Ritz-Carlton, Berlin Serves Scented Cocktails Inspired by Designer Perfumes. By Melanie Nayer ~ Weekly Exclusive - Views On The Latest Trends Wednesday, 2nd July 2014
Exclusive Feature: When we talk about experiences, we often refer to the intimate, special touches that hotels put out for their guests;
These range from in-room amenities like framed pictures of a repeat guests' family to planning a private dinner on the beach for a newlywed couple or a cooking class for the kids with the hotel's chef.
These experiences are what drive loyalty and engagement, and keep travel interesting and unique.
And then there are the experiences that set the bar. Literally.
Case in point: Fragrances, a new bar at the Ritz-Carlton, Berlin.
Imagine a bar that mixes scents of famous perfumes into its cocktails. Why? In the case of Fragrances, the answer was easy: fragrances enhance any experience.
"At Fragrances, we want our guests not only to enjoy their drinks, but to experience them,” said Henning Heissen, the hotel's resident mixologist and perfume expert.
The premise combines perfumes with cocktails, encouraging guests to use their sense of smell to choose a cocktail. The line-up of perfume bottles displayed alongside the ingredients used to make the drink give bar-goers a hint of what they might expect.
“In the choice of their favorite cocktails, our guests depend entirely on their senses. An experiment, which demands courage and curiosity on the art of the guests, but which at the same time can be unbelievably inspiring,” Heissen continued.
Here’s how it works: You'll walk over to a display that highlights each cocktail and sniff the perfume that’s matched with the drink of their choice. Perfumes include Giorgio Armani, L’Artisan Parfumeur and Annick Goutal, Yves Saint Laurent and Guerlain. The scent’s aromatic profile is similar to the cocktail’s and will help you choose your drink.
The fragrance is only part of the experience, though. All the cocktails are arranged like a perfume tray you might find at a local fragrance counter or perfumery, with their ingredients and spirits on display.
Depending on the "flavor" that matches the fragrance, the presentation is equally bold, ranging from glasses in the shape of bird houses those accompanied by a meter-long bamboo stick. And lest you wonder what pairs well with these perfumed drinks, there's a matching snack menu, ensuring all your senses align.
Fragrances is the first bar in the world dedicated to the art of cocktails made in combination with famous scents. While original, it's also pricey. At $19 a cocktail, you're paying a premium for these drinks and the preparation that goes into them. However, given the uniqueness of the experience, I think this particular splurge is with it.
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Melanie Nayer is a hotel reviewer and expert on luxury travel around the world. She has covered all aspects of hotels including corporate restructures, re-branding initiatives, historical aspects and the best of the best in luxury hotels around the world.
Melanie writes a weekly exclusive column for 4Hoteliers.com
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Exclusive Feature: When we talk about experiences, we often refer to the intimate, special touches that hotels put out for their guests; 
