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How Mercure Created a Farm-to-Bar Guest Experience
Mercure London Bridge wanted to stand out in a competitive hotel market while strengthening its sustainability credentials and giving guests something different to experience.
Square Mile Farms installed a hydroponic Farmwall in the hotel lobby, creating a visible farm-to-bar experience where guests can see fresh produce growing, take part in harvests and enjoy the crops in cocktails and dishes prepared onsite.
The challenge:
Creating a hotel experience
guests remember
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In a crowded London hotel market, Mercure London Bridge wanted to give guests a reason to remember their stay.
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The team was looking for a feature that could support the hotel's sustainability goals while also providing a strong story to engage guests. They wanted to make sustainability a visible and enjoyable part of the guest experience.
The solution:
Bringing a Farm into the
hotel lobby
Square Mile Farms installed a one-metre hydroponic Farmwall in the lobby, where produce is grown in front of guests. They can see and smell the crops as they walk past.
The Farm also gives the hotel a platform for talking to guests about sustainability, including how food is grown and the benefits of reducing food miles.
From Farmwall to cocktail glass
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The Mercure team use crops harvested from the Farmwall to create seasonal, low-food-mile cocktails, while the hotel's chefs incorporate produce into small plates.
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On harvest days, guests can get involved themselves, connecting the growing process directly with the food and drinks they enjoy in the hotel.
Creating memorable guest experiences
One guest described how the smell of the Farmwall drew them across the lobby, while another commented on both the lemon balm cocktail and how the Farmwall added to the space.
Another simply said: “This has made my evening here!”
A flexible platform for hotel sustainability and engagement
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The Farmwall isn't a one-off activation. It gives the hotel a platform that can be used across food and beverage, events and guest engagement. The original project included plans to explore further initiatives such as incorporating the Farm into Mercure's Gold Members Scheme and developing a sustainable cocktail recipe booklet with the hotel bar team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does an indoor Farm work in a hotel?
A hydroponic Farm grows fresh produce without soil within the hotel itself. Crops can then be harvested and used by food and beverage teams or incorporated into guest experiences.
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Can produce from an indoor Farm be used by hotel chefs and bars?
Yes. At Mercure London Bridge, Farmwall produce has been used in seasonal cocktails and chef-curated small plates.
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Can hotel guests get involved?
Yes. At Mercure London Bridge, guests have taken part in harvest sessions and seen produce from the Farm used in drinks and food.
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Does an indoor Farm need to be large?
Not necessarily. The Mercure installation uses a one-metre Farmwall, demonstrating how food growing can be incorporated into a relatively compact hospitality space.
Could a bespoke office Farm work in your project?
This type of installation could be relevant if you're:
A food services team looking to grow fresh ingredients onsite and create a visible connection between food production and what you serve.
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An asset manager looking for a distinctive amenity that combines sustainability, biophilia and customer or occupier experience.
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A workplace design team looking to integrate productive biophilia into hospitality, communal or customer-facing spaces.
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A facilities team looking for an engaging sustainability feature that can become part of events, activities and the everyday experience of a building.
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A corporate occupier looking for a visible way to bring sustainability, food and shared experiences into your space.
