The World of Hospitality Issue 22 2017 | Page 77

CHILSTONE the World Of Hospitality 77 Maximising Revenue for Hotel Grounds With wedding venues competing for revenue, how do hotels stand out as distinctly different for a couple’s special day? With warmer British summers, there is an opportunity to maximise the use of outdoor spaces, with beautifully landscaped grounds to add appeal to a hotel as a wedding venue. Follies or garden temples create a grand focal point perfect for a grand outdoor wedding. Stone temples don’t have to be expensive, cast stone looks like carved stone with many companies, like Chilstone in Kent, hand finishing their products for those fine details. Chilstone’s Ionic Temple is large enough to host ceremonies to meet registrar requirements, with room for seven people and a table and chairs for signing documents, while its slim pillars allow photographers and guests to view the service. Garden temples can double up as elegant band stands for harpists, string quartets and other performers for wedding receptions or garden parties. Garden weddings in a stone temple add that special something that can be charged at a premium, hastening the return on investment incurred installing the building. Made to order, these can be adapted to fit the size, style and needs of the venue, even the floor can be tiled to match the ambiance desired. These elegant structures are versatile and can be dressed to fit colour schemes for brides or corporate events with flowers, ribbons or bunting adorning curved Website: www.chilstone.com balustrades and columns, or lit with candles for evening events, receptions or photoshoots. A cast stone structure can be reinforced with 8mm stainless steel rods for strength and durability. Manufactures like Chilstone, offer a free architectural estimation service, working with your designer or building team to tailor the temple to your needs. Cast stone temples come with a range of finishes, those with a domed roof can be made to look like lead. These weather to blend with the hotel surroundings, making it a lasting investment that makes your venue stand apart with a unique space for someone’s day to be extra special, while adding an additional space to hire for your venue at a minimal cost.