ITP group editor - hospitality Louise Oakley ITP group editor - hospitality Louise Oakley

Last month, I lamented the service weaknesses in our industry. Online and via email, many of you empathised with this viewpoint and this month, I am pleased to report some entirely positive experiences.

However, I had to travel to Singapore to find them. I had the fortunate experience of staying at the world’s most expensive hotel complex, Marina Bay Sands (MBS). I was not being hosted by the hotel but was part of a group attending the Singapore International Furniture Fair and The Hospitality Show (more on that next month).

The hotel is an enormous US $5.7 billion development by Las Vegas Sands Corp: it has three 55-storey towers with 2561 keys, a 1.3 million ft² convention centre, 800,000ft² of retail and F&B space, 60 dining options, the Sands Skypark on the 57th floor featuring an infinity-edged pool, theatres, museums, nightclubs and a casino. It’s a whopper. Upon entering and seeing hoards of tourists exploring the destination, my immediate concern was ‘wow…but what will the service be like?’.

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I needn’t have worried: from the receptionist to bellman and room service to housekeeping staff, the attention I received was second to none; the restaurant service I experienced was faultless and friendly, and at a gala dinner for close to 1000 people, the banqueting team moved like clockwork.

I left a note in my room asking for my favourite TWG tea to be replenished and was left ample sachets; the bellman noted that I was travelling alone and explained the types of taxis I should use; while the room service attendant took the time to explain the ingredients in my hokkien mee (and recommended the hotel’s 24-hour food court as a cheaper alternative!).

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