Sleeping in a bubble
28-3-2013
Sleeping in the middle of the nature or high in the trees? That’s possible at hotel ‘Domaine du Tisserand’ in France. The hotel offers accommodation in a bubble. One bubble is placed 5 meters high in the trees and can be zipped open and closed. The other bubble is placed at the ground and is transparent. The bubbles provide a beautiful view of the green area and at night you can see the stars. For outdoors enthusiasts this is a wonderful accommodation. For those who prefer more comfort, the hotel also offers accommodation in suites.
Sparkling, flat water or tap water
21-3-2013
During the ‘Water4daagse’ guests can order tap water (for a small fee) at a number of restaurants in Zwolle, the Netherlands. During 4 days the revenue will go to the drinking water projects of Join The Pipe in Africa. The campaign runs from 20 till 23 March and is an initiative of the students at the Landstede Institute in Zwolle and part of Upgraden.nl. ‘Upgraders’ are young people who execute positive actions for a better world. The actions contribute to one of the Millennium Goals or human rights.
Pay the bill with an app
20-3-2013
How often did you get a great service at a restaurant and as only point of irritation had to wait too long for the bill? With the new app ‘Cover’, that will be introduced soon, you can walk out of the restaurant without physically paying the bill. The payment is taken from a credit card stored on the app. Guests do make their reservation through the app and enter the payment information. The ‘Uber’s payment experience at restaurants’ according to Clover. It’s a new way of paying that is in particular useful for restaurants, it saves time and turns tables faster.
Recharge your phone at McDonald’s
19-3-2013
Together with the Finnish company PowerKiss, McDonald’s is developing special tables to recharge your phone automatically when you put him on the table. By using the QI technology and a wireless power transmission the tables can transfer power to phones and / or headsets. At this moment, McDonald’s is testing the tables in Europe.
Cyclists get a free salad
19-3-2013
Bistro ‘Le Repas’ in Brazil is offering a free salad for any guest who rides his or her bike to the bistro in reward for being green. Sommelier Karen Ferrari was inspired by the number of cyclists she saw on a trip to Paris en introduced this action. The French-themed restaurant hopes that the reward will stimulate visitors to come by bike and also to inspire other companies to do something similar.
Rent a smartphone in Hong Kong
15-3-2013
Hong Kong-based Handy is leasing Android smartphones out to visitors, pre-loaded with free calls, 3G internet access and apps to help them navigate their destination. Handy provides users with the most up-to-date information and the latest happenings in Hong Kong. The smartphones can be picked up from the Hong Kong International Airport and it is possible to connect the phones with laptops to the internet and helps tourist avoid spending time looking for free wi-fi. Earlier we saw that tourist can hire a tablet with free wi-fi in Singapore and guests of the London’s Stratford Holiday Inn can use a Samsung Galaxy S III during their stay.
Free access to the New York Times at Starbucks
14-3-2013
Soon people will be able to get free access to 15 articles a day of the New York Times through the Starbucks Digital Network. Starbucks customers will be able to view three articles a day from five different sections. This action approach benefits for both companies, because it attracts people to visit Starbucks over a local coffee shop and it widens the reach of the New York Times.
CulinaryArtbazaar brings hospitality entrepreneurs together
11-3-2013
On 24 March 2013 the first CulinaryArtbazaar will be organized in the Netherlands, an event for and by hospitality entrepreneurs. During the CulinaryArtbazaar suppliers of quality product have the opportunity to be in contact with restaurant owners. In an informal atmosphere they can show their products. There will also be a live cooking and artists and retailers can present their products. A special part of the event is the auction for KWF Dutch Cancer Society. The event is an initiative of chief cook Roderick Rijsdam and artist Monique van der Meijden.
Destination Shibuya Station in Milan
11-3-2013
Fastweb, the second largest network in Italy, wants 20% of the Italian population to enjoy fast Internet via fiber by the end of 2014. This guerrilla action is set to announce the introduction. To visualize the speed Fastweb has created a unique experience in Milan: a trip to Shibuya Station, Tokyo within one stop of a subway station. Fastweb transformed the station in detail, displays, kiosks, audio information in Japanese and a Japanese audience. By using QR codes the experience could be shared through social media. Perhaps an idea for restaurants, to convert a bus stop into a mini-restaurant for one day and spoil the travelers?
Great, smaller portions for the same price
8-3-2013
In November 2012, 20 restaurants in São Paulo, Brazil, launched an initiative where their guest could choose for smaller portion sizes, while still paying the full price. ‘Satisfeito’ (‘Satisfied, in Portuguese) dishes were 1/3 smaller than the usual dishes. The money saved from serving these smaller dishes has been donated to the Instituto Alana, an organization fighting child malnutrition in Brazil. Satisfeito is a global movement that aims to alleviate child hunger and prevent food waste by providing restaurants and their customers with the chance to help organizations feeding starving children around the world.
