To scent a cocktail bar or nightclub you need to size above the square metres, because the crowd, the heat and the extraction dissipate the scent. Fragrance goes in the entrance, cloakroom and VIP area; toilets get a neutraliser in short cycles all night. Full-bodied woody or oriental profiles work.
Nightlife is the most demanding setting for a scenting device: lots of people in little space, heat, humidity and air that is constantly renewed. What works in a shop falls short here.
Capacity changes everything
An empty venue and the same venue with two hundred people inside have nothing in common in olfactory terms. The human body generates odour, heat and humidity, and the extraction works at full capacity. That is why it pays to size above what the square metres would suggest.
Rule of thumb: in nightlife, go up at least one coverage level compared with what you would choose for a restaurant of the same size.
| Venue area | Restaurant | Nightlife |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 100 m² | LUME (100 m²) | FLOW (120 m²) |
| 100 to 300 m² | FLOW or two devices | ORBIT or ATMOS (600 m²) |
| 300 to 600 m² | ORBIT or ATMOS | HALO (800 m²) or WAVE (875 m²) |
| Over 600 m² | HALO or WAVE | NOVA (1,600 m²) |
This is a guide. Ceiling height and extraction power weigh heavily. If the venue has ducted air conditioning, ATMOS and HALO connect to it and distribute better.
Critical zones
- Entrance and cloakroom. This is the first impression and the zone with fewest people, so the scent is perceived well.
- Toilets. The point that generates the most negative comments in this sector. Neutraliser, not fragrance, in short cycles all night. Cotton Fresh is designed for WC, smoke and sweat.
- VIP area. Here a more marked profile does fit, because it is part of what guests are paying for.
- Dance floor. Little room for manoeuvre: air movement is enormous. Better to invest the effort in the other zones.
Profiles that hold up
With heat and crowds, light profiles disappear. Full-bodied woody, oriental and intense sweet scents work better here, as they keep their presence. It is one of the few settings where a powerful profile is justified. You will find the families in fragrances, and a guide to woody scents in woody scents for businesses.
If the venue has its own identity, the scent can become part of the brand. Being recognised by a returning customer is what many nightlife venues are after.
Schedules
- Strong start one hour before opening, with the venue empty, to prepare the room.
- Continuous operation during service, with more intensity at peak capacity hours.
- Toilets: short, constant cycles all night.
- Stop at closing. Scenting an empty venue in the early hours is wasting product.
What needs to be sorted
Extraction in the toilets, frequent emptying of bins and cleaning floors with a product that does not leave its own smell. Scenting in nightlife works very well, but on a clean base. It is also advisable to secure devices in transit areas with an anti-theft kit.
How much it costs
With the scenting subscription, from €29.90 per month + VAT per device, with fragrance included every month and no minimum term. Larger devices consume more (a HALO uses about 350 ml per month), and the subscription price depends on the model you need. More information in scenting for bars.
Tell us your capacity, square metres and zones at info@bendis.es and we will tell you which devices you need. You can see the full range in the diffuser catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
Is the scent noticeable with a full dance floor?
On the dance floor, not much. Where it is noticeable is at the entrance, the bar, the VIP area and the toilets. That is why the effort is concentrated there.
Does the scent interfere with smoke machines?
It should not, but do not place the diffuser next to the machine's outlet. Each does its job separately.
What do I do about the smell of spilled alcohol?
Cleaning at closing and a neutraliser at the bar if the smell persists the next day. A fragrance on top only mixes with it.
