Trends we spotted | Week 26
Buurthotel - Tea sommelier Cecilia during a tea workshop at the Sofitel Legend The Grand 
Chocolatier Madaq in Leiden serves ice cream through an actual ‘ice cream float-through’ 
Fletcher Hotels has finalised the acquisition of Berghotel Astenkrone in Winterberg-Altastenberg
Restaurant Jondani in Amsterdam has been honoured with a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator
The Berkeley and Summerill & Bischop announced a collaboration celebrating the art of entertaining in your suite
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Two acquisitions in a single week underscore Fletcher Hotels’ pace of growth in Germany, Berghotel Astenkrone in Winterberg-Altastenberg and Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant Sundern-Sorpesee.
- Restaurant Jondani has been honoured with a Best of Award of Excellence from the Wine Spectator, the leading international American wine magazine.
- Restaurant SMAEK in Geldrop has recruited Rowin Geurts and Marcia de Bruijn. The couple will take up their posts as respectively head chef and maître d’ in September 2026.
- New strategic initiative ‘Buurthotel’ connects Amsterdam hotels, the local council and residents through a new concept: ‘co-tourism’.
- Restaurant Noor in Groningen has opted for a proactive solution to a commercial dispute by applying for a suspension of payments and will remain open till the end of 2026.
- The Berkeley and Summerill & Bischop announced a collaboration celebrating the art of entertaining in your suite.
- Duke of Tokyo De Pijp opens its doors this week (July 2) on Ferdinand Bolstraat in Amsterdam.
- Spotted on the Instagram account of We Like Côte d’Azur – When designers take over the Riviera.
- Inspiration for ice cream parlours: Leiden welcomed ice cream parlour and chocolatier Madaq, where visitors can pull up by boat for an ice cream, an actual ‘ice cream float-through’! And a great, luxury gelato gift box by Zona.
Enjoy reading!
Two acquisitions in a single week underscore Fletcher Hotels’ pace of growth in Germany
Fletcher Hotels has finalised the acquisition of the former Romantik Berghotel Astenkrone in Winterberg-Altastenberg. Since Wednesday 24 June, the hotel is part of the hotel chain. Thanks to its unique location right next to the ski slope in the Sauerland region and at the foot of the Kahler Asten, the hotel is a valuable addition to Fletcher Hotels’ German portfolio. The acquisition follows shortly after the addition of Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant Sundern-Sorpesee and marks the second German acquisition in the space of a week.
Restaurant Jondani receives the international Wine Spectator Award
Restaurant Jondani has been honoured with a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, the leading international American wine magazine. With this accolade, Jondani joins a select group of just 20 restaurants in the Netherlands to have received a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award. The awards are presented annually to restaurants whose wine lists excel in terms of quality, composition and how well they complement the dining experience. Worldwide, more than 4,000 restaurants received an award this year for the quality of their wine list, wine cellar and wine service. More details on the Wine Spectator on their website, link in the title or the announcement of the award by restaurant Jondani on Instagram.
Restaurant SMAEK in Geldrop has appointed Rowin Geurts as its new head chef and Marcia de Bruijn as maître d’
Restaurant SMAEK in Geldrop has recruited Rowin Geurts and Marcia de Bruijn. The couple will take up their posts as head chef and maître d’ respectively in September 2026, making the move from the two-Michelin-starred restaurant GEM. in Gemert. This marks the next step for owner René Huisman’s restaurant in terms of refinement, service and entrepreneurship, whilst retaining its familiar, approachable character. Chef-owner René Huisman (45) worked in the kitchens of top restaurants in Brabant before opening SMAEK in 2015. Check out the website of SMAEK in the link in the title.
Restaurant SMAEK in Geldrop has appointed Rowin Geurts as its new head chef and Marcia de Bruijn as maître d’
New strategic initiative ‘Buurthotel’ connects Amsterdam hotels, the local council and residents through a new concept: ‘co-tourism’
In Amsterdam, the debate over the impact of tourism is intensifying, partly due to the announced further increase in the tourist tax. The new ‘Buurthotel’ initiative acts as a unifying force between hotels, local residents and the city council. By transforming closed-off tourist strongholds into vibrant meeting places, Buurthotel introduces ‘co-tourism’: a model in which tourist facilities create local value for both visitors and residents. During the ‘Open Hotel Week’ event, which started last weekend, Saturday June 27, words will be turned into action and participating Amsterdam hotels will open their doors to the neighbourhood. Residents can take part in unique workshops and learn from the expertise of hotel teams. Open Hotel Week runs from 27 June to 4 July 2026. Amsterdam residents can register for the workshops via Buurthotel.
Restaurant Noor in Groningen has opted for a proactive solution to a commercial dispute by applying for a suspension of payments and will remain open till the end of 2026
Restaurant Noor in Groningen has proactively applied for a suspension of payments, which has been granted by the District Court of Northern Netherlands. With this strategic move, owners Jeroen and Marleen Brouwer are responding decisively to a bankruptcy petition filed by one party, arising from a commercial dispute. The suspension of payments enables the financially sound Michelin-starred restaurant to resolve the situation once and for all and to continue operating as planned until the end of 2026.
Jeroen Brouwer: “This is a deliberate step forward. We have built something unique in Groningen-Hoogkerk and we are immensely proud of what we have achieved with Noor. For us, this procedure is not a sign of weakness, but rather of decisiveness. Together with our new financier, we aim to resolve the problem that has arisen, because nobody stands to gain from a bankruptcy.”
Marleen Brouwer: “We’ll remain open until the end of 2026, exactly as we had planned. The best way to support us right now is simply to book a table and enjoy a superb, high-quality gourmet meal. Come and taste what we’re passionate about and what we work so hard for. We’ll announce our plans for 2027 at a later date. For now, our focus is on a memorable and exceptional culinary year.” The link to Restaurant Noor’s website is in the title.
Marleen and Jeroen Brouwer of restaurant Noor in Groningen – credits Siese Veenstra
The Berkeley and Summerill & Bischop announce a collaboration celebrating the art of entertaining in your suite
This summer The Berkeley, the five star hotel in Knightsbridge, and British table linen institution, Summerill & Bishop, have collaborated to elevate the art of in-suite dining to a new level of luxury. The Art of Entertaining at The Berkeley allows guests to summon a whole dinner party tablescape to their suite – not just food, but atmosphere – transforming their private suite into the best table in the house. Inspired by the hotel and its surroundings, Summerill & Bishop have curated a tablescape ‘menu’ with the tablecloth as the star of the show – featuring five seasonal designs exclusively for guests staying in The Berkeley suites. More details on the website of the Berkeley, link in the title.
The Berkeley and Summerill & Bischop announced a collaboration celebrating the art of entertaining in your suite
Duke of Tokyo opens a new venue in Amsterdam’s De Pijp district this week
Duke of Tokyo De Pijp opens its doors this week (July 2) on Ferdinand Bolstraat in Amsterdam. Guests can enjoy five brand-new private karaoke booths, signature cocktails and, of course, the vibrant atmosphere that has made the other Duke of Tokyo venues so popular.
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Spotted on the Instagram account of We Like Côte d’Azur | When designers take over the Riviera
Last week, in our ‘Trends we spotted’ article, we wrote about the colourful Gucci makeover of La Rose des Vents, one of Monaco’s most iconic beach clubs. But it’s not the only one. Many more beach clubs along the French Riviera have received designer takeovers, check them out in the post below! The Instagram account of We Like Côte d’Azur is linked in the title.
For influencers visiting the Côte d’Azur this summer, these locations are perfect for creating eye-catching content. We also came across a post by Trip Savvy featuring even more examples of designer takeovers across Southern Europe.
As we asked last week: when will a Dutch beach club collaborate with a Dutch designer?
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Inspiration for ice cream parlours | Madaq in Leiden and Zona in Kuwait
This season, the Dutch city of Leiden welcomed ice cream parlour and chocolatier Madaq, where visitors can pull up by boat for an ice cream, an actual ‘ice cream float-through’. 😉 Check out the reel via the link in the title!
On the Instagram account of Zona.kwt, a Zona location in Kuwait, we also spotted a luxurious gelato gift box. A fun idea that could inspire ice cream parlours elsewhere. Add a stylish ice cream scoop and you’ve got an original gift package.
Dit bericht op Instagram bekijken
