Premier Inn ridiculed for 'signature' drink to rival a Martini

Budget chain Premier Inn has got in on a long-standing hotel act by launching its very own signature cocktail – which it claims is as good as New York's famous martini.

Now available from most Premier Inns and priced at £12, The Dream Catcher, a short vodka-based drink is an 'enchanting' purple and designed to evoke the 'otherworldly realm' of dreams.

It comes topped with a vegan foam to represent clouds and three edible stars. It tastes mainly like parma violet sweets.

While Premier Inn has made 'hotel history' by joining an iconic line up of hotels famous for their signature drinks, the best mixologists in the industry suggest think it might be too bold to compare it to the Ritz's Mimosa or the Savoy's White Lady cocktails.

Ryan Chetiyawardana, owner of cocktail bars Lyaness and Mr Lyan in London, which have both previously been crowned the best bar in the world, says it sounds 'divisive'.

'Any violet flavour is divisive,' he explains. 'You don't need very much at all to make a drink taste like soap and while there's a little bit of nostalgia to it for some people but for most, it's not a flavour that resonates with most drinkers'.

He is however, 'excited' by the idea that Premier Inn have launched a signature cocktail. 'We've always wanted cocktails to be seen as inclusive and in the same way you wouldn't want to eat fine-dining food every night, sometimes you want a more casual cocktail in a very different space to a high-end bar.'

To cater for a huge market, the Dream Catcher comes pre-bottled and is mixed with ice and garnished behind the bar. It has been designed by Pritish Mody, who has worked in UK drinks development for years, and says that 'along with their famously comfortable pillows and irresistible breakfasts, The Dream Catcher provides an exciting new reason for guests to choose a stay at Premier Inn!'

Yet industry professionals suggest that the man behind the drink has never really worked in bars while others say the drink sounds 'disgusting'.

Hamish Smith, the editor of go-to cocktail publication Class Magazine, suggests with his own reaction that the news may be met with much laughter.

'Rivalling the martini is a big claim,' he says. 'We're seeing a broadening of the cocktail, so even entry-level hotels are boosting their offerings but I would worry about any drink that was designed to meet the specification of 'purple',' he said.

'It sounds disgusting, but the good news for them is that all food and drink is subjective, and the customer can think whatever they want. Maybe they will think it tastes as good as an iconic martini from one of the best hotels in the world.'

One customer at a Premier Inn in Glasgow was equally bemused by the fact the hotel had a signature drink. 'What's that, Tennent's lager?' he asked. 

At a nearby bar, one man said Premier Inn was the 'last place he'd take a lady for cocktails.' 

'Even if I was staying at one and wanted a drink in the bar, fair enough, but would I ask for their 'signature cocktail' – you've got to be joking?'