Solo out and about | Celebrate yourself on Singles Day at Stayokay
4-11-2025
Next week we will celebrate a day all about you: Singles Day! Singles Day once began as a playful counterpart to Valentine’s Day. In the 1990s, students from China came up with the idea of using November 11, a day with four ones (11/11), to celebrate singles. What started as a funny tradition grew into a globally recognized day. Stayokay is having fun capitalizing on that with special tips on Bachelor’s Day 2025!
Another great example of capitalising on special days! We always mention these, well in advance, in our weekly trend mail! You can sign up here.
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Trends we spotted | Week 44
3-11-2025
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:
- Grubhub and Avride are launching a trial with autonomous delivery robots in collaboration with restaurant chain Wonder.
- Saudi Arabia Railways and Arsenale present the first luxury train in the Middle East, “Dream of the Desert”, which will launch in 2026.
- Dior introduces Haute Motherhood, a postnatal wellness program at Dior Spa Cheval Blanc Paris. It’s a great idea to offer special treatments aimed at small groups of guests, and as we always say, this can be done at any level!
- Regis Hotels & Resorts in the U.S. and Maison Ladurée are creating festive afternoon teas and Parisian elegance during the Christmas period.
- The Dutch franchise formula eazie has once again been nominated for Best Fast Service formula in the Netherlands in the YouGov Out of Home Formula Monitor 2025.
- THE BUTCHER is opening a temporary haute fast food pop-up at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport. This temporary location is the first step towards new branches of THE BUTCHER and Toni Loco, both concepts by THE ENTOURAGE GROUP, at Schiphol Airport.
- Hotelschool The Hague and House of Hospitality Amsterdam are organizing a masterclass in immersive technology for the Dutch hospitality sector on November 19. You will be able to experience AR/VR training courses that allow hotel staff to practice in realistic 360-degree environments!
Enjoy reading!
Stayokay Groningen | Former National Archives building will become a contemporary and sustainable hostel
3-11-2025
A new Stayokay hostel will open early 2027: Stayokay Groningen. With modern facilities, a lively café, and an open atmosphere, the hostel will be a meeting place for guests and residents of Groningen. In the coming period, the building will be carefully renovated with respect for its historical architecture and a strong focus on sustainability.
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Trends we spotted | Week 43
28-10-2025
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:
- Circular bread made by the Top Bakkers Group on the menu at caterer Vitam.
- Fletcher Hotels opens padel courts in former airplane hangar near Rotterdam Airport: Padel City Fletcher Rotterdam Airport.
- Nisbets, Europe’s largest supplier of catering equipment, celebrates 25 years of operation in Europe.
- How SMARTLINEN® takes linen management to the next level.
- Oatly, the world’s largest oat drink company, has released its first The Future of Taste Report. And Burger King in Austria has become the first food service outlet to offer Oatly’s Baristamatic oat milk.
- Jack Simpson from Australia was crowned the 2025 World Barista Champion at Host Milano. The Dutch competitor, Zjevaun Janga, finished in the 31st place.
- ARTIS Zoo in Amsterdam recognized as Urban Night Sky Place by DarkSky International.
- Airbnb and Art Basel have announced a multi-year partnership across the fair’s flagship shows in Paris, Miami Beach, and Basel.
- The popular espresso machine manufacturer La Marzocco has partnered with the iconic Victorinox to launch a limited-edition Swiss Army tool designed for La Marzocco machines.
Enjoy reading!
Inspiration for the Holiday Season | From a sushi Christmas Tree to an edible pinecone
27-10-2025
We’re already in the third week of October, and more and more festive inspiration is popping up online. Pinterest remains a wonderful source of ideas, and this week we explored Christmas dishes. We found several fun creations that would look great on the menu of any grand café or bistro. We’re sure chefs could take these ideas to next level!
A bruschetta Christmas wreath, a sushi Christmas tree, an edible pinecone, and a Christmas bauble dessert are among our favourites. We also noticed that most restaurants share their Christmas menus on Instagram as plain text. In our opinion, a missed opportunity!
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50+ architecture for hotels | No low beds and definitely a ‘pee light’
24-10-2025
Recently, we had an interesting discussion among colleagues about 50+ architecture for hotels. When is a room truly suitable for guests aged 50 and over? Do older travellers really find a lower bed a problem? And how important is it that guests aged 50+ appreciate your hotel room? I belong to that target group myself, we travel as often as possible and almost always stay in hotels. Did you know that this target group accounts for over 40% of the Dutch population? And hotels don’t have many guests under the age of 20 either!
No matter how trendy the hotel concept is, we constantly run into plenty of fellow 50+ travellers! So, to answer that question about importance right away: yes, it does matter. One colleague also asked whether we really appreciate a so-called ‘pee light’. A ‘pee light’? Excuse me?
A blog by Marjolein van Spronsen
BlueBlood restaurant in The Hague receives official ‘Authentic Peruvian Cuisine’-certification
23-10-2025
BlueBlood Restaurant is the first Dutch restaurant to be awarded the official ‘Authentic Peruvian Cuisine’ Certification, a prestigious recognition endorsed by Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL), one of Peru’s most renowned culinary institutions, and Marca País, the national symbol of Peruvian identity and culture. They will celebrate this certification with a special Peruvian Food Festival on November 2nd.
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Julius Meinl is serving coffee with a surprise for International Coffee Day
29-9-2025
This International Coffee Day, premium Vienna-based roaster Julius Meinl invites coffee lovers to pause, connect, and celebrate the joy found in every cup. On October 1st 2025, customers visiting participating cafés and outlets serving Julius Meinl will receive a Scratch & Win card with their coffee purchase – offering the chance to win another coffee for free, on the spot.*
Another great example of how you can capitalise on international days!
1 minute read
Trends we spotted | Week 39
29-9-2025
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:
- Ruby x ADE. Ruby Hotel Amsterdam celebrates Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) with a boutique stage for music, culture and unexpected moments in intimate setting.
- Restaurant La Mar celebrates 20 years of Peruvian culinary excellence with ‘La Mar Around the World’ menu.
- A new research-backed initiative sees physicians recommending trips to Sweden for the health benefits. ‘Sweden, first country on prescription’ by Visit Sweden.
- Hot Slices, Cold Drinks. A collab between Siegfried Gin and Domino’s Pizza Germany results in 2 small bottles of gin inspired by bestsellers pizza’s.
- The spooky season is arriving! Red Robin conjures up a Mega Monster Burger and a Mad Scientist Margarita.
- Starbucks named official coffee partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA.
- October 3 means it’s time for Leidens Ontzet – and at Snackcafé de Gaper this is celebrated in style! From 12:00 to 18:00, locals can stop by for refined snacks.
- World Tourism Day – Stefan Hartman of NHL Stenden wrote a vision: ‘Use tourism to strengthen broad prosperity, not just the economy’.
Enjoy reading!
‘Cakes & Cocktails Fit for a Queen’ at The Berkeley
25-9-2025
The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge unveiled a dazzling collaboration with legendary shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, celebrating the Marie Antoinette Style exhibition at the Victoria & Albert museum (V&A) South Kensington. Cakes & Cocktails Fit for a Queen launched on September 19 2025 and the Marie Antoinette Style package runs till March 26th 2026.
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Singles Day 2025 - a solo trip to a Stayokay location
