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put in round dining tables and chairs . “ Our events team managed this , and if it was a special occasion , we decorated the rooms and did personalized messages on the windows ,” Macher says . “ One weekend , we did 35 proposals .”
At the Lodge at Spruce Peak , the resort rented out its speakeasy bar for private customers . “ The space is so small , we couldn ’ t open to the public , but people were so missing the experience of it that they would rent it out just to have that cool bar experience ,” Pomerville says . “ They had a private speakeasy for the night , and that ’ s something we will continue to push . I did more business in selling it privately than I did when it was normally open . People are clamoring for these cool , private , elevated experiences .”
Pomerville says even after the world opens up , they ’ ll be looking for these intimate and interesting experiences . “ I think we ’ ll continue to see demand for this , moving forward ,” he says . “ We ’ re already
SELF-SERVE COFFEE IN THE LOBBY
ISN ’ T CUTTING IT , POST-PANDEMIC .
“ During the pandemic , people weren ’ t comfortable waking up and filling up a cup of coffee at a station where 100 other people have filled their cups of coffee ,” says Anthony Langan , corporate director of food and beverage at Charlestowne Hotels , Charleston , South Carolina .
One relatively easy solution was to convert a hotel ’ s bar space into a morning coffee station . “ It ’ s a way to provide coffee in a more intimate , personal way ,” Langan says .
Before the pandemic and definitely post-pandemic , some hotels are intentionally designing their bar space to be both cocktail and coffee bars . “ This is a space that maybe wasn ’ t doing anything for us previously , and a lot of hotels don ’ t always have space dedicated to just a coffee shop ,” Langan says . “ The equipment is there ,
Après ski afternoon tea at the Shangri-La
Hotel , at the Shard , London
76 hotelsmag . com May / June 2021