STACH the new shop in shop formula situated in the Mercure hotel Amsterdam City

5-2-2016

The from origin in Amsterdam situated foodshop STACH, well known for their sustainable products and specialties from local suppliers, has opened a shop in shop formula in the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City.

Foodshop STACH

STACH, the Amsterdam foodshop, with sustainable to-go products and specialties from local suppliers has opened a shop in shop formula in the Mercure Hotel Amsterdam City. STACH is already owner of nine different shops, situated in Amsterdam, Utrecht & Overveen, the Netherlands. The new shop in the Mercure Hotel will be added to their portfolio.

Guests can choose in the new foodshop for local brewed beers, healthy bars, freshly baked biscuits, salades and take away meals. “Due to the changing needs of the customers it is important to develop concepts who meet these needs. STACH offers an unique and qualitative eat experience on an approachable level. STACH is thereby, just like Mercure, locally inspired, this makes the concept suitable for our promise; a unique experience inspired by the local environment”, says Ad Hoondert, the General Manager of the hotel.

Curious (hotel) guests

Within a short amount of time the foodshop had already a lot of guests who were curious about the concept. The fresh salads and especially Dutch products like ‘stroopwafels’ are very popular. “The appearance of STACH does give the hotel lobby a complete new impulse. It creates an cosy environment, a reason for guests to stay longer in our bar and lobby. Also guests who are not staying in our hotel and people living nearby are welcome to make use of the STACH products. It creates a link between us and the local environment of the hotel”, says Ad.

A WineStation in your hotel lobby

18-1-2016

Bram Kosterink has immersed himself in the capabilities of the WineStation. Which is already used in some hotel lobbies where you can take a glass of wine via your room key (card) and the bill will be debited to your account ….

Bram Kosterink about the WineStation

This is one of those blogs that has been inspired by another blog. In response to my blog “Inspired by Tuscany’ I was approached for a drink at the systems of WineStation. The same system that I encountered in Tuscany, but now I was informed about the details for the owners of the system in the hospitality industry. I thought it would be interesting to share this information…..

For those who have not read my blog about Tuscany. With the system that I encountered at that time it’s possible to pour your own glass of wine as guests. By means of a pass which you have to upload with an amount, you can choose three different glasses; a tasting glass, half glass or a full glass. After the glass is filled, the amount is directly taken from the pass. Besides this option, the system keeps the wine in the same condition for at least 60 days.

Hilton and Marriott do use the WineStation in the lobby

Hilton and Marriott are already using this system in their luxurious suites and in the lobby of some of their hotels. The hotel room key, (card), can be used to access the WineStation. When the guest takes a glass of wine from the system, the amount is debited to the guests hotel bill.

Besides that the system can be used as described above, the company Napa Technology created the possibility to monitor the ‘wine’ behaviour of guests in a number of wineries. The passes for the WineStation are personalized to be able to send invoice every period. The wine drinking preferences of all guests are known, what they like to drink and how much they drink…. Allowing the wineries to meet every guest’s needs. The technology allows to actively target the sales. Cool if you can prepare a wine profile for all your regular guests. Moreover you can serve and inform your guest at their interest. I wonder how my wine profile would be, probably quite diverse. ^ Bram Kosterink

Pop-up Eat Your Drink opened in London

19-11-2015

At the downstairs of Benefit’s flagship store on Carnaby Street, Eat Your Drink, has opened. They’re deconstructing cocktails in weird and wonderful creations for shoppers to taste, touch and smell. This adult pop-up is free to enter from November 17th to December 24th.

Eat Your Drink

Smith & Sinclair founders, Melanie Goldsmith and Emile Bernard, wanted to create something that will shock and awe. Well they did! Whilst running a series of dating nights, focused on the concept of ‘adult play’, they created a lux, sensual sweet, with a high alcohol content, to get people talking and cause a stir. The sweets were so popular that they became the focal point of every evening. The excitement for the Pastilles was impossible to ignore and a year on they’re retailing in Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and many more shops! Smith & Sinclair have now created signature edible cocktails for over 32 alcohol brands including Langley’s Gin & Beluga Vodka. And now they’re opening the pop-up store Eat Your Drink. In which they sell cocktail-flavoured candy floss, dip dabs and boozy fruit pastilles.

The pop-up store must look like a ‘magical, glittery labyrinth’, it has been created by the founders with the help of a theatre designer. At the labyrinth customers can experience alcohol by consuming it in unusual ways.

Inspiration

The shop will stock products that are not available at their online store, including candy floss jars to pour vodka into. Like we already wrote in an article, the vodka will melt the candy floss, this way creating a delicious cocktail. In the Netherlands, the real WINE gums from Vinoos by AMS are sold: no sweets for children but adult luxury food. We wrote about the real Wine gums in april 2014 and at this moment the gums are sold all over the Netherlands. Luxury hotels even use them as night sweets on the pillows of their guests.

Amstel Hotel Amsterdam reveals Van Gogh Suite

17-9-2015

From 7 September to 5 December the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam has a special presentation about Van Gogh. Visitors can express their own creativity on a canvas as well, with pastels, oil paint and brushes.

Honouring Van Gogh

This year marks the 125th anniversary of Vincent van Gogh’s death. Several museums and other institutions in Europe honour the Dutch artist with special exhibitions and events. Recently there was a labyrinth of sunflowers at the Museumplein, referring to one of his famous paintings.

Van Gogh Museum Relievo Collection

The Amstel Hotel launched a special Van Gogh suite and paintings from the Van Gogh Relievo collection on 15 September. The Van Gogh Museum Relievo Collection is barely distinguishable from the original paintings that are on display at the Van Gogh Museum. This is realized with a combination of the most recent 2D and 3D technology, craftsmanship and handicrafts.

Van Gogh Suite

The special Van Gogh Suite is available until 1 January 2016. The comfortable suite is located on the fourth floor of the hotel and is furnished in the atmosphere of his paintings. On a weathered wooden table in the sitting room, a bottle of absinthe welcomes guests. This is the drink where Van Gogh was fond of. On arrival, guests get a plate in the shape of a paint palette serving typical Amsterdam snacks. For guests who are inspired by Van Gogh there are pastels, oil paint, brushes and a canvas available. Guests can take their creative works home. Getting inspiration is easily done at the suite. At two locations in the suite paintings from the ‘Van Gogh Museum Relievo Collection’ hang on the wall. The view is magnificent as well.

PinkFreeWifi: Free Wi-Fi in exchange for a like

4-9-2015

More and more bars and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi in exchange for a Like or Tweet. PinkFreeWifi also provides a powerful database to obtain data which an entrepreneur can use to get acquainted with his or her guests and use to organize an appropriate campaign or activity.

Still bars, hotels and restaurants that don’t offer free Wi-Fi

With a website such as hospitalitytrends.eu we spot developments at an early stage. We wrote an article about SO WIFI by the end of 2012, which is also a supplier of routers for ‘free Wi-Fi in exchange for a like’. Meanwhile, there are more free Wi-Fi providers on the market, including PinkFreeWifi. This company is based in the Netherlands but has implemented PinkFreeWifi worldwide and they create benefits for their customers by offering the router and a database. And since we also noticed that there are still many bars, restaurants and hotels that don’t offer free Wi-Fi, we have chosen to write another article about it.

Free Wi-Fi plus a data system

The software of PinkFreeWifi is developed in collaboration with the major manufacturers of routers such as CISCO and Merraki. PinkFreeWifi works from the cloud and is therefore always available. The system is focused on the social media and uses its statistics. The entrepreneur can use these data for promotional use. The system only uses data that users share via their open social media channels. For example the system will make analyzes like the demographic area your guests are coming from etc.

Tapas Bar Català uses PinkFreeWifi

There are already several companies using PinkFreeWifi. One of the best known users is surely the Tapas Bar Català in Amsterdam. This restaurant at the Spui – diagonally across from Café Luxembourg, has been around since 1985. The owner Gabriel Machin has taken over the restaurant in 1990 and serves only tapas with an authentic Spanish flavor. His quote:

“Our guests are our main focus and it has been our mission for years to give them that home-away-from-home feeling in the best Spanish style. We have our dishes and our kitchen under control and monitor the taste of our dishes, they taste as if they are made in Spain. Fresh, healthy and high-quality products. Amsterdam is a busy city with a very diverse audience that visits us. From the tourist to Prime Minister Rutte, but also our King and Queen, HRH Willem-Alexander and HRH Maxima enjoyed our service, quality and taste. In recent years, during the economic crisis, our industry had to deal with decreasing turnovers but our motto has always been to give our customers an enjoyable and pleasant evening. We looked around to find more market opportunities to better anticipate to their wishes. That’s how we got introduced to PinkFreeWifi and that has helped us tremendously in the communication with our guests. Our restaurant is in fact very small, we only have seven tables outside and seven tables inside. PinkFreeWifi told us of the opportunities that exist through social media today. Based on the data we pulled from the database, we have adapted our menus to the wishes of our guests. Our guests come from all over the world and we were able to adapt even better. As result: an enormous increase in turnover and a waiting line outside to enter our 40M2 large/small restaurant. We even won a TRIP ADVISOR Award.”

These catamaran hotel rooms would be great on our Dutch lakes.

22-7-2015

Design studio Salt & Water from Serbia created this floating hotel where guests can drift off in a private catamaran. At the waterfront guest find a reception and a restaurant.

Catamaran hotel rooms

The catamaran hotel recently won the Millennium Yacht Design Award. The project is developed with the aim to promote tourism on inland waters in Serbia that offer wonderful examples of untouched nature. When passing through the central floating construction, guests are reaching pathways which are connected to the apartment catamarans. Each hotel room is actually an innovatively designed catamaran which can be easily separated from the dock and navigated, allowing guests to choose the perfect location for their vacation by themselves. The catamaran hotel rooms consists of a salon, a galley, a bathroom, a hall with storage space and a sleeping area (above the salon). Each hotel room can accommodate 2-4 persons, thanks to the possibility of converting the salon into a double bed. From the beach platform it is easy to access the water.

On the Dutch lakes?

We think that a catamaran hotel like this from design studio Salt & Water would be an asset on our Dutch lakes as well! What do you think? Check the article on the website of the Daily Mail for more details and great pictures.

In Japan the Hen-na hotel will be staffed entirely by robots

9-2-2015

The Hen-na hotel, will be staffed with robot receptionists, porters, cleaners and waitresses. So if you’re interested in robotic service, you will have to wait till this summer to be able to sleep in this hotel.

The Hen-na hotel has a Dutch touch

The Hen-na hotel (which means ‘strange’ in Japanese) is located at the ‘Huis Ten Bosch’ theme park in Sasebo, Nagasaki. Check out the above placed video, showing you our Dutch buildings, canals, streets and the replica of the royal palace in The Hague, in Japan!

Staffed entirely by robots

This is how it works – on your arrival, you will be greeted exclusively by a robot, you will hand over your luggage to robotic porters and check in at a front desk, staffed with blinking robots, reported The Japan Times.

The main objective of this technology is to reduce labor costs. Of course the hotel will use the latest in facial recognition technology and allow guests to open their door by simply presenting themselves in front of their room, without a key. The president Hideo Sawada promised the ‘most efficient hotel in the world’ when announcing the new hotel in a news conference. The accommodation at the hotel will cost approximately $60 per night.

We couldn’t find interesting pictures or video’s about the Hen-na hotel yet, except for this one. That’s why we choose to place a video about the ‘Huis Ten Bosch’ theme park in Japan.

Creative dreams in the hotel rooms of The Hospital Club

26-1-2015

The Hospital Club launched fifteen unique new hotel rooms in their creative hub in the heart of London.

Sleeping in The Hospital Club means…

The luxury boutique bedroom extension to The Hospital Club provides members, guests and clients with a welcoming home-from-home where they can work, rest and play. Guests can fuel their creativity at the restaurant. The hotel rooms have a unique twist, like in their amenities which include inspiring turndown cards (brain power tool kits by the School of Life) and an erotic mini bar by Holloway Smith Noir available for those wishing to explore their creativity in other ways! There is a cocktail trolley at 7pm each evening and suite guests can enjoy a bespoke bartending experience in their rooms, with their own personal bartender. Rooms are available in four sizes: small, medium, large and suite.

Association with the contemporary art world

Continuing the strong heritage and association the Club has established with the contemporary art world, each room features the works of individual artists, including Alyson Mowat, James Alec Hardy, Dominic Beattie, Noah da Costa, Rick Guest, Jacob Love, Harriet Clare, Kristof Jeney, Christian Thompson and David Degreef.

Being part of the creative hub as guest

All bedroom guests have full access to the facilities of the Club including the production and screening facilities and the enviable schedule of member events which include comedy nights, mixology classes, industry networking drinks as well as premium ticketed events such as chef master classes.

About The Hospital Club

The Hospital Club is a unique hub in the heart of London, offering the members of the creative industries the environment and facilities they need to create, connect and collaborate. As part of London’s creative community, the role of the hub is to discover and host the best creative talent and produce, publish and celebrate their work. In addition is The Hospital Club Studio London’s most central and luxuriously appointed TV production facility (which regularly hosts WATCHDOG (BBC), THE AGENDA (ITV) as well as clients including Disney, MTV and BBC Comedy.

Zenzez combines Hotel, Lounge and Showroom

2-1-2015

Matthijs Wilmink and Paul Mulder are the founders of ZENZEZ Hotel & Lounge. Zenzez is an attractive design- and cityhotel located at the edge of the city center of Apeldoorn (The Netherlands).

Interior

Zenzez Hotel & Lounge is fully furnished by the styling team of Riviera Maison. The owners created the hotel to be distinctive and to offer a contemporary and affordable luxury product. Guests of the hotel can buy the furniture and accessories during their visit. That makes Zenzez a hotel, lounge and showroom all in one.

Zenzez

Zenzez Hotel & Lounge is the first hotel in the Netherlands that is founded through crowdfunding. The hotel is located at a renovated Jugendstil villa from 1904 and has 10 rooms. The hotel is also suitable for business meetings and it has a luxuriously furnished businessroom. At the lounge you can go for a lunch, cup of coffee, high tea or a glass of wine.

Connect with other hotel guests by HelloTel

20-10-2014

The new app HelloTel is developed for people who are traveling alone and are looking for companionship. By using HelloTel you can see who is staying in your hotel as well and is looking for contact. The app is ideal to avoid uncomfortable situations where you approach someone who isn’t interested in a chat.

The HelloTel app

HelloTel is easy to use: check yourself in at the hotel via the app, and specify the reason you’re there (business or leisure). Then you will receive an overview of people who stay in the hotel as well and you are free to contact them. You can select the guests by the reason they’re there, for business or leisure, in this way you can select the companionship you are looking for: you can network with other business guests or meet up for a drink with people who are at the hotel for their holiday. The app also provides an overview of activities to do in the neighborhood.