It used to be enough: Open a bar. Open a restaurant. Buy a beloved pub and slap on a new coat of paint. In 2025, though, venues are likelier than ever to do more.

Be they bars or boutique hotels, there's a good chance your city or town's hottest spot dabbles in a vast roster of programming. That it pushes the envelope. That it veers toward the more experimental, the more community-minded, with poetry readings, guest chefs, wellness experiences, and all-night dance parties. 

If sundry cultural programming is the trend, then Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak, Bali, may well be the blueprint. And it's been leading from the front since 2010.

More creative village than accommodation, its carbon-neutral campus comprises a five-star hotel, beach club, recording studio, gallery, day spa, listening lounge, co-working centre, streaming station and six restaurants. Potato Head's “club” overlooks the ocean and draws talent to Bali from around the globe, with venue takeovers by experimental artists, multimedia curators and acclaimed producers – while keeping a keen focus on the island's culture, youth, and its regeneration.

Potato Head, Masters of:

01. Market creation

Akili was ahead of the curve in spying the lack of creative and cultural F&B venues in Bali. So, he spearheaded this mixed-use arts and lifestyle precinct that put the island on the map for certain types of discerning travellers.

02. Talent curation

Any successful project of this scale needs the right mix of collaborators, employed and deployed at the right time. Potato Head’s black book helps them connect the dots, allowing for programming that showcases international talent across broad interest sectors.

03. The high road

There remains a perception of Bali as being destroyed by waves of Bintang-fuelled Australian tourists. That may be for good reason, but Potato Head has been proving that Indonesia can hold its own as a destination for contemporary culture.

Follow Potato Head Beach Club on Instagram to stay on top of their program.

This Trend Alert is excerpted from the A+ Future Trends Report 2024–25, a holistic deep-dive into what we know will impact hospitality operators in coming years. Learn how you can gain access to the full report here.