(English) Cabana Club

(English) A Tropical Oasis in the Heart of Hanoi
PurpleAsia successfully collaborated with Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi Centre to conceptualise and launch a unique dining experience: Cabana Club. The poolside outlet captures the vibrant essence of Miami’s South Beach and Cuban culture, offering a novel culinary journey for locals and visitors. Named to evoke images of beachside relaxation and fun, Cabana Club stands out with its blend of Latin American flair and poolside casual dining, bringing a slice of Miami to Hanoi’s dining scene.

Branding and Design
The restaurant’s branding and design were meticulously crafted to enhance the customer experience. PurpleAsia developed a comprehensive brand identity, including a dynamic wordmark inspired by water waves, a vibrant colour palette reminiscent of Miami Beach’s neon lights, and a main graphic element inspired by water movement. We created an explosive collage-style visual language, promising guests an impressive, transportive experience. Creative touchpoints, including unique signage, menus, and collaterals, were implemented in both the clubhouse and poolside areas, ensuring that the restaurant’s ambience and visual design are as captivating as the food itself.

Culinary Experience
Inspired by the fusion of cultures in Miami, Cabana Club offers a heady mix of Latin American and Caribbean flavours. The menu features tropical rum cocktails and sizzling elevated BBQ dishes that incorporate elements of Cuban cuisine. The restaurant boasts a unique grill concept, offering a fresh take on poolside dining. The sharing dishes, vibrant cocktails, and lively atmosphere are key elements that define the restaurant, allowing guests to while away summer afternoons in the shade of their own cabana while enjoying great music and exciting flavours.

Cultural and Market Insights
Hanoi’s dining culture, characterised by social eating and sharing dishes, aligns perfectly with the Cabana Club concept. The city’s youthful, affluent middle class is open to new experiences, making the restaurant’s unique offering appealing. Despite their openness to novelty, Hanoians are also conservative and traditional, appreciating familiar flavours. Cabana Club strikes a balance by offering a new and exciting concept while likely incorporating elements that cater to local tastes, ensuring appeal to both local and international palates.

Strategic Imperatives
For Cabana Club to succeed, it was crucial to create a strongly themed brand that would attract patrons to the hotel restaurant. The pool bar, in particular, needed to be a destination in itself, as it lacks a view or other strong attributes to market. The concept drew inspiration from cities where there is an interesting duality of cultures, much like Hanoi’s own fusion of French and Vietnamese influences. The restaurant’s design and culinary offerings needed to be compelling enough to draw diners into the hotel and provide a unique dining experience worth discovering, ultimately contributing to its overall positioning and credibility.