Luxury Daily –
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok Charcuterie
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is testing the culinary preferences of local residents and travelers with a pop-up Charcuterie Room for three months beginning Jan. 20.
The new pop-up venue aims to be a hot post-work destination for consumers looking to relax with international deli fare. The pop-up structure allows the hotel to quickly measure preferences, experiment with new concepts in short periods of time and develop an experience that is more enduring if visitor feedback is positive.
“Some of the advantageous elements of the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok’s new pop-up charcuterie also happen to be potential disadvantages,” said Taylor Rains, account executive at , Charleston, SC. ”First of all, there is the limited timeline.
“With a plan to remain open for only three months, there is a certain amount of urgency generated among potential customers to visit the locale before it closes,” he said. “At the same time, three months may not be enough time to generate the required traction to make the concept a success.
“Similarly, the concept is aimed at capturing the local professional crowd, which can in-turn lead to a rise in domestic foot traffic at the property. Local guests, however, tend to spend less than their out-of-town counterparts, so it may be a hefty investment with a marginal return. That said, it is an inventive way to drive local traffic and time will tell if it proves to be successful.”
Mr. Rains is not affiliated with Four Seasons, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
did not respond by press deadline.
Around the table
The charcuterie will be open six days a week beginning at 5 p.m.
Guests will be able to choose from a selection of hams, salamis, chorizo, saucisson and speck. Wines will also be available for pairing with the day’s selection of meats.
Charcuterie
The room has brick walls, concrete floors and a blackboard displaying available food, all assembled in an effort to convey a rustic atmosphere. Enhancing the rough tone is a round wooden table at the center of the room filled with the day’s selections.
European-style casual dining was an inspiration behind the new room, according to the hotel. Guests are invited to stop by for a light dinner or a glass of wine.
Private parties can hold events in the room and take-out is also an option.
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok
The pop-up room’s transient appearance will likely entice guests as a rare experience, while the format enables the hotel to experiment with other themes in the future.
On the blackboard
Other luxury hotels have recently renovated dining venues to spur overall traffic.
For instance, The Luxury Collection’s The Ballantyne Hotel, Charlotte, NC, has ushered in the renovation of its Gallery Restaurant with an exclusive display from the Shain Gallery.
The Shain Gallery’s collection’s emphasis on local artists imbues the restaurant with culturally authentic pieces that will rotate regularly and can be purchased by guests. Antiquity-inspired motifs and a palette of earth tones mark the redesign ().
Also, Baglioni Hotels’ Carlton Hotel Baglioni, Milan, expanded upon its “Luxury is not a Waste” art exhibit with a redesigned cafe that features 12 pieces of contemporary Italian work until spring 2014.
The Caffe Baglioni’s exhibition was curated by Vincenzo Basile of Basile Arteco, who also spearheaded the exhibit in the Regina Baglioni, Rome. Interested guests are able to purchase the pieces during the exhibit, boosting both the national art culture and certain traveler’s connection to the property ().
However, Four Season Bangkok’s concept stands out because it can be shelved or reimagined with a quick turnaround.
“Upon evaluation of the concept’s initial success at driving traffic to the hotel and increasing revenue among locals, the property could certainly experiment with similar concepts pulling at the same audience,” Mr. Rains said.
“That would be one way to increase the life of the campaign beyond the initial three-month period,” he said.
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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