Hotel Check In - Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection, Singapore
Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection, Singapore
LOCATION
Singapore, Singapore
RATING
5 Stars
TREND
Technology
MAPPING
Hospitality, Food & Beverage
The Singapore Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection hotel is part of a select group of hotels within Pan Pacific Hotels. These hotels are based in Singapore and Malaysia, and are also members of GHA, the Global Hotel Alliance Loyalty program.
I chose to stay at this hotel because it is well known for its green credentials. This was the first hotel I have visited that had taken serious steps to reduce their carbon emissions. You can read more about the Marina Bar Parkroyal Collection sustainability initiatives here.
So, let’s “check in” and take a look around this surprising hotel
The hotel has 583 guest rooms with balconies that offer views over marina bay or the city.
The concierge team is
positioned in front of an impressive and lush “green” wall located on the
ground floor. The welcoming and friendly team greet guests, attend to luggage
and direct them to the elevators. This space was simple, there was ample space
for porters to manage group luggage and there was a small lounge at the rear providing
a comfortable quiet zone for guests to wait for tours and transport.
It’s not until you step
out of the elevators at the lobby level that you see the grandeur of this hotel
and its spectacular atrium.
An elevated walkway leads guests directly from the elevators to the reception, and from the walkway, trees and plants can be seen through to the ground floor below.
The reception area is curved and lined with natural timbers and back light creates a warm ambience in the area. The reception also had stand-up and sit-down check in, so staff could adapt their check in for guests in wheel chairs. There is also dedicated check in for GHA members.
The hotel offers king
and twin-bedded rooms with views over the city or marina bay. Some city view
rooms overlook Raffles Avenue. These rooms create an opportunity for the hotel to
increase their average room rate during Singapore’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, as
they have a direct view of the race track.
Accommodation rooms
The hotel offers a range of twin, king, club rooms and suites over 21 floors.
I was assigned a twin room with a view of the Singapore Skyline. Large glass sliding doors opened onto a slim standing room only balcony, but this provided fresh air and greater sense of grandness to the room.
The room was spacious and provided all the features
expected such as WIFI, Smart TV, Air Con, complimentary water and plenty of
space for luggage. The bed was really comfortable and there was a choice of
pillow. The hotel was also on trend by choosing not to lay carpet, a timber
lookalike vinyl flooring created a cool and comfortable feel in a city that tends
to have a consistent warm climate.
The tiled and marble
bathroom was luxurious and offered a range of amenities. The shower container
pump bottles for body wash, shampoo and conditioner that eliminated the need
for single use plastic bottles. A unique feature of this bathroom was filtered
water on tap, that allowed guests to refill their in room glass water bottle.
Allow Iris to help you!
On trend right now is the use of QR codes to direct guests to their hotel app. The app would normally display hotel information and provide the opportunity to make bookings for the restaurant or other activities.
Iris is the hotel BOT that was on hand to help
me during my stay. As far as BOTS go; this one appeared to be well thought out
and programmed and was quite intuitive to use.
HELLO IRIS!
IRIS the AI bot is on hand 24 hours a day to answers any questions about the hotel.
HOTEL DINING
Hungry? Locate and book the best option for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
HOTEL ACTIVITIES
All you need to know about hotel activities, location and opening times.
Food and beverage services
Peppermint was home
to the breakfast buffet that was open from 6:30 to 10:30. The buffet was
extensive with a full range of Asian and Western food that met all tastes. Peppermint also served lunch
and dinner 7 days per week. Other dining options were available, Cantonese -Peach
Blossoms, Japanese - Sushi Jiro and Western - Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
The breakfast table
setting in Peppermint was quite simple. It was obvious that this restaurant was
high volume and the table setting reflected this. The simple setting would
assist for a quick reset.
PORTMAN'S BAR
Taking prime position
in the lobby is the bird nest
inspired Portman’s Bar. The unique bar was perched on the edge of a 4 story void to the ground floor. It's fascinating design blended in with natural calm of the lobby,
surrounded by greenery and soothing sounds of songbirds singing. The bar
offered a unique destination for cocktails, wine, coffee or afternoon tea.
Seating for the bar reached throughout around the lobby and acts as a perfect meeting spot
or a place to unwind and relax. In teacher resources below you will find links to menus and beverage lists for Portman's bar.
Hotel Activities
As and older hotel in Singapore, it commanded a larger
footprint and more outdoor space compared to other city hotels. This became clear
when visiting Skyline; the hotel pool bar that was located on level 5 and next to one of
Singapore’s larger hotel pools (25 metres) surrounded by lawn and gardens and adjacent to the Collection Club Lounge.
The hotel is located
close to the city centre and all the attractions that Singapore has to offer.
It is right on Marina Bay and a short walk to the metro that links to the famous
Orchard Road shopping district, and Changi International Airport.
Hotel loyalty program
GHA Discovery is the hotel loyalty program that recognises customer loyalty. Membership provides 10% discount on accommodation, room upgrades, savings on food and beverage, in room amenities (based on an attained status) and discovery dollars that are earned on each stay and can be redeemed on hotel services and experiences.
Stephen's Take
This hotel truly lives by its reputation of a garden in a hotel. Entering the hotel there is a sense of calm and tranquillity. The greenery and natural palette of the interior design draws you into the sense of garden. It is pleasing to see a hotel take steps to maintain a 5 star standard while also challenging the hotel norm. Innovation is evident in this hotel through their sustainability practices, read about their sustainability initiatives to learn more.
Stephen
Unit of Competency Mapping
Please note; the purpose of this article is to introduce current hospitality trends. The content broadly applies to the units of competency listed. It is not intended that all content in this article maps directly to all performance evidence and knowledge evidence in the unit of competency.
Teacher Resources
For further information please take advantage of the following documents and website links!
Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection Website
GHA Discovery Hotel Loyalty Program Website
Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection Factsheet
Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection Peach Blossom Menu
Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection Portman's Bar Menu
Article and photos original by Stephen Duncan