• by Thom Forbes  @tforbes, May 20, 2019

Gastronomes whose tastes run toward Soft Tacos and Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla will apparently be in for a real treat this summer, when a pop-up Taco Bell hotel opens for five nights in Palm Springs, Calif. “Pack your swimsuit, mark your calendars and start the countdown, because The Bell is about to make all of your taco dreams come true,” the brand entices.

“The fast-food chain says online reservations will open in June for anyone age 18 or older to book a stay, starting on August 9, at a currently unspecified resort in Palm Springs, which will be transformed into ‘The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort,’” reports  Loyd Price for WNCT in Greenville, NC.

“Taco Bell says the hotel and resort will feature ‘Bell hops and Baja Blasts, Fire Sauce and Sauce Packet floaties, exclusive Taco Bell menu items,’ gift shops selling special Taco Bell clothing, a hair and nail shop to give superfans unique hairstyles and nail treatments, and ‘plenty of surprises’ for guests,” Price adds.

And “Taco Bell fans are drooling about” it, according to  a report on WCMH in Columbus, Ohio, citing an NBC story. “‘Oh man, I love the food. Personally, for me, I like the beefy Frito burritos and then you add the jalapeños to it,’ said Manuel Martinez Chavez, a Taco Bell fan. ‘For health reasons, we cut back on it but we still indulge.’”

“Taco Bell corporate could not confirm, but multiple local sources, including a board member of the Palm Springs Hospitality Association, says it will be here at the V hotel  in Palm Springs,” says NBC Palms Springs reporter Lauren Day in an embedded video.

Wherever it turns out to be, it’s surely “Nacho Average Hotel” reads a teaser atop The Week’s story. 

“It will be a pop-up hotel, fully embracing all things Taco Bell -- everything from the poolside cocktails to the guest rooms to the gift shop and on-site salon will make you think you died and went to chalupa heaven,” writes Catherine Garcia.

“The news didn't just shock fans of Taco Bell -- it also caught Palm Springs officials off guard. Assistant city manager Marcus Fuller told The Desert Sun that ‘at this point, we're as surprised as everyone else,’ and revealed that after calling up Taco Bell’s parent company, he was told only that more information would be disclosed at later dates," Garcia continues.

“Taco Bell’s Chief Brand Officer Marisa Thalberg said that the idea for a Taco Bell-themed hotel is meant to be playful and fun, but the brand sincerely intends for it to be an ‘unparalleled experience,’ and opted to house the Bell in a fully operational hotel,” writes Amelia Lucas for CNBC.

“‘I have often quipped that Taco Bell is the fast fashion of food. We have our everyday classics, but then we’re always introducing these cool limited-edition experiences to do something new and different,’ Thalberg said in an interview,” Lucas continues.

“Stunts like this one give fast food chains a chance to set themselves apart in a crowded market, where value meals may not be enough. Ideally, they raise brand awareness and create buzz around the brand on social channels,” writes Danielle Wiener-Bronner for CNN Business.

“Domino's promised to help cities pave their potholes. For Mother's Day, KFC let customers create a custom video for mom -- featuring shirtless ‘Chickendales’ dancers. Arby’s offered customers a 24-hour-long Hawaiian vacation for $6. Hoegaarden, the Belgian beer brand owned by Anheuser-Busch (BUD), raffled off a spring break trip to Belgium. The list goes on.”

Matt Prince, senior manager of public relations and brand experience at Taco Bell, tells Wiener-Bronner these kind of promotions can give consumers a reason to “think of us as a cool and innovative brand,” calling it a way “to ensure that Taco Bell has a really special place in culture.”

Not that it doesn’t already, apparently.

“Hopefully, they’ll also have the brand’s own beer  on tap because we are personally praying for a Taco Bell Bar, too,” writes Chase McPeak for The Manual.

“Taco Bell has nibbled at the entertainment and travel worlds before, even hosting parties  and weddings for Chalupa-obsessed fans,” The Daily Meal’s Gael Fashingbauer Cooper writes. 

“Fans responding to a Taco Bell tweet about the resort were ready to pack their bags,” Cooper reports. “‘How much does it cost to live here forever?’ wrote  one Twitter user.”

CORRECTION: An earlier headline for this story stated that Taco Bell would reveal more information on June 21, based on a quote in the Desert News that was subsequently changed.