An homage to Bangkok’s tropical backyard with day-to-night rooftop garden party

HONG KONG,  CHINA - Media OutReach - 18 August 2020 - Taking inspiration from a nostalgic backyard barbecue, Bar.Yard spins up a modern day-to-night urban rooftop garden and bar on the 40th floor of the soon-to-be-opened Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok in Thailand. Elevating the rooftop bar concept, guests can enjoy a repertoire of playful tropical cocktails, comfort-led classic barbecue menu featuring locally sourced farm-to-table grills, and a casual, lively atmosphere in the outdoor venue with a view, sheltered so rain is never an issue, framing well-known DJs against the verdant backdrop of Lumphini Park in the heart of central Bangkok, Langsuan.

"Kimpton^® Hotels & Restaurants, will open Bar.Yard at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok as its latest bar under the brand globally. Renowned for its award-winning, seasonally-inspired restaurants and bars, the venue launch is part of our ramp up towards the opening of the first Kimpton hotel in South East Asia slated for October 2020. The new hotel under IHG's luxury boutique brand will offer Kimpton's signature perks including the brand's industry-leading pet-friendly attitude, and an approachable luxury experience fueled by a team who champions heartfelt, human connections," said Patrick Both, General Manager, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok.

Daytime at Bar.Yard presents a bright, breezy haven of lush greenery space designed by global architectural design firm Hassell, much like an oasis beneath the clouds where guests can unwind to upbeat urban electronic music with tropical- and tiki-influenced cocktails and satisfying, comfort-led classic barbecues. As afternoon fades to night, the rooftop party switches up the tempo while the Bangkok skyline glitters below.

"Every Kimpton restaurant and bar is created independent from the hotel, providing a space that is warm, welcoming and inspiring with incredible cuisine and forward-thinking cocktails. Bar.Yard is our re-imagination of a backyard BBQ, with all associated elements elevated to create an immersive guest experience, including the superlative view from the 40^th floor of the hotel. We focus on incorporating local elements into the restaurant experience - from decor to sourcing ingredients and trends reflective of our location here in Thailand," said Justin Dunne, General Manager, Restaurants and Bars, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok.

The cocktail-centric drinks menu is crafted by Aaron J Feder, Beverage & Bars Manager. His focus on creating perfect blends is evident in the stories from behind the bar - sampling multiple lime varieties and at least 27 varieties of pineapples to create Bar.Yard's signature drinks. Tropical and tiki influences feature heavily across the menu, with highlights like the The Queens Group Pineapple, a tequila-based showstopper blended with zesty lime and pink grapefruit, a splash of apple brandy and juice of the Queens Group Pineapple, a local variety from Phuket known for its complex, honeyed flavour profile; The Brown Coconut combines smoky mezcal, fragrant Thai coconut toasted to perfection and sweet, earthy hazelnut for a delicious and warming rendition of beloved tropical flavours. Finally, a range of local and international craft beers, wines, classic tiki cocktails and Champagne round off the list to satisfy every palate.

Helming the grill is Executive Chef Lamberto Valdez Lara, who reinvigorates the classic barbecue with a variety of signature, seasonal farm-to-plate, barbecue-style dishes such as slow-cooked beef briskets, smoked ribs and skewers, grilled fresh-caught prawns and casual sharing platters for larger parties, alongside a selection of succulent mains: charcoal-grilled burgers, smoked chicken quesadillas, and seared fish tacos. Those with a sweet tooth will also look forward to Bar.Yard's indulging desserts, the decadent Brownie Block Party and Fire & Ice S'Mores, and the crisp and sweet Apple Hand Pies.

Music is the soul of Bar.Yard and a curated playlist has been designed specifically for the venue. Patrons can expect an exciting lineup of local and international DJs, playing everything from neo-soul and electro-funk to contemporary hip hop and disco. Kimpton Off The Record, the brand's global live music series, will also be launched with a local twist in the coming months.

Bar.Yard is open from 4pm until midnight, every Thursday to Sunday. Reservations can be made at +66 (0)2 056 9999 or via email at taste.kimptonmaalai@ihg.com. For more information, visit www.kimptonmaalaibangkok.com/bangkok-restaurants/bar-yard.

IHG has a long-standing commitment to rigorous cleaning procedures at all its hotels worldwide. This is being extended with additional COVID-19 protocols and best practices, in partnership with industry leading expert Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey, as well as introducing the IHG Clean Promise. For more information, please visit https://www.ihg.com/clean. 

About KIMPTON® MAA-LAI BANGKOK

Marking the debut for the brand in Southeast Asia, the Kimpton^® Maa-Lai Bangkok takes its name from the traditional flower garland presented as a token of welcome, good health and respect to guests and loved ones. The hotel will feature 362 rooms, including 131 serviced residences, and is slated to open in October 2020. Nestled in the heart of the Langsuan area, the hotel sits beside Lumpini Park, one of the largest parks in the city. Guests can look forward to two restaurants with the signature Kimpton flair, Stock Room and Ms. Jigger, and two bars, CRAFT and Bar.Yard, a rooftop bar

ABOUT KIMPTON® HOTELS & RESTAURANTS

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is the original boutique hotel company, which pioneered the concept of unique, distinctive, design-forward hotels in the United States in 1981. Anchored in one-of-a-kind experiences, Kimpton now operates more than 66 hotels and 80 restaurants, bars and lounges across urban locations, resort destinations and up and coming markets in the United States, Europe, Caribbean and Greater China. Kimpton spaces and experiences centre on its guests, offering inspiring design that evokes curiosity to forward-thinking flavours that feed the soul. Every detail is thoughtfully curated and artfully delivered, so that guest experiences remain meaningful, unscripted and ridiculously personal.

Kimpton's employees, empowered to provide heartfelt service and experiences, have built a highly regarded workplace culture that appears consistently on FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list.

In January 2015, Kimpton became part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) family of hotel brands. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com.   

Notes to Editors:

IHG^® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton^® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo^®, EVEN^® Hotels, HUALUXE^® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts, voco™, Holiday Inn^® Hotels & Resorts , Holiday Inn Express^®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations^®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites^®, Atwell Suites™, and Candlewood Suites^®.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,900 hotels and approximately 884,000 guest rooms in more than 100 countries, with over 1,900 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG^® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 400,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

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