Forget the Minibar. At Fancy Hotels, the New Thing Is the Maxi-Bar
Hotels are turning to new bar experiences as a means to keep luxury customers on their toes—and increase favorable food and beverage margins, while they're at it.
Enter in-room cocktail service. While in-room dining has been on the decline—showing a 3 percent dip from 2016 to 2017, according to hospitality insights firm STR—hoteliers are realizing that expertly shaken martinis, rather than well-done cheeseburgers, are just what travelers want showing up at their doors. In some cases, that means dispatching a bartender for in-person service; at other times, it's about making a room's minibar feel more like a home bar.
