FOOD & BEVERAGE
Outdoor dining space at The Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva , Wisconsin
guests are seeking , Egle says . “ Unlocking secret locations is a rising trend for luxury guests ,” he says . “ We have noticed a significant interest from guests looking to explore the unexpected , especially when it comes to Oman , as it ’ s such a picturesque country that has endless options and locations to unlock .”
At the Beau-Rivage Palace , the restaurants team created “ The Swiss Ladies Lunch ,” a picnic event in the garden of the Beau-Riavage in the late summer . “ This is a big trend ,” Seiler-Hayez says , adding that the hotel staff saw a need for this , as some tour operators in the region offered this . “ On our side , we offer the possibility to rent our electric bikes and head to the lake with a picnic catered by our kitchen team ,” Seiler-Hayez says , adding that it has proven popular .
The Grand Geneva Resort has plans to increase the number of “ landscape dinners ,” or special dinners that are catered outside in beautiful areas of the resort – like a wine dinner along one of the rivers or a dinner on top of the ski hill . “ Guests want to have fun , and they want to create memories ,” Buleje says . In winter , the resort added igloos , and they started with five , then added three this past year , and there are plans to add more this year . “ They ’ re always booked ,” he says .
DO YOUR HOMEWORK Hoteliers should take time to scout out interesting areas for special dining , Egle says . “ Learn what you guests are looking for and keep an eye on the globally trending dining concepts . Don ’ t forget to start with internal simulations to ensure the guest journey is perfected at every touchpoint .” Perhaps the most important aspect of adding outdoor dining and beverage outlets is to make sure they ’ re not an afterthought , Palmer says . “ It ’ s not buying furniture that ’ s not consistent with the overall concept , and there ’ s no heating elements for the cooler months and no fans for the hotter months ,” he says . “ You can tell when it ’ s an afterthought . But when it ’ s well thought out , outdoor seats are the best seat in the house . Good design enhances your revenue dollars .”
“ Look for spaces that are currently unused ,” Montgomery says . “ Sometimes simple changes can make that space a hidden or intimate dining space .”
But good design also makes it easier for hotel food and beverage departments to manage the outdoor areas . “ You need to make sure those spaces are self-contained ,” Palmer says . “ There ’ s an ice machine , there ’ s a dry storage area , etc . In the old hotels , bartenders would have to run down the stairs to get backup cups or to an ice machine across the back of a house instead of having built in back-of-the-house infrastructure .”
“ Often , temporary outside dining areas look temporary and not inviting ,” Seiler- Hayez says . “ You should ensure the space looks special or like an extension of the restaurant and bar , rather than a temporary solution . Create atmosphere and don ’ t
84 hotelsmag . com March / April 2022