The hub of the hotel

The Lounge bar has always been a focal point for guests looking to have an informal meeting over a relaxed atmosphere at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, thanks to its standing as the largest conference and events hotel outside London, hosting an impressive 1,800 events every year. Now, it has been boosted by a complete redesign of the space, with new stylish decor and furniture, as well as the introduction of new technology to improve the guests’ experience. These new improvements enable The Lounge bar to comfortably accommodate 220 people and cater for up to 700 people for a pre-dinner event.

“The Lounge bar is the true hub of the hotel,” says Patrick Stapleton, general manager at Hilton Birmingham Metropole. “Open 24 hours-a-day, it’s where people congregate and meet for many different occasions, so it was important that the area catered for that. That’s why with the redesign, we have looked to define separate areas, which has been cleverly done by the introduction, and considered placement of new furniture.

“Flexibility was key, therefore we have decided to refresh the space with comfortable sofa style areas where guests can relax, as well as areas where multiple meetings can take place, such as a ‘connectivity table’, where users can easily set up and charge their electronic devices.”

Aside from re-shaping the facilities, improving the efficiency and quality of service was of paramount importance. To achieve that, the hotel has introduced electronic devices to help the communication between the kitchen and the bar team become easier.

As well as new equipment, the hotel has also invested in its talent, recruiting highly qualified team members who have a proven passion for hospitality and customer service. New additions such as new Bar Manager Kristina Hurst and new Food & Beverage Training Manager Emma Keitley, are perfect examples of the efforts being made to improve the guests’ experience at The Lounge bar.

“We want our patrons to enjoy the service on offer, not just the physical space, and our new team appointments will help to deliver that,” says Stapleton. “In terms of food offering, we have kept our ‘bar favourites’ which have proved successful with our regular clientele over the years, but our Head Chef Paul Taylor, has also introduced fresh food ideas to the menu, such as a new selection of serving platters, an international mix of flavours which are small and easy to eat snacks – ideal if you want something manageable during a quick meeting. All in all, the refurbishment of The Lounge bar puts us in a good position to welcome even more guests over the coming years.”