Taco Bell Is Opening Its Own Hotel — Called The Bell Hotel
Holy guacamole! It seems that everyone’s favorite late night Mexican food guilty pleasure has plans to open a hotel called The Bell Hotel, according to Travel + Leisure.
The report claims that the fast food chain plans on operating a “pop-up hotel” in Palm Springs, California, in order to fully cater to their biggest fans in the ultimate immersive experience. Taco Bell Chief Brand Officer Marisa Thalberg explained that the entire hotel will be “infused with a Taco Bell twist.”
Examples include a taco-centric happy hour, poolside cocktails, and a gift shop with Taco Bell merchandise. However, the hotel hopes to also provide other services that will entice guests, including an on-site salon offering Taco Bell nail art, fades, and a braid bar.
Though many might consider this new stunt loco, Thalberg insists that it’s not that outrageous.
“We’re already in the hospitality business. This is a more immersive form of hospitality where people can really soak up the experience of the brand in a destination.”
It also is not the first time Taco Bell has dabbled in areas outside of food; for example, a Las Vegas location offers Taco Bell-themed wedding ceremonies for couples who are mega-fans of the brand.
Since the hotel is planned to be a pop-up, time for guests to spend time at The Bell Hotel is limited. However, Thalberg claims that it will most definitely be worth it.
“It will be playful, but absolutely one of the most legitimate, fun, cool hotel experiences one can have.”
In a short video uploaded to YouTube, Taco Bell gave hints to the aesthetic of their newest venture, which featured bright colors — such as aqua, coral, and persimmon — and classic font.
Thalberg hopes that the fun new project will be appreciated by Taco Bell fans.
“I hope that the fans that are the lucky ones to grab a reservation will feel like they have long-term bragging rights.”
According to the hotel website, reservations are not yet live, though Thalberg hopes that reservations will begin in June. Thalberg also said that reservations will be given on a “first-come, first-served” basis. The scheduled opening date for the pop-up hotel is currently August 9.
Thalberg was eager to voice her excitement for the newest venture, per CNBC.
“I have often quipped that Taco Bell is the fast fashion of food. We have our everyday classics, but then we’re always introducing these cool limited-edition experiences to do something new and different.”
Taco Bell was founded in 1951 by Glen Bell, though under the name Taco-Tia. As of 2018, Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion customers each year at 7,072 restaurants.
