[Hong Kong, June 2023] Travellers will soon have a new destination for world-class cocktails with the launch of Intervals at Hong Kong International Airport. A destination in its own right, this first-of-its-kind concept aims to reinvent the airport experience with an elevated drinks and food programme set amongst the exceptional vantage point of the newly opened Skybridge.
[Hong Kong, June 2023] Travellers will soon have a new destination for world-class cocktails with the launch of Intervals at Hong Kong International Airport. A destination in its own right, this first-of-its-kind concept aims to reinvent the airport experience with an elevated drinks and food programme set amongst the exceptional vantage point of the newly opened Skybridge.
Intervals has been developed by Mei Mei Song, Director of Global Brands and Transformation of airport hospitality leader Plaza Premium Group, together with creative director Victoria Chow, founder of acclaimed Hong Kong bar The Woods.
The concept and the name ‘Intervals’ is inspired by the idea that the time of day becomes fluid while travelling, and that instead key actions are measured in intervals of time - whether it’s how long it takes to clear security, the transit time, the time it takes to get to the gate, or the time between boarding time and final call.
In line with Plaza Premium Group’s core mission to “make travel better”, Intervals is a comprehensive dining concept purposefully designed for the airport setting: from the F&B offerings to interactive and engaging experiences, everything from the menu design to a dedicated Intervals app that provides knowledge about the drinks alongside beverage-focused travel inspirations, coupled with immersive interior design and the unbeatable Skybridge view.
Mei Mei Song explains: “To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we wanted to create something unique with Intervals that makes the airport experience a part of the journey that travellers look forward to. Airports have transformed their retail and meal offerings tremendously over the years - and yet a sophisticated cocktail bar that is a destination in and of itself has not been done yet.” She adds: “This project takes a different spin from anything we’ve done before, and bringing on Victoria means we are creating a category-defining experience that is beyond drinks, driven by her creative vision.”
Intervals’ drinks programme showcases a series of miniature sips, known appropriately as a ‘flights of cocktails’, that have been tailored to how much time a guest has to spare ranging from a 15 minute to a 45 minute experience.
The shortest ‘flight of cocktails’ is the 15-minute experience which offers two beverages including To Dream, made with Tequila, chamomile-vanilla tea, bianco vermouth, and sparkling wine; and To Wake, a blend of nitro-brewed coffee, Cognac, and topped with a tofu-hazelnut cream.
For those with 30 minutes to spare, a longer experience includes a four-cocktail ‘flight,’ while those with 45 minutes may want to experience a flight of six, which include To Begin, a frozen cocktail made with Nigori sake, honeydew, and galangal, and To Maturity, featuring a Calvados, sweet wine, and topped with wheat beer.
Intervals will also offer a non-alcoholic ‘flight’ that riffs on the seasons. To Spring is a refreshing combination of garden-y Seedlip, lacto-fermented cucumbers and non-alcoholic vermouth. To Summer is a warm-weather refreshment of a non-alcoholic aperitif, coconut and compressed watermelon, while To Autumn channels cooler weather through zero-alcohol red wine, blackberry, lemon, and plum bitters.
Intervals’ food experiences are also tailored to travellers' available interval of time. The offering of an elevated and global take on “pinchos” (tapas-style bar snacks) allows guests the flexibility of picking just one or as many pieces as they desire from an ever-changing rotation of eight types from a roving custom-made trolley. These include a special take on the classic Hong Kong Prawn Toast with Sakura Shrimp; Fig and Goat cheese on Rye with Honeycomb Crumbs; and Mini Taco with Glazed Turkey Meatballs, amongst others.
For travellers who have the shortest available interval of time - and are unable to sit down for an experience, Intervals has also created custom takeaway boxes of cocktails and pinchos perfect for on-board dining.
Designed by Australian architect Mitchel Squires of AVT Studios, Intervals is located on the Skybridge at HKIA. The space has been designed to host different travel profiles; whether travelling solo, with a partner or in a group, there is a seat for everyone. Designed to accentuate its unique location and allowing unobstructed front-row views of Hong Kong International Airport’s runways, the space also includes references to traditional time-keeping devices such as pendulums, sundials, and hourglasses.
As with all Plaza Premium Group ventures, a sense of place has been created by partnering with homegrown Hong Kong brands including Plantation Tea, Loveramics and Young Master Brewery.
Victoria Chow concludes: “We are so thrilled to be able to bring a world-class beverage programme to Hong Kong International Airport, as well as something exciting and interactive to the international bar scene. We want travellers to come to Intervals with a sense of wonder and discovery, and perhaps even choose to check in early so that they can have some fun and experience our ‘flights of cocktails!’
Intervals is due to open in late June 2023 at HKIA’s Skybridge.
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Editor’s Note
Unit 9SB206, Level 9,
Sky Bridge, Hong Kong International Airport,
Lantau, Hong Kong
9am - 6pm (Soft Opening June 14 2023 - July 26 2023)
Hours to be extended to 7am - 1am
IG @intervalsbar
For more information, please contact Companion Communications:
Alex Berry: Alex@companioncommunications.com
June Heung: June@companioncommunications.com
Dominique Backhouse: Dominique@companioncommunications.com
For the full media kit, including high-res imagery, factsheets + bios: https://bit.ly/3qrbPFa
About Intervals
Located at Hong Kong International Airport’s Skybridge, Intervals is a world-class cocktail bar from Mei Mei Song of Plaza Premium Group and bar-industry veteran, Victoria Chow. Inspired by the idea that the time of day in an airport becomes fluid and Plaza Premium Group’s core mission to “make travel better”, Intervals is a comprehensive F&B concept purposefully designed for the airport setting with artisanal cocktails coupled with interactive and engaging experiences, set against a backdrop of immersive interior design and the unbeatable Skybridge view that is a destination in itself.
Made up of a series of miniature drinks, known appropriately as a ‘flight of cocktails’, Intervals’ drinks programme has been tailored to how much time a guest has to spare ranging from a 15 minute to a 45 minute experience. Intervals also offers food experiences designed to be an elevated and global take on “pinchos”.
About Plaza Premium Group
Plaza Premium Group is a pioneering, 360° global airport service provider that revolutionises the hospitality industry with a mission to Make Travel Better.
Established in 1998 and headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group introduced the world’s first independent airport lounge concept. Today, Plaza Premium Group operates the world’s largest network of international airport lounges, being in over 250 locations and in more than 70 international airports.
By putting travellers at the heart of its business, Plaza Premium Group redefines airport experience with both innovation-driven and human-led solutions. Over the years, Plaza Premium Group has evolved into a holistic 360° airport service provider and introduced other innovative airport hospitality concepts to complement its airport lounge business – Plaza Premium Lounge and Plaza Premium First, including airport terminal hotels - Aerotel, Airport Passenger Services - ALLWAYS, a range of F&B brands under Airport Dining, global reward and membership program - Smart Traveller and travel experience ECOsystem Platform – ONE TECO. In addition to its own brands, Plaza Premium Group also provides airport hospitality solutions to leading airlines, alliances and corporates around the world, including Cathay Pacific Airways, China Southern Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Star Alliance, SkyTeam, American Express, Capital One and many more.
The Group is well-recognized in the global aviation and hospitality industry and has won more than 60 accolades in the last six years, including “World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge” for six consecutive years from 2016 to 2022 at the Skytrax World Airline Awards - the global benchmark of aviation excellence; the International Award at the SCMP/DHL Hong Kong Business Awards and “Best Airport Lounge Operator” in 2018 & 2019 by TTG Asia magazine. In 2020, the Group was awarded “ISO 9001:2015” for Hong Kong Headquarters, demonstrating quality management in providing airport lounge services. The group’s Founder and CEO Mr. Song Hoi-see was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Master Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 Malaysia.
Plaza Premium Group currently employs over 5,000 staff and serves more than 20 million global passengers annually. By continuously innovating and pursuing excellence, the group is growing exponentially across major international airports globally.
Website: www.plazapremiumgroup.com
Linkedin @plazapremiumgroup, Twitter @PPG_worldleader and WeChat @PlazaPremiumGroup