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May 3, 2010
Service unbecoming of an icon
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I REFER to last Friday's letter by Ms Joanna Hoare, 'Singapore Sling at icon of service sours memory', in which she describes the poor service attitudes she encountered on a recent visit to Raffles Hotel.
I empathise with her and would like to add my own experiences.
On Feb 20, my friend and I had a dinner appointment at Raffles Grill. On approaching the hotel door, we noted that only one half-door was open and there were two 'bouncers' standing there. One asked my friend, 'May I help you?', with a tone of voice that implied, 'So where do you think you're going?'
My friend took particular exception to this as it seemed the hotel was only interested in serving Caucasians. On arriving at the Grill, we noticed it was almost empty.
However, the final horror was still to come. At the end of the meal, we were each offered a large pink candy floss more in keeping with the fun fair at Coney Island in New York than a supposed five-star hotel. We saw this as a cheap marketing gimmick if ever there was one.
When the bill came, we noted, as did Ms Hoare, that the cost was extremely high. In our case, more than $500.
In sum, although there were some redeeming points, the overall dining experience and attitude was way below that of earlier days and certainly not befitting of a hotel like Raffles.
I wrote a complaint to the hotel's general manager on Feb 26 as my friend and I were upset by the seemingly racist 'welcome' we received on arrival. A reply - making no reference to this - was sent only two weeks later on March 9. Such in itself suggests lack of interest and importance accorded to guests by a senior employee of the hotel.
I rather wonder whether these attitudes are a reflection of poor service standards in their own right or whether it has anything to do with the fact that Raffles is no longer a Singapore icon, owned - as it is - by foreign interests whose major concern is presumably to see a handsome financial return from the property rather than provide a quality experience for guests.
Dr Peter Hardstone
Donch kar cheow me being served by PRC MMs hor! *hee*hee*
Service unbecoming of an icon
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I REFER to last Friday's letter by Ms Joanna Hoare, 'Singapore Sling at icon of service sours memory', in which she describes the poor service attitudes she encountered on a recent visit to Raffles Hotel.
I empathise with her and would like to add my own experiences.
On Feb 20, my friend and I had a dinner appointment at Raffles Grill. On approaching the hotel door, we noted that only one half-door was open and there were two 'bouncers' standing there. One asked my friend, 'May I help you?', with a tone of voice that implied, 'So where do you think you're going?'
My friend took particular exception to this as it seemed the hotel was only interested in serving Caucasians. On arriving at the Grill, we noticed it was almost empty.
However, the final horror was still to come. At the end of the meal, we were each offered a large pink candy floss more in keeping with the fun fair at Coney Island in New York than a supposed five-star hotel. We saw this as a cheap marketing gimmick if ever there was one.
When the bill came, we noted, as did Ms Hoare, that the cost was extremely high. In our case, more than $500.
In sum, although there were some redeeming points, the overall dining experience and attitude was way below that of earlier days and certainly not befitting of a hotel like Raffles.
I wrote a complaint to the hotel's general manager on Feb 26 as my friend and I were upset by the seemingly racist 'welcome' we received on arrival. A reply - making no reference to this - was sent only two weeks later on March 9. Such in itself suggests lack of interest and importance accorded to guests by a senior employee of the hotel.
I rather wonder whether these attitudes are a reflection of poor service standards in their own right or whether it has anything to do with the fact that Raffles is no longer a Singapore icon, owned - as it is - by foreign interests whose major concern is presumably to see a handsome financial return from the property rather than provide a quality experience for guests.
Dr Peter Hardstone
Donch kar cheow me being served by PRC MMs hor! *hee*hee*
