Redefining the Hotel Bar

Posted on October 29, 2024 by THLA Staff - Blog

Raising the (Hotel) Bar

Hotels and bars paired up well before Ye Olde Inns of yore, and have enjoyed a well-matched relationship since the 1100’s.

The hotel bar has a distinctive history. Traditionally a place for hotel guests to relax after a long day of traveling or sightseeing, as an end-of-day meeting place before retiring, or as the waiting area on the way to the restaurant, the newer hotel bars are turning into stand-alone destinations.

The continued blending of work and leisure is morphing hotels into social hubs, relaxation areas, and gateways to local culture, and your hotel bar should rise to the occasion.

Redefine your hotel bar to delight your guests and attract locals, from elevated Happy Hours highlighting signature drinks and hors d’oeuvres to live local music to farm-to-table fresh and fun mocktails.

While it’s great to uphold the storied tradition of the hotel bar, consider exploring new territory with offerings that express your unique place, season, or mood.

Hotel Bar Trends

Here are growing bar trends to explore:

Experiential mixology: Offering immersive mixology can create unique and memorable guest experiences. For example, it can involve using fresh, local ingredients and creating signature and seasonal cocktails.
Mix it up: Play with herbs and spices (cucumber wasabi martinis?). Try new twists on the popular Negroni or spiced slushies.
Offer interactive cocktail-making classes, a great way to engage your guests and encourage local visitors.
Elevate your food menus: A good bar-as-a-destination offers substantial snacks and appetizers that some guests can make an evening of. Offering a variety of small plates, entrees, and desserts, along with changing menus, will keep guests and locals returning.
Social spaces: Transform your space into a place where people want to meet, mingle, and linger. Create comfortable and inviting seating areas with ambient lighting. Offer live music or entertainment and host special events. See more suggestions on the lively lobby.
Sustainability: Highlight your eco-friendly efforts and bring the outside in where possible.
Mini-bar: Don’t forget the mini-bar. Consider upscaling your mini-bar offerings for those wanting to relax in their rooms.

Master the Mocktail

While alcohol is usually the star of the show at a bar, your bar should consider the growing demand for non-alcoholic options to broaden your appeal.

With Dry January and the growing health-conscious non-alcoholic demands, you must get more creative than the Virgin Mary or the Shirley Temple.

Some tips for mastering the mocktail:

Use fresh, high-quality ingredients.
Get creative with flavors, colors, and combinations.
Go for great garnishes for the Instagram win.
Make your mocktails visually appealing with unique glassware and presentation.
Offer a variety of sweet, spicy, savory, and herbaceous mocktails to appeal to different tastes and senses.

Why a Good Hotel Bar Matters

A good hotel bar enhances the overall guest experience and boosts your brand. Here’s why:

Guest satisfaction: A well-run hotel bar provides a comfortable and inviting space to relax, socialize or do business.
Revenue generation: A successful hotel bar can provide significant revenue for the hotel, especially if it is open and appealing to the public
Brand reputation: A hotel bar can help create a positive reputation by offering unique and memorable experiences for guests.
Community building: A unique hotel bar experience can entice both hotel guests and locals, highlight local flavor and build a sense of community
Employee morale: A vibrant hotel bar can boost employee morale by providing a fun and social work environment.

Hotel Bar Happy Hour Ideas

Hotel bars have a reputation for high prices. Budget-friendly happy hour options can be a draw for your hotel and introduce you to new potential guests. Some suggestions:

Signature cocktails: Offer discounted signature cocktails during happy hour, and consider small plate food pairings
Craft beer flights: Offer flights of craft beers from local breweries.
Wine tastings: Host educational wine tastings
Appetizer specials: Offer discounted appetizers during happy hour.
Live music: Have live music during happy hour to create a fun and lively atmosphere.
Theme nights: Host themes like “Tequila Tuesday” or “Martini Monday.”
Social media contests: Run social media contests for guests who post photos of themselves at your hotel bar during happy hour.
Partner with local businesses: Partner with local businesses to offer discounts on food and drinks at your hotel bar.
Offer happy hour packages: Offer happy hour packages that include a selection of drinks and appetizers at a discounted price.
Host happy hour events: Host special happy hour events, such as “Yappy Hour” for dog owners