Cocktails & cupcakes at the Mayfair Bar and VAT freeze at base2stay
The hospitality industry may be about providing food, drink, accommodation and service, but sometimes you have to go the extra mile to pull customers in. If you’re stuck for ideas on how to make your business more appealing take a look at what others are doing for inspiration.
Cocktails and cupcakes
The bar at London's May Fair Hotel has created a cocktails and cupcakes menu designed for guests who want some punch with their afternoon tea. Cocktails, themed on tea blends and coffee roasts, like the Caramel Espresso Martini or the Peach Iced Tea, are served with a selection of cupcakes to complement the flavours of the cocktail. Prices start at £20.
Brazilian brunch
Brazilian-Japanese fusion restaurant Sushino has started offering a weekend Brazilian brunch menu to 'infuse a rainy and cold weekend in London with plenty of carnival spirit'. For £17.50 a head, diners can eat unlimited amounts of soup and feijoada as well as platters of grilled meats and rice from 12-3.30pm every Saturday and Sunday.
VAT freeze
Kensington aparthotel base2stay has pledged to waive the 2.5 per cent VAT increase that the government is re-introducing in January on guest bills for the first three months of 2010. The 67-bedroom hotel which offers complimentary Wi-fi and free music and games libraries, is also taking another 7.5 per cent off room rates throughout January with prices starting at £75 per room per night for rooms that sleep up to four people.
Turkey ban
City restaurant High Timber has banned turkey from its menu this Christmas because co-owner Neleen Strauss believes 'it simply doesn't taste as good as steak'. The restaurant's head chef Justin Saunders will be serving Cumbrian raised steak on his Christmas menus this year rather than the more traditional turkey which he calls 'an unattractive, bland meat.' He says: "I think if we are honest, we’d much rather be tucking into a juicy steak at Christmas. As most people will be forced to have turkey at home, I’m not going to make them have it at their Christmas party too".
