PREMIUM SERVICES
ELEVATING THE EXPERIENCE
With recent years having seen huge growth in demand for premium experiences at festivals – ranging from on-site swimming pools to culinary delights created by famous chefs – we explore the providers, concepts and consumer behaviours changing the face of festivals.
Anyone looking to attend Glastonbury Festival next year will doubtless have begun budgeting a fair amount for tickets and a weekend of openair enjoyment. For the Pilton pilgrims with deeper pockets a remarkable array of luxury addons is available.
Festivalgoers can stay at The Pop-Up Hotel’ s tipi suite or in an Airstream while enjoying hot tubs, concierge services and more in dedicated off-site areas.
And of course, Glastonbury is not alone in having a gilded edge of luxury. From BST Hyde Park’ s VIP Great Oak Roof Garden to Houghton Festival’ s Floating Italian restaurant or Love Supreme’ s dining collaboration with superstar chef Yotam Ottolenghi; many UK festivals now feature a range of refinements.
The traditions of excess mud, soggy tents and stodgy food are largely a thing of the past with demand having driven a change in the way experiences are planned and delivered at festivals.
“ Time is precious to us all and we want to get the most from our weekends,” says The Pop-Up Hotel founder Mark Sorrill, who oversees the independent accommodation provider that works at many major events including Glastonbury.
“ It’ s something we’ ve realised, how we’ re bombarded by information and spend so much time online. It means experiencing a band like Coldplay in real life at Glastonbury with our friends and family has become invaluable.”
24 accessaa. co. uk