Why Opening a Pop-Up in a Hotel Should Be Your Next Move

Pop-up stores are disrupting the retail industry. Not only have they injected a new lease of life into high streets and shopping malls, but they have also allowed exciting and unexpected spaces to be used. Hotels have become a popular pop-up space; after all they are in a prime location, have great facilities and have a captive audience of people who can use the pop-up. 

New call-to-action

However, just as the retail industry is being changed by pop-up shops in hotels, the hotel industry is being changed by the introduction of pop-up hotels. People are willing to pay a premium to have a stay like no other, at a location so exclusive they know only a select few will ever be able to stay at. Whether they are hosting pop-ups or being the pop-up themselves, hotels are at the heart of the pop-up phenomenon.

The versatility of hotel spaces mean that it doesn’t matter whether you’re setting up a pop-up store or holding a launch event, a hotel will be the perfect host space for you. In case you need any more convincing that a pop-up in a hotel should be your next move, here’s 4 reasons to start a pop-up in a hotel. 

Completely Exclusive

Image: GQ UK

People tend to stay in hotels for one of two reasons: either they want convenience or they want comfort. However the introduction of pop-up hotels adds a third reason for wanting to stay the night: intrigue. Champagne brand Ruinart, chose to exploit the sense of mystery that pop-up hotels provide and create an immersive and luxurious experience for those interested in their brand.

Hotel 1729, named after the year the brand was established, was set up at an undisclosed address in London’s Primrose Hill. The aim of the pop-up was to educate champagne enthusiasts about the process of making the drink, through a night of various sensory experiences and a six course dining experience.

The pop-up unfolded over multiple floors of the building, ending with a tour of the cellar to mimic how Ruinart champagne is produced and stored in an 8km long network of chalk caves in France. This was an attempt not just to educate the guests about the brand, but also was the perfect way to create a unique and mysterious evening. Plus, with the pop-up running for less than 2 weeks, it meant the pop-up was only explored by a fortunate few people.

The pop-up was the perfect hybrid between a pop-up experience and a night at a luxury hotel. Not only did the guests have great food, great drinks and an evening tailor made to their own requirements, it was also truly a once in a lifetime experience. 

Offer the Unexpected

The Shankly Hotel in Liverpool provided a chilled glamping space on the roof of their hotel in the heart of the city centre. The urban glamping area brought all the benefits of a countryside campout with your friends, to the city. Filled with tipis that could sleep 6, as well as jacuzzis, infinity pools and surround sound music systems, the space was perfectly designed for partying until the early hours, with the benefit of incredible views across the city skyline.

Guests had the best of both worlds: they had the chance to experience the luxuries of glamping, yet could explore the culture, shops and restaurants that Liverpool had to offer. Offering a pop-up in a hotel is the perfect chance to offer something unexpected.

Photo: Vogue UK

You don’t even need to be as radical as starting a glamping space, however, to make a splash. The Montague in London created an awesome beach bar, transforming the space into the perfect summer paradise, with sand and beach huts making you feel like you’re somewhere far more tropical.

Both of these pop-ups made great use of excess hotel space to create a completely original and unexpected environment. Not only did these spaces gain attention from the immediacy and anticipation of a pop-up, but also they were located in hotels with reputations for high standards. Even the more experimental pop-ups therefore benefit from being hosted in hotels.

Make A Difference

Photo: via eatnorth.com – Scarlett O’Neil

People often choose to get married in hotels, after all they guarantee you the space for plenty of guests, spacious interiors and great food. However pop-up wedding chapels in hotels are a new trend that help give people the atmosphere of an intimate wedding, but with access to all the great facilities the a hotel has to offer.

The Drake Hotel in Toronto decided to host a pop-up chapel that created a particularly unique wedding experience. The wedding didn’t just break with tradition because it was a pop-up, but also because $350 of the cost of the weddings booked in this space were instantly donated to charity. 

If your pop-up is designed to create a truly once in a lifetime memory, then there’s no better place to host it than in a hotel.

Everyone Wins

Popping up in a hotel gives you certain assurances that you aren’t guaranteed in other pop-up spaces. Your pop-up will most definitely have Wifi, bathroom facilities and heating control, allowing both your staff and the users of your pop-up to feel comfortable in your pop-up.

Hosting a pop-up in a hotel also means that you are assured a space kept in pristine condition that will require minimal work on your behalf. Those who want to visit your pop-up will be able to locate it easily because the address will be attached to the hotel, therefore your pop-up will definitely be easy to access.

While you benefit from the immediacy with which you can pop-up in a hotel, hotels also benefit from providing this type of experience. Not only are you renting their space, but you also generate a great deal of publicity for the hotel and allow people to see what facilities they have to offer. 

Hosting a pop-up in a hotel is an innovative move that will help entertain your customer base, create a truly one-off experience, and be beneficial to both your brand and the hotel you pop-up in.

Thinking about expanding your retail presence? Discover top spaces all around the world and contact us for further advice.

New call-to-action

Tom Coleman
Share this article: