Imagine living the festival experience like that of Glastonbury, Wilderness and Cornbury, while staying in comfort at the heart of the event?
UK’s famous The Pop-Up Hotel, already well established in the British festival scene aims to do just that, and has recently opened its doors to a European audience!
As well as quality accommodation, The Pop-Up Hotel also organises VIP areas, relax zones and meeting points, all laid out in their own inimitable style.
Here’s the director of The Pop-Up Hotel Italy – Mick Cozzolino, telling us how he and his team are able to deliver a whole new festival experience.
T.H.E – Hey Mick! Thanks for taking the time out for this interview. How’s it going, what have you been upto?
Mick Cozzolino – I am great, thanks! We have been running, this project is moving fast!
T.H.E – You are the director of an incredible new and interesting concept – The Pop-Up hotel Italy, in the festival circuit. For readers who might not be familiar with it, what can you tell us about it?
Mick Cozzolino – Sure. The Pop up hotel Italy is not new, it has been a festival favourite in the UK now for about 5 years, but the concept is new to Italy. We create beautiful and unique Rooms for up to 4 people at festivals across Italy for 2017. The locations are often spectacular and our room accommodation includes breakfast in our super chill-out tent.
T.H.E – How did you find the inspiration for such a concept? Like did it stem from your personal experiences at festivals? What sort of problems do you feel, this helps fans attending such festivals, in solving?
Mick Cozzolino – The inspiration comes from Italy as a country – all those incredible locations, that great weather and its love of music! We thought it was the perfect time and perfect place to add such cool, zero impact, accommodation within touching distance of villas, castles and other amazing festival locations. Our Pop Up Rooms allow fans to feel loved and to spend a few days in comfort and style, all within a few yards of the music!
T.H.E – To give some context, what is the process like, right from receiving a brief, to offering a proposal? How do you factor for mobility, the environment etc.?
Mick Cozzolino – Well, the main thing is to be sure to work with the festival. The Italian festival scene is growing but it is not as developed as, say, that of the UK or Croatia. I feel we have hit a trend and we are building along with them so the negotiation process is longer than usual as each case is unique. Along with the overall look and style, the minimal environmental impact of our tents is often a deciding factor as we try really hard to keep this a priority. Mobility is resolved with practice and we are getting better every time!
T.H.E – The Pop-Up Hotel has very well been established in the UK. How has the response been?
Mick Cozzolino – Nothing short of phenomenal! Our UK offer is superb and keeps getting stronger each year with more and more people looking to have that special, comfortable festival experience.
T.H.E – This year, sees you guys expand to the European market, with tie-ups at the Home Festival in Treviso, Venice and at the Terraforma festival in Milan. How did these come about?
Mick Cozzolino – These came about in a very organic way, I’m happy to say! There is a great respect for The Pop Up Hotel Italy and our offer among Italian festival organisers, most are young, smart new generation Italians who think in global terms so we have been able to find our way simply by visiting them and rolling out a plan together. It is as much their project as ours and this, I think, has been the biggest success of all.
T.H.E – What was the thinking behind expanding into the Italian market? What are the next set of opportunities, we can foresee the Pop-up Hotel expanding into?
Mick Cozzolino – The thinking behind it actually came from the tent, not the festival! I live in Italy and come from a camping background. For some years now I have been keen to take the luxury, Glamping, tent, out of the confines of a campsite – to make it less stationary, more flexible. Festivals were a good place to start and the Pop Up Hotel UK were the perfect partners!
T.H.E – If you have to list 5 festivals, to set up the Pop-up Hotel, which ones would it be and why?
Mick Cozzolino – First would be Terraforma because we have just finished there and it was awesome! Those guys really are going places, they are so smart and creative and the location – in the grounds of a beautiful villa in Milan – is just perfect. Home Festival is a really important one for us as it is big, mainstream and just a stone’s throw from Venice, our favourite city! We are debuting in Cuneo this year at the Balla coi Cinghiali (dancing with wild boar!) festival which I am both intrigued and excited about – it is also held next to a lake in an old fort which sounds amazing. Also, some non-italian locations would be good for us as we are really central to just about every country in southern Europe… If I had to choose? Probably Zsiget in Hungary and Primavera Sound in Barcelona would be up there!
T.H.E – For any organizer who wishes to establish the Pop-Up Hotel, at their festival/event, what are the 5 things they can look forward to?
Mick Cozzolino – Great service, cool product, unique interiors, comfort and happiness!
T.H.E – Thanks Mick! And wish you the very best.
Mick Cozzolino – It was great, come stay with us soon.
For more information on The Pop-Up Hotel, click here.
