Tempo by Hilton, the hotel chain’s newest lifestyle brand, is designed for ambitious travelers looking to maintain a sense of balance and momentum. As a result, it offers next-level fitness facilities, re-imagined guest rooms designed with well-being in mind, communal spaces for collaboration or focused work, healthy café-style dining developed in partnership with Bluestone Lane, and a leading-edge beverage program featuring "Spirited" and "Free-spirited" cocktails.
That next-generation hotel beverage program, recently debuted at Tempo by Hilton Times Square (and to be available at all future Tempo by Hilton properties) will provide an uncompromised bar experience to the modern traveler. “Our goal was to create a program that offered a playful spin on classic cocktails, with drinks that would lend themselves to the inclusion of wellness ingredients, such as matcha, activated charcoal, and spirulina,” says Adam Crocini, SVP, Global Head of Food & Beverage Brands at Hilton. “We also wanted these cocktails to be aesthetically striking, as we knew that would underscore our mission to create an uncompromised experience for all guests.”
Each beverage is a contemporary take on a classic recipe, with “Spirited” selections highlighting drinks containing alcohol, and “Free-Spirited” selections being made without alcohol.
The driving force behind a menu that includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails was the realization that guests want to set their own pace—or tempo—when it comes to imbibing.
“With Tempo by Hilton, there is a desire to reshape the traditional hotel experience for the modern traveler, and we took into consideration that the modern traveler wants to set their own pace as it relates to alcohol consumption,” says Crocini. “We didn’t feel a program like this existed in the market, one that gave not only equal billing but also equal attention and consideration to both ‘Spirited’ and ‘Free-Spirited’ cocktails.”
Part of the reason for that equal attention is that recent trends and consumer behaviors have indicated that many guests pivot between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on the same occasion.
“There are a lot of factors influencing this trend. In general, there is a greater focus on wellness across all types of travelers and all generations. From a hotel standpoint, ‘bleisure’ travel—the confluence of business and leisure travel—means that many of our guests are setting different paces regarding alcohol consumption during the same trip. Finally, quality, non-alcoholic alternatives have entered the market….Mixologists are now able to create sophisticated, free-spirited cocktails quite easily.”
With all of this in mind, the Tempo by Hilton brand has developed recipes that allow guests to enjoy their cocktail experience in the same way regardless of alcohol preference. “Each cocktail has a different flavor profile and thus the creation of the Free-Spirited version varied according to the drink,” explains Crocini. “Across the board, the spirit alternative, Lyre’s, played a big part in the equation as far as mouthfeel. Using the example of the ‘Sleepless in Melbourne,’ the Tempo by Hilton take on the espresso martini, the Free-Spirited version utilizes aquafaba to impart a foam ‘head’ and apple cider vinegar added a little bite we felt was needed for the drink to sing.”
Crocini offers some advice to establishments looking to incorporate non-alcoholic cocktails into their own menus. “As demand for free-spirited alternatives continues to rise, approach those drinks with the same effort and respect as you would spirited cocktails,” he says. “By providing thoughtful alternatives to alcoholic drinks, you will find more interest and sales in those selections.”
So far, the beverage program at Tempo by Hilton Times Square has received an overwhelmingly positive response, with the two most popular drinks—both “Spirited” and “Free-Spirited”—being the Amalfi Toast and Lady in Rouge. “In addition to guests enjoying the taste of these drinks, we have enjoyed their surprise and delight as it relates to both drink presentation and the incorporation of wellness ingredients,” says Crocini.
Plan to Attend or Participate in the 2024 Vibe Conference, February 26 – February 28, 2024
To learn more about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the on-premise beverage community, plan to attend the Vibe Conference at Town & Country in San Diego, California. Visit VibeConference.com.
Contact us now to secure your program for 2024:
Donna Bruns, Sales & Sponsorships, (for companies A-L), Email: [email protected] Phone: 936-522-6932
Fadi Alsayegh, Sales & Sponsorships, (for companies M-Z), Email: [email protected] Phone: 440-454-0239
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