeeshop by Maruyama Coffee
21-2-2020
A do-it-yourself coffeeshop, created by Nendo Design Studio for Maruyama Coffee In Japan. Although already closed it’s been an introduction to a coffeeshop that didn’t require many staff members. Nendo Design Studio created the almost fully-automated café called Gacha Gacha Coffee. The experience was inspired by Gachapon, a capsule toy vending machines that’s popular in Japan. The pop-up from October till November 2019, located in the observation deck of Roppongi Hills, featured 12 vending machines. At these machines consumers could purchase a capsule filled with coffee beans for ¥500 (USD 4.50). As from that the consumer had to take the coffee to semi-automated stations to brew it themselves. Staff only had to give information and clean up!
The idea behind Gacha Gacha Coffee is to create a coffee experience that makes you choose your beans, take time to watch it brewed and maybe even talk about coffee with a barista and of course enjoy the view at the observation deck! But as Trendwatching (we spotted Gacha Gacha Coffee in their ‘Innovation of the day’-trendletter) indicates it’s a great example on how you can use automation to face labour shortage, which we’re facing in the Netherlands as well.
Booking.com | Twenty epic unique places to stay to kick start 2020 New Year’s resolutions
24-1-2020
This holiday season, Booking.com, the global travel leader with a mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, is encouraging consumers to book a trip to help kick start 2020 New Year’s resolutions. In an effort to offer inspiration, Booking.com is custom designing 20 incredible experiences available for guest bookings, with each “Resolution Suite” themed to align with 20 of the most popular New Year’s resolutions for 2020. Booking.com has encouraged consumers to #BookYourResolution to help them come true.
Great marketing campaign by booking.com. Unfortunately only available in the US and hopefully the lucky ones that had the opportunity to stay in one of their resolutions suites are probably even more motivated to have their resolution come true! The suites were available for 2 nights as from January 17th! It might be a great 2021 New Year’s resolution for Booking.com to create a likewise campaign in Europe, preferably in Amsterdam!
Trends we spotted | Week 3
16-1-2020
At hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the smaller trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
This week, among other links to articles about Selfridges that has a café with an adult-sized slide in its window and about Lets Golf!, they transformed the city of Groningen into a minigolf park.
During the Hotelnacht (the hotel night) 2020 in Amsterdam (the 18th of January) you can participate at Taiko Bar’s Asian Karaoke Night at the Conservatorium hotel. Or visit the Pulitzer x Lindt during the Hotelnacht 2020. They’re creating a chocolate heaven!
In December the first vegan cheese shop opened in Amsterdam and in London a pop-up cheese-themed hotel will open! An idea by Café Rouge.
Le Prestine in Antwerp, the new restaurant for Sergio Herman is looking for staff, they will open this April. Also a link to ‘The Jungle Bubble by Anantara’ in Thailand, watching elephants from your bed and bubble! And inspiration for a children’ playground from Beijing, the Baoyan Park Children’s Entertainment Park.
Collabs & Crossovers
3-12-2019
Enjoy the blog by our colleague Niek Timmermans from Van Spronsen & Partners hospitality consultants. He blogs about the trendy collabs & crossovers, how hip and popular are they in 2019?
Earlier this year, Leonie van Spronsen wrote a blog about crossovers, how she felt 2019 could have been the year of crossovers. She kicked it off with an example of the Emmy Cheeseburger Dumplings of Mimi Chengs in New York. Two hospitality entrepreneur comrades that created a dish out of their individual bestsellers. We also have an example of this in the Netherlands, the Taiko X FEBO authentic FEBO snack wall in Tunes bar with limited-edition langoustine frikandels and Wagyu burgers specially created by chef Schilo van Coevorden.
Online pop-up Dunkin’ shop | Exclusive holiday merchandise
25-11-2019
The search to find the perfect present for the Dunkin’ lovers in your life can now be all wrapped up. Dunkin’ launched its first-ever online pop-up Dunkin’ shop in the USA in November, offering a selection of Dunkin’-ized holiday gifts that fans can’t find anywhere else. From apparel like a holiday sweater, one-piece pajamas and joggers to accessories like scrunchies, a fanny pack and an electric guitar, the limited-edition, fun and festive items currently featured on Dunkin’ Shop will be on every Dunkin’ fan’s holiday wish list.
Although most merchandise is only available in the USA we think the web shop is inspiration for restaurants with a large fan base! And although it’s original we’re sure it isn’t the first online pop-up shop! We spotted the FEBO web shop (check out their pajamas in photo 8 at this article in Dutch) in the Netherlands back in 2018, with all kind of merchandise of this Dutch snackbar brand.
Hotella Nutella | The sweetest hotel pop-up of all will open in Napa Valley in 2020
22-11-2019
A dream comes true for Nutella fans over the whole world, a pop-up Nutella hotel will open in January 2020 in Napa Valley, California. Inspired by Nutella®, The Original Hazelnut Spread®, the exclusive one weekend only pop-up will treat three Nutella super-fans and their guests to an unforgettable breakfast experience that showcases new and exciting ways to enjoy the hazelnut spread. Consumers interested in vying for a reservation for the weekend of January 10-12, 2020 can apply for the chance to win a visit to the property by going to the website of Hotella Nutella, and creating a video that demonstrates how Nutella makes their mornings special. Nutella fans can also find full contest rules here.
Earlier this year we wrote about the pop-up Taco Bell Hotel and the Airbnb Barbie home. It looks like marketing departments of famous brands found their way into the hotel world! We wonder when their will be pop-up in a Dutch hotel?
Dubbel Dubbel Toil and Trouble | #PumpkinRescue campaign after Halloween
7-11-2019
15 million pumpkins were carved but not eaten last Halloween – symbolic of a systemic food waste epidemic. Toast Ale, Hubbub and Brewdog Tower Hill Outpost want to change that. The 4th of November they brewed seasonal beer that tackles seasonal food waste as part of Hubbub’s annual #PumpkinRescue campaign.
Although Halloween isn’t that big yet in the Netherlands we have a lot of pumpkins as well. We already loved the idea of Toast Ale and their initiative for the pumpkin ale, Dubbel Dubbel Toil and Trouble, is another food waste initiative we love to write about!
The Borough Market Kitchen in London | New communal dining space
5-11-2019
The Borough Market Kitchen will open Monday 18th November at the same day the Borough Market celebrates 21 years as a central pillar of London’s food community. The Borough Market Kitchen will be their new communal dining space, in which they will welcome over 20 food traders dedicated to cooking with the best of the market’s seasonal produce, with familiar favourites such as ‘Arabica’ and ‘Horn OK Please’ sitting alongside newcomers including ‘JUMA Kitchen’ and the all new ‘Batera pintxos bar’ from ‘Mimo London’.
So if you’re going to London in the Christmas season, you’ll have another hip place to have lunch!
The Rooftop Winter Cinema at the Berkeley Hotel in London
4-11-2019
Overlooking the rooftops of Belgravia and Knightsbridge, and with sweeping views of Hyde Park and Winter Wonderland, The Berkeley’s rooftop garden will once again transform into a twinkling festive forest cinema. Guests will snuggle into wooden huts laden with blankets to watch Christmas classics on the big screen whilst warming up with a menu of alpine and winter favourites and flowing Laurent-Perrier champagne for a touch of extra sparkle. Screenings of festive favourites like ‘Home Alone’ and ‘The Holiday’ at the Rooftop Winter Cinema will take place from 15th November ~ 31st December 2019. Reservations will open today, November 4.
Great idea for other hotels with rooftops in the holiday season! Even cinemas could work together with restaurants to surprise their guests with the combination of watching a great ‘holiday season’ movie while enjoying a great meal.
Limited edition pumpkin buns at Bun House in London for Halloween
29-10-2019
This autumn Bun House, the Cantonese-style steamed bun specialist, will celebrate Halloween with its new limited edition pumpkin buns. For one week only from Thursday 24th October, the spooky buns will be available at Bun House’s Chinatown home and Wembley’s Box Park.
They simply look marvelous these pumpkin buns for Halloween. Inspiration for other restaurants or bakeries!