The Central Europe Hospitality Expo (CEHE) is the new name for Bratislava’s flagship bar show, as the team behind Mirror Hospitality Expo rebrands after four years and sets its sights on the wider region. The 2027 flagship event returns to the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel on May 3-4, 2027, with the citywide Cocktail City guest shift series running from May 2-5, 2027.
Why Mirror Hospitality Expo Became the Central Europe Hospitality Expo
The rebrand is more than a name change. After four years of bringing hospitality culture to Slovakia, the organizers are positioning CEHE as a regional platform, one designed to connect Central European hospitality with the global bar scene through a network of local leaders in neighboring markets.
“Rebranding to the Central Europe Hospitality Expo represents a natural maturation of what we started four years ago,” says co-founder Stanislav Harciník. “True regional impact requires direct collaboration with the leaders who shape their local communities every day. By bringing on regional ambassadors and expanding our international team, CEHE will serve as the definitive bridge connecting Central European hospitality with the global bar scene.”
New Ownership and a Global Lead
Alongside the new name comes a new ownership structure. Original founders Stanislav Harciník, Peter Marcina, and Adrián Chrzan have officially become full co-owners together with long-time venue partner Carlton Property, the company behind the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel and Mirror Bar. The move keeps the people who built the event from the ground up at the helm for the long haul.
To steer the expo’s growing international presence, well-known hospitality figure Danil Nevsky has joined the leadership team as Global Lead. Working alongside the founders, Nevsky will draw on his industry experience to guide the platform into wider international waters and support its global outreach.
A Regional Board Built from the Bar Community
CEHE is also establishing a dedicated regional board made up of local venue owners and industry leaders who will help shape the event’s focus and connect with teams across neighboring markets. Pavel Sochor of Alma Prague represents the Czech Republic, while Maciej Mazur and Alicja Baczyk-Mazur of TAG Krakow cover Poland. Kostas Karvounis of Dunlin Bar joins for Austria, and Máté Szabó of Elysian for Hungary. Rounding out the board with a wider CEE and international remit are Alia Akkam and Arina Nikolskaya of SHIFT Project.
First Wave of 2027 Guest Bars
While the full lineup remains under wraps, organizers have shared an initial preview of the international bars coming to Bratislava. Listed alphabetically, the first wave features Ba Nomu (Germany), Danico (France), Himkok (Oslo), Hope & Sesame (China), Laowai (Canada), Moebius (Italy), Scarfes Bar (London), Smoke & Bitters (Sri Lanka), Otro Bar (Costa Rica), and Tokyo Confidential (Japan).
As always, the expo stays anchored to its four core pillars: Connect, Educate, Taste, and Discover, delivered through seminars, tasting markets, masterclasses, and citywide guest shifts.
Dates, Venue, and How to Follow
The main expo runs May 3-4, 2027 at the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel in Bratislava, with Cocktail City guest shifts taking over partner cocktail bars and pop-ups across the city from May 2 to May 5. Updates on programming and the full bar lineup will roll out via the official CEHE website and the event’s Instagram, @ce_hospitalityexpo.
With co-owners, regional ambassadors, and a first wave of guest bars spanning Prague, Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, and Bratislava, the organizers are making their intent clear: CEHE is being built as a bridge between Central European hospitality and the global bar scene, not a single-city showcase.
