Introduction — “My drink, my bar.”
At Terme 3000 – Moravske Toplice, they believe that innovation combined with tradition is the recipe for success and satisfied guests. That’s why they decided to elevate the guest experience at their Hotel Ajda to a new level with a unique innovation that you can try only there – not just in Slovenia, but in all of Europe!
An innovative idea of Slovenian origin
In the hotel restaurant of Hotel Ajda, we introduced a self-service bar with the slogan “My drink, my bar,” offering guests a special experience where they can serve themselves their favorite drink. The self-service bar is entirely the result of a Slovenian idea, realized by Sava Hotels & Resorts in cooperation with the company Nektar Natura.
Client Background
Hotel Ajda is part of Sava Turizem d.d. and is located in Moravske Toplice. Their restaurant has a capacity of 450 people. In October 2023, we installed the Nektar Natura Island Bar at Hotel Ajda.
Elegant addition and practical solution
With its modern appearance and natural materials, the innovative self-service bar blends perfectly with the interior of the restaurant, continuing the story of the recently renovated elegant hotel. It allows guests to pour their drinks whenever they wish and also eases the workload of our staff, who can now fully focus on guests instead of serving drinks.
Solution
Island Bar offers various dispensing options, including:
- Juices and Sparkling Drinks: The possibility of dispensing 8 non-alcoholic drinks (a combination of sparkling and still drinks) along with cocktails and alcoholic drinks in their original bottles.
- Wine: The possibility of dispensing up to 6 types of wine (white wine at 8°C, red wine at 15°C).
- Beer: The option of dispensing light and dark beer, as well as Radler (two taps with 3 faucets each).
- Water and Soda: Two taps for dispensing water and soda (water at 4°C, soda at 1.5°C).
Island Bar is equipped with RFID readers for room cards, allowing integration with the client’s computer system for payment of dispensed drinks. The system can display the credit rating on the screen at the counter, block the dispensing of spirits during certain time periods, and record age restrictions on the room card.
Island Bar is equipped with RFID readers for room cards, allowing integration with the client's computer system for payment of dispensed drinks.
Result
The integration of a self-service beverage system into the hotel restaurant has proven to be a financially justified solution, as it significantly reduces the workload of service staff and results in considerable savings in operational labor hours, thereby lowering labor costs. Beverage revenues remain comparable to those of traditional service and even increase during certain periods, such as school holidays or group visits, despite the lower drink prices. Given the labor market challenges and staff shortages, the implementation of such systems represents a sensible long-term investment that ensures stable revenue while optimizing cost-efficiency in operations.
Conclusion
Island Bar has proven that innovative technology and automation can significantly improve service efficiency and reduce labor costs in the hospitality industry. The Hotel Ajda restaurant achieved remarkable results with the implementation of Island Bar, serving as an inspiration for others in similar industries.