82.13 °F
Several years ago, a number of major hotel brands were making national news in the U.S. - not for an innovative new service they were introducing but, for a staple of the hotel experience they were taking away.
The casualty in question: room service.
Much like formal white tablecloth dining rooms serving coursed meals, room service no longer reflects the type of dining experience most hotel guests seek. Overall, dining has become a more congenial and communal ritual providing the opportunity for guests to learn from and interact with wait staff and chefs. Atmosphere is also critically important as it helps transform dinner from a meal to an experience. From interior design to ambient music and natural surroundings, a restaurant’s atmosphere has a profound effect on its appeal. This is why we designed Elements Restaurant with the ocean as the focal point. Having “a view to dine for” makes Elements a sought-after reservation.
When meals are delivered to your room, the quality of both the food and the experience is diminished. There is no way around it. Maintaining a standard of quality is also difficult, because it is impossible to maintain the appropriate temperature for meals while they are transported, resulting in lukewarm burgers, soggy French fries, and melted ice cream sundaes. Delicate seafood dishes and those with complicated preparations fare even worse on room service menus. Perhaps most frustrating of all is the price tag of these substandard meals. Room service is an expensive operation, and the additional costs required to support its staffing and logistics is reflected in high menu prices. Although there can be something mildly comforting about enjoying a meal in your room, it does not compare to enjoying a fairly priced dish straight from the kitchen while watching the gentle waves through our floor-to-ceiling windows or on the outdoor deck at Elements.
The quality of the cuisine, the need for higher rates to cover additional costs, and the dining experience are just a few reasons why we do not offer room service. Our commitment to environmental conservation also plays a big role, as we consider our footprint when making every operational decision.
Room service is a wasteful and environmentally unfriendly amenity. For 24-hour service, a kitchen (or makeshift kitchen) and service bar need to remain open round-the-clock. Electricity, food heating elements, air conditioning, and staff must be kept on even during the late-night hours when there may be few to no orders. Condiments must be provided in individually packaged portions, much of which is often thrown away. If you have ever seen a room service size Heinz ketchup bottle, you likely understand how much of it typically goes unused. Since there is not a server available to ask you what you want or need, room service will typically overcompensates, which leads to additional food waste.
If you want a private dining experience here at Bucuti or know you like to snack in your room, there are plenty of alternatives to traditional room service. One of the most enjoyable is a dinner reservation under one of our palapas on Eagle Beach. Many of our guests seeking a casual meal indulge in takeout from Pizza Bob, located right across our parking lot, which can be enjoyed in-room. Other nearby restaurants also offer take away meals, and the local mini market has plenty of items to keep you satiated during your stay. If you anticipate the need for a late-night treat, our in-room mini bars have a selection of snack items.
We appreciate hearing from our guests, so if you have any suggestions of dining options you would like to see at Bucuti, please let us know by emailing me at: biemans@bucuti.com