Describe Your Perfect Hookah Lounge Experience

[monster]

Hey guys. I know I don't post here as much as I should (and I'm sorry), but I've decided to go in another direction with business and I've been asked to start consulting for bars and lounges that want to set up hookah. I'm sure all of you know as well as I do that hookah is experiencing incredible growth throughout the country, and many bars and lounge clubs are adding it to their menus.

Unfortunately, most of them don't know what the hell they're doing. So I'll be either sprucing up what they have already, or helping them set up everything perfectly from the beginning.

I'm no novice to hookah but I'm pretty confident that there are many of you out there who know heaps and gobs more than I do. If you'd like to help me out, list some of the pros and cons of your hookah lounge experiences, maybe what you'd like to see improved in some of them. Anything you can think of, from flavors to hookah styles/quality/brand to service to .. anything! I know that a lot of places don't offer cold or ice hookah, how do you feel about that?

When you go to a hookah lounge, what is it that you like and what don't you like?

It may seem like I'm asking you to do your job for me, but I'm rather just doing a bit of preliminary research to find out what the real hookah smokers like. This is the only forum that I've consistently read that seems to have a group of talented individuals who look like they can set up hookah well on a decent basis. One of the main gripes I see at hookah bars or lounges is that they don't set them up as well as an experienced individual could.

Thanks! Edited April 24, 2008 by monster

[Tati]

I like going to lounges.
I can hang out with friends, play games, smoke and drink as much as i want. And not worry about my roommates complaining.
Not worry about cleaning up or setting up.
Yeah, it is expensive, but if you share it with a couple of friends, its all good.

[cheezerman]

I really enjoy the lounge experience, even though I much prefer smoking at home, out of my own hookahs.

One thing I really dislike is not being able to adjust the coals (they generally do not allow it). If the coals need adjusting, I have to get up and hassle an employee.

At the lounge I prefer to go to, it generally costs around 20 bucks for 4-5 people for a bowl (2 hours or so). I don't know many activites where 5 people can entertain themselves, while being "out" for 20 bucks.

A relaxing atmosphere is of course a must, imo. The lounge I enjoy has a "NHT user" feel to it. Even though I have never and will never use NHT, I enjoy the feel of the atmosphere such people enjoy.

[bassman65]

I like when there are nooks to sit in so you feel more isolated from all the other customers
I don't like blasting club music, just relaxing music
I like couches

[r1v3th3ad]

When I go, I like decent prices, good music(but a choice to listen to, not whatever the employee feels like playing), maybe a movie or something, and the atmosphere...art, or posters and blacklights or something

[bjelder]

very chill atmosphere is what i'm going after

the lounge here is thumping music, laser lights, big projector screen with music videos playing on it

thats a 'cool' atmosphere but it can be sensory overload, ya know?

alos this is just me but i can't stand sharing a couch or even a 'space' if you will with other strangers. just weirds me out. so definitely have the option for private rooms (door can just be a curtain).

play chill music, nothing to shatter your ear drums

[mushrat]

Smart man. I used the forum for the exact same reason when I opened Hookah Bliss. And I followed a lot of what I was told here and it's working out quite nicely.

Going into an existing business is going to be interesting. Are you going to integrate into their payment system? Make sure you keep close tabs on the type and number of hookahs you pack to make sure they are crediting you with the proper amount of money you have coming to you.

I assume you have checked the laws concerning smoking in say a restaurant if the place you work out of serves food. Not to mention the indoor smoking laws in general.

If you are going into an existing place, you won't really have any control over such things as Music, seating type and arrangement, and what is being served in terms of food and drink will you? Or will you be getting a chunk of seating of your own?

As for advice, don't use quicklights. Use Finger coals or natural disks, or coco-nara's or something. People can taste the difference, even if they don't know that's what they are doing, and will say "this tastes so much better than when we do it ourselves." usually because they DO use QL's. You want them thinking the only way they can get a real good smoke is at your place. (though i give out a lot of advice on getting better experiences out of people's home sessions.)
With the non-ql's you also get to mingle and talk to people while you recoal. People really enjoy a place where the employees or even better the owner, comes around every so often and exchanges a few words. Make people feel well cared for.

Don't make the Menu too big, well, give it plenty of variety, 3-4 brands, a few flavours each. People like to see variety. Even if they end up finding a favorite brand and flavour that they smoke 9/10 times, people are impressed by a wide selection. And change it regularly. I have a lot of people who coem in and the first thing they ask is "What's new?" I have a flavour of the month that is always something different. It's a good test method as well. If the flavour of the month goes over well, add it to the menu. If people don't like it, let it go away and never come back, but add something new every month or two. And get rid of the slow sellers.

Just a few things that come to mind. Hope that helps.

[staygone]

I go for the gyros, I like setting up my own hookah compared to the lounges in my area.

-QM