“The main thing for us at Chillout is to ensure we have a good stock of hooded parkas, fur shoes, gloves and fur caps to keep our guests warm, since each item apart from the gloves which are disposable needs to be laundered after use,” says Sharaf Hospitality’s Singh.
Unique Yuletide
The challenges are clear — fewer consumers, spending less, with more options to choose from.
So what are Middle East F&B operators doing to put themselves ahead of the competition and get themselves a piece of the pie?
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At Al Murooj Rotana, Jossi is hoping the property’s blend of “theme decoration, fine cuisine and live entertainment” will attract customers, but adds: “I am confident that our New Year’s Eve theme party is an event not to be missed.”
Hotel JAL Fujairah is catering to the current climate, offering both low- and high-scale F&B options to suit any purse — a sensitive approach also taken up by Mövenpick Kuwait.
Ghazali explains: “This year all of our F&B promotions are somehow focused on discounts in one way or another — early birds, ladies nights, and so on.
“But what we are trying to do to distinguish ourselves from our competitors is to create theme nights in our restaurants that are not available elsewhere,” she says.
Mövenpick Tala Bay will run a ‘Turkey to Go’ deal, allowing people, to enjoy dinner in the comfort of their own homes, and in-house guests will be able to enjoy themselves while their kids are entertained by a range of festive activities.
Meanwhile at the Courtyard by Marriott, Lehmann reveals a truly original take on turkey: “As unique Christmas promotion, we will offer deep-fried turkey, which is very popular in the southern part of the USA,” he explains.
The Renaissance Dubai will play to its strengths, making the most of the Spice Island buffet’s variety of food offerings and live cooking stations.
“We started our ‘all-you-can-eat-and-drink’ package in 1997 and that combination is still unbeatable to this day, although many have tried to copy it,” adds Kurfuerst.
Chillout will be adding to its already fairly unique offering with live ice-carving sessions to entertain guests.
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