Rooftop bars have boomed in popularity over the last several years. These sky-high spaces attract customers in urban areas where outdoor space is limited as well as those who seek out unique and shareable experiences. However, the logistics of operating a popular, publicly accessible space on top of a building full of hotel guests are much more involved than a typical street-level F&B outlet. What’s more, rooftops are subject to swings in the weather and harsher conditions than even ground-level patios or lower-level terraces.

What can hotels do to use this space when the weather’s not so nice?

Consider some kind of shade or shelter that’s potentially and ideally retractable. Add a retractable awning. This is possibly the most important aspect of upgrading your outdoor restaurant space. Make dining outside comfortable no matter what the weather may be. On a nice day, you want to be in the nice day. Putting the effort and the money into something that has the ability to be used as shaded shelter goes a long way in any climate, whether it’s super cold out or super-hot out or always rainy. Having the ability to adjust with the weather is really important as well. You can maintain consistency in terms of your hours of operation. On a rainy day, guests will go hang out on the rooftop if they know it has a cover. It allows the guest to have an expectation of it being open no matter what the weather is. Also, some kind of permanent structure or structured canopy allows you to put in heating vents or radiant heaters which are also a huge push in terms of keeping people out there in the colder evenings.

Restaurants and bars throughout the nation are finally taking note of the value of an awesome, comfortable, unique outdoor space.