Big Box Hotel Chains Are Stepping Up Their Game With Fancier Cocktail and Mocktail Menus

September 23, 2008 at 1:45 PM | by Jenna | Comments (0)

Well, even though the economy has gone to poo, hotels know that people will still be boozing (if not drinking even more).

Luckily, hotels are offering cocktails and "mock"tails these days. Because if you happen to have a big interview for your new job tomorrow (to, er, replace the one you had), maybe you'll want to go ahead and take it easy on the alcohol and give yourself the illusion of hitting the bottle without running the risk of muddy thoughts and a hangover headache. And when you get the job, you can hit up the hotel bar again that night and order from the extra-fancy alcoholic cocktail menu.

Today's New York Times had a rundown of the selections of hotel cocktails that have been flowing freely lately as chain hotels start putting more energy into bigger, fancier beverage programs. Perhaps it's something boutique hotels have been focusing on for years, but now that the big-name chains are getting in on it, you have even more locations in which to indulge the mocktail-cocktail cycle of celebratory (or completely defeated) drinking.

Marriott, for instance, has been rolling out new fancy cocktails at both Marriott and Renaissance chains, both alcoholic and boozeless:

Non-alcoholic drinks are getting equal attention, with options like the "Dri Tai," a variation on the Mai Tai made with nonalcoholic Triple Sec, almond syrup, fresh lemon, orange and pineapple juice, simple syrup and a splash of cola (to mimic the rum in the alcoholic version).
The new drink lineup also means more revenue for Marriott, which charges $5 to $8 for these fancy nonalcoholic drinks and $6 to $16 for alcoholic cocktails.

The article also mentions that Hilton is stepping up their (alchoholc) bev program and have partnered with mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim to design a new selection of drinks.

As for W Hotels, their drink menu theme this fall is "East meets West," and will include cocktails like a litchi Manhattan and an Asian pear mojito.

Even our boy Scott Kerkmans -- Chief Beer Officer at Four Points -- gets a shout-out! Hmm, we wonder what he thinks of non-alcoholic drinks? Probably the same thing we do: we'll order them, but we'll have to make sure we add a little sumpin-sumpin' from the flask in our pocket.

[Photo: David Walter Banks / NY Times]

HotelChatter

Select a Destination:

Hotel News / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Bars / New York Times / W Hotels / Hilton Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Chief Beer Officer / Scott Kerkmans / → All Tags