How do you fix a lackluster lobby bar? “I can tell you in one sentence,” says Mitch Mehr, VP F&B operations for Destination Hotels & Resorts. “Ask the guests what they want.”

In Los Angeles, the Sheraton Universal hotel’s lobby bar was suffering from a case of being just a boring, well, lobby bar. Tucked away out of sight, a little long in the tooth, it was ready for a change, but into what?

The hotel is located at Universal Studios Hollywood, with all the studios at the base of the hills. “I have friends and acquaintances in the entertainment industry who work at the studios,” Mehr explains. “Over the years, they stopped coming here. So I asked them, ‘What would make you come back?’”

Turns out, they wanted to step away from the hustle and bustle. “They wanted to relax, listen to soft music, eat tapas-style small plates, people-watch, and hang out. That was it,” Mehr recalls. And they were united in their call for alcohol. “They all want vodka. [They order] the occasional wine by the glass or beer; otherwise, vodka’s the drink. So that’s what we gave them.”

The concept of a vodka bar is nothing new; its success comes in the details of its execution. “It was a team effort,” Mehr says. “I came up with the concept knowing the demographics, the guests, and the neighborhood. For specialty drinks, we brought in the manager and the bartenders. We brought in the chefs for the garnishes—no lemon wedge and maraschino cherry here. We garnish the Swiss Miss with a chocolate kiss. The Bloody Mary vegetable presentation is beautiful, not just a celery stick. When setting up the back bar, we went right to the bartenders. We told them to go ahead and set it up, find what works, then figure out what will be attractive to guests. It’s necessary to get them involved. They know the guests, and we’re fortunate to have some longtime veterans working in the bar.”

The Sheraton Universal lobby now prominently boasts In the Mix, an Art Deco-inspired vodka oasis with an enticing back bar display of 58 different vodkas. “Chopin, Ultimate, Absolut, Vox, Ketel One—they’re sexy looking bottles. People automatically recognize their brand,” Mehr says. Beyond the standard vodkas, In the Mix features those from around the world, as well as organic, infused, and macerated vodkas. Bartenders pour handcrafted vodka cocktails such as the Ruby Slipper, made with Pearl vodka, pomegranate and orange liqueurs, cranberry juice, and fresh lime. The Red Vixen combines Stoli Strasberi, coconut rum, and pineapple juice.

Guests can relax in semi-private cabanas draped in sheer fabric, in Old Hollywood-inspired chaise lounges, or along the retro elliptical bar that glows in the center of the lobby. There are television screens around the bar and contemporary jazz playing in the background. “Guests love it. It’s comfortable, modern, and alluring,” Mehr posits. “And, most importantly, it’s pulling in the regular after-work industry crowd they were targeting. It’s a five o’clock crowd.”

The bar area is also open during the day to cater to hotel guests. It is grab ‘n’ go with espresso, salads, sandwiches, muffins, and croissants.

Now, in this rough economic storm with hotel occupancy down, bar revenue is up. “No one is doing what we’re doing,” Mehr says. “City- Walk is our biggest competitor. The hotel up the street has a little lobby bar that is more traditional and not as exciting.” More casual dining at CityWalk includes a Howl at the Moon piano bar, a microbrew beer pub, and a Hard Rock Café. “We appeal to a different demographic, with a more clubby atmosphere,” says Mehr.

The kitchen is a floor below, so operational efficiency was a principle concern in creating the bar menu. The menu is more cold than hot, with charcuterie and shrimp ceviche dishes. Traditional bar standards such as pizza sell well, and short rib sliders offer a fun variation. Mehr describes it as “bar food with a twist.” Thick-cut bacon actually stands up in the service vessel, glazed with brown sugar miso and served with cheese fries.

“It’s a lobby bar that we kicked up a notch. You can’t have a wild and crazy concept in the lobby,” Mehr says. “There’s check-in, and people are going to meetings. But In the Mix is now a focal point of the hotel.”

John Paul Boukis helped develop the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s publishing division and is a founding editor of HOTEL F&B. He is based in Tampa.

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