Jamboree

Accor Hotels approached Mystery to work alongside their UK marketing and operations teams devising a new F&B format strategy designed to transform customers’ perceptions of casual dining in their hotel environments.

The overall objective was to build and grow their existing F&B business with a robust model that would exploit all day dining.  Novotel, Blackfriars was identified as the initial test and trial location.

Developing brand strategy and positioning

Utilising Mystery’s unique brand development methodology to help define the brand’s DNA, the brand’s personality archetype was defined as “The Explorer”: pioneering, outgoing, always on the look-out for new opportunities and never afraid to push boundaries. Sociable, yet often rushed, the Explorer is fussy and wants to be challenged; to try new and different tastes and experiences.

With customers being tourists, local professionals and white collar office workers alike, the venue had to provide a relaxing, flexible, stylish yet unpretentious environment, with top quality food, quick, friendly and efficient service and a sense that everything is taken care of.

Open to both hotel guests and locals, the new concept provides a different, vibrant, yet simple and relaxed food offer: fun, fairly priced, friendly and flavoursome, serving quality food in a great atmosphere to exceed all expectations.

Restaurant concept: A FoodFest & Bar, matching burgers to beers

After extensive research on a number of different culinary concepts, Mystery landed on the idea of the ultimate global burger restaurant, a Foodfest & Bar celebrating the world’s passion for burgers, inspired by flavours from around the globe.

Diners are encouraged to go on their own unique burger journey; discovering new and favourite flavours, with each burger named after its country of origin, perfectly matched to a selection of world beers and cocktails, handpicked from the same countries and designed to be consumed together for the full Foodfest experience.

From Classic British Beef to Jamaican Jerk Burger, there’s a different and exciting burger choice for all tastes. To make ordering easy, each beer or cocktail is given an icon to help customers match their burger and beverage.

Restaurant Interior Design: Modern rustic with an international vibe

Laid back, relaxed and interesting, the interior design concept of Jamboree is a vibrant, modern rustic feel with an international vibe.

Overcoming a challenging budget and timeline, Mystery created a restaurant that felt distinctive, characterful and different from the modern Novotel hotel above with the clever re-use of existing components, over-cladding of walls, bulkheads and ceiling features.  Vibrant graphics and cost effective use of materials enabled us to create a distinctively different look from previous restaurant and the surrounding hotel interior.

The fun, authentic and inviting restaurant is colourful, engaging and memorable. Designed to look relaxed and lived-in, it’s like a well-thumbed travel guide, featuring design motifs, colours from around the globe to encourage adventure and discovery.

Over the first two weeks of opening, Jamboree did indeed exceed all expectations, doubling expected sales, and is now seeing a steady 20% growth in sales with a marked increase in hotel guests using the restaurant as well as significant customers coming off the street.

Jamboree is the pilot site for a proposed scalable model, designed to roll-out across other locations (both in other Novotel hotels and as standalone sites) over the next few years.