Trends we spotted | Week 32

8-8-2025

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:

• Inspiration for restaurant chains? Hard Rock Cafe announced the five finalists for its annual World Burger Tour.
• Spotted at an Instagram reel – A £2 toilet trip in Budapest at – POP&ROLL Art Toilet. Combining art, design and utility!
• The 4-star citizenM Dublin St. Patrick’s hotel recently opened with a chaotic pillow fight, great idea!
• Starting August 12, McDonald’s invites fans in the U.S. on a nostalgic journey to McDonaldland.
• Since the end of July, you can enjoy a special drink at all participating Burger King restaurants in Germany: The Summernades! Drinks topped with cotton candy.
• To celebrate the festive opening of the Efteling Grand Hotel, the Efteling placed the world’s largest ribbon bow on the façade of its new luxury hotel. Guinness World Record!
• This summer, McDonald’s Germany invites guests on a global culinary journey with 22 international menu items from 17 countries. Mit Mecces um die Welt.
• Since August 1st, Postillion Hotels has been serving Plant First: their entire food offering, from lunch and dinner buffets to walking dinners and snacks, now has a plant-based foundation.
• The inspiration for the 2025 Duvel Designer Glass comes from artist Loes van Delft. With her design for the iconic glass, she and Duvel advocate for connection and softness.

Enjoy reading!

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Young Entrepreneurs & new locations | Summer Terrace by Bisous, de IJshaven en Foodmaster

5-8-2025

Every day, we spot fun and inspiring new concepts. This week, a unique summer collaboration: Summer Terrace by Bisous, a charming new ice cream shop in Leiden called De IJshaven, and a new owner for Foodmaster Alphen aan den Rijn.

Restaurant Bisous is closed for the month of August and has launched Summer Terrace by Bisous on the terrace of restaurant Daalder. In Leiden, a new artisanal ice cream shop has opened at Haven 20: De IJshaven – the dream of entrepreneurs Esther and Zoë. And in Alphen aan den Rijn, Foodmaster has welcomed a new owner. In addition to the standard menu, she will introduce specialty items such as homemade rendang.

We wish these entrepreneurs and their teams the best of luck and lots of fun with their new concepts.

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ICE! by the Gaylord Hotels returns for the 2025 Holiday Season

4-8-2025

This winter, the iconic holiday attraction ICE! by the Gaylord Hotels returns to six U.S. resorts, offering guests a magical walk-through world of hand-carved ice sculptures, live shows, and family-friendly Christmas activities. The event features over 2 million pounds of ice, sculpted into scenes from classic holiday stories by master artisans from Harbin, China.

We wrote about ICE! by Gaylord Hotels back in 2023, but who doesn’t love this iconic holiday tradition? It’s also a great reminder to start planning your own Christmas event. This experience is especially inspiring for smaller hotel or restaurant chains looking to create memorable, guest-attracting holiday moments.

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Trends we spotted | Week 31

1-8-2025

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:

• Tomorrow (August 2) Pride Amsterdam’ Canal Parade is celebrated. A great beer to enjoy during the Pride and beyond is the IPGAY by Queer Beer. A tropical summer beer with a statement!
• At Lotti’s Bar in The Hoxton hotel in Amsterdam, you can enjoy a glitter brunch during the Pride. And The Jollof Club from August 7 through September offers refined African cuisine by chef Nicolas Aquaa.
• Le Bristol Paris is celebrating their centenary! They unveiled the Eden Suite, a lush 6th-floor sanctuary dedicated to wellness luxury.
• ‘Une collab gourmande’ between Deliveroo × French Bandit’s. Order a meal for yourself and receive a pet toy! A great way to target pet owners? We love the pizza slice and baguette toy!
• Glacerie Enzo & Lily Libre in Paris. Here Lionel Chauvin creates spectacular ice cream flavours – like glace hot dog or glace bouillabaisse. But we love to taste his glace Fraise des bois blanche.
• Immersive restaurant pop-up of ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ in Santa Monica. Subway® sends fans to their Happy Place!
• A great example of a family room! We love the Rocket Room, spotted at the Shangri-La Singapore.
• Center Parcs De Vossemeren is the first location of this brand that unveiled their completely renovated restaurants. A collab with Albron.
• Design hotel brand TRIBE, part of Accor hotels, is expanding rapidly in Europe, with among others a new location in the Netherlands, TRIBE Den Haag Centraal.

Enjoy reading!

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#Fairmontlovesdogs | Paw-fect offerings at the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

31-7-2025

To celebrate International Dog Day on August 26, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, part of Accor, invites guests for heartwarming stays that go far beyond being simply ‘pet-friendly’. With the motto #FairmontLovesDogs, the hotel group celebrates this special day across its global portfolio, but Fairmont offers luxury service and pampering for dogs all year round at its iconic locations. Guests are encouraged to share their encounters with the Canine Ambassadors and pet travel stories using the hashtag #Fairmontlovesdogs.

We personally met the dog from Fairmont Château Whistler back in 2019—such a sweetheart! (Check out the hotel’s new canine ambassador). Just like the sweetheart Bella, the dog of hotel & Michelin-starred restaurant De Bloemenbeek. While the many dogs at Fairmont inspired us to adopt another one ourselves, our office dog Jimmy was already enjoying playtime with Bella during our visit to the hotel and restaurant. This article highlights some great examples of how you can pamper your guests’ four-legged friends: dog-friendly city guides, dog macarons, embroidered doggie bathrobes, and more.

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Young Entrepreneurs & new locations | Ikigai, restaurant Salut and the Salsa Shop

28-7-2025

Every day, we spot fun and inspiring new concepts. This week: restaurant Salut in De Pijp, lunch concept Ikigai in Leiden, and the latest Salsa Shop opening at Amsterdam Central Station.

In the heart of De Pijp in Amsterdam, Restaurant Salut has opened its doors: an all-day café combining French charm with Mediterranean comfort. The concept comes from the entrepreneurs behind restaurant Bisous. In Leiden, a new lunch spot has launched on Haarlemmerstraat: Ikigai. Here, you can enjoy sandwiches with Japanese toppings on brioche bread, paninis, and special drinks. Lastly, the Salsa Shop recently opened its 18th location. At Amsterdam Central Station, you can now grab a fresh burrito or quesadilla!

We wish these entrepreneurs and their teams the best of luck and lots of fun with their new concepts.

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Trends we spotted | Week 30

25-7-2025

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:

• Eataly makes its Dutch debut at Schiphol Airport! Enjoy their Italian specialties at Lounge 1.
• For its Summer 2025 menu at the EMEA markets (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Starbucks took inspiration from Treviso, the birthplace of tiramisu. The result? A Tiramisu Cream Cold Foam.
• Another Coffee trend spotted in the US: the Iced Coconut Water Americano.
• Essendi, a leading hotel owner and operator in Europe, announces a strategic partnership with Workplace Pride during Pride Amsterdam 2025. The agreement was signed in their INK Amsterdam hotel.
• KFC’s new marketing campaign features a serious Colonel who ‘would not be happy’ about the brand’s recent market share loss. See how they’re taking on this challenge.
• Lawa blends ‘Mario Kart and Strava’ to make movement fun for teens and brands. Available in the Netherlands and it’s possibly interesting for amusement parks, too.
• Mattel recently launched the first-ever UNO Social Club in Las Vegas—an immersive game night experience combining competition, fun, and social connection. More locations are on the way!
• Spotted on Instagram: ‘unbreakable glasses’ by Djuce Studio. Made from Tritan copolyester and we love the way they look!
• Would you like to play a golf game at your wedding? We’ve also spotted fun mini golf games to enjoy with friends!

Enjoy reading!

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Stayokay Eindhoven adds pods and family rooms after renovation

24-7-2025

Stayokay Eindhoven has recently completed an extensive renovation, which includes the addition of innovative pods to its room offering. Located in a former Philips factory on the vibrant Strijp-S site, the hostel now presents itself as a fresh and accessible accommodation option for a wide range of travellers. Both the rooms and common areas have been updated while preserving the characteristic charm of the historic building.

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De Lola | The new pod hotel in The Hague’s ‘De Haagse Bluf’

17-7-2025

As of July 16, 2025, you can experience a new way to stay in The Hague. De Lola Podshotel has opened in ‘De Haagse Bluf’ – the very first true pod hotel in The Hague and the Netherlands. No standard rooms here, but cozy sleep pods: compact, stacked cocoons with everything you need for a comfortable stay right in the city center. De Lola brings the smart and efficient sleep concept, already popular in global cities like Tokyo, New York and London, to the Netherlands. The hotel features 62 pods accommodating up to 70 guests, and a contemporary food concept and a stylish retro 70s-inspired lobby.

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Chipotle launches global ‘album premiere listening party’ with pop star Alex Warren

17-7-2025

Today, Thursday July 17, Chipotle Mexican Grill is teaming up with singer and Chipotle superfan Alex Warren for a unique global event: an album premiere listening party for his new album You’ll Be Alright, Kid. From 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM local time, the album will be played in nearly 4,000 Chipotle locations across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and France. It’s the first time an artist has ever launched new music in this many restaurants simultaneously. The album will be officially available on all streaming platforms starting July 18.

This album premiere listening party is a unique collaboration between an artist and a restaurant chain! Inspiration for others?

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