Jen Orchard Gateway where friendly robots roam the hallways
Roof top pool, Jen Hotel, Singapore
LOCATION
Singapore, Singapore
RATING
4 Stars
TREND
Technology & Automation
MAPPING
Hospitality, Food & Beverage, Front Office
In Singapore I stayed in three different hotels over three nights. Each hotel had a different feature or characteristic that I was keen to investigate. I chose hotel Jen to take a look at their use of technology and so I could meet JEN, JENO and JENI; their hotel service robots. The hotel promotes their use of robots within the hotel so I was keen to see what this involved. As it turned out Singapore seems to be embracing the use of robots. The Marina Bay Parkroyal Collection hotel had a room service robot, and Changi Airport had security and cleaning robots. I'm sure we will see this trend in Australia as their ability and practicality improves.
JEN ORCHARD GATEWAY HOTEL SINGAPORE
277 Orchard Road
Singapore, 238858
Phone: +65 6708 8888
Hotel Jen is located in the busy shopping district on Orchard Road. In fact; it sits directly above the Orchard Gateway shopping centre. However, the entrance can be found one street back in Somerset Road. A concierge desk and baggage storage area is located on the ground floor and there is an elevator that takes me up to level ten where I find the lobby & reception desk. It's here I notice the first evidence of the hotels use of technology. Two automated check in kiosks are located on the left after exiting the elevator. These kiosks also enable guests to check in and collect their key card quickly without waiting at the desk. Certainly a time saver, but as an old fashioned hospitality person, I still think it's nice to be welcomed by the staff at the desk.... as if you are a guest.
JEN on a job gliding through the lobby.
Delivery complete!
A docking station for robots; just like an automated home vacuum cleaner was situated in the lobby, so it was quite easy to view the robots. They sat patiently until required for a job. In my room there was information on how to organise a robot delivery. A simple product selection was available; I could choose from items such as cookies or chocolates. Obviously I ordered chocolates ..... twice......maybe three times.
Once the order was placed, I waited for the door bell to ring. After about 20 minutes I opened the door to be greeted by JEN. There was a greeting message on JEN'S screen, then her lid pops open to reveal a small compartment and my box of chocolates. A new message appears on her screen asking me to take my item. With the job done; Jeni closed her lid, turned around and slowly made her way back to elevator and down to the lobby! A very cool experience!
JEN IS DELIVERING my chocolates
It was common to see the robots navigate their way around the hotel. It was quite fascinating to see them working independently. They have a luminescent glow that creates a bright halo around them as they slowly glide through the lobby. It's incredible to think they do not bump into anything, they call and get into the elevators, they get off that the right floor and they roll down corridors right up to the door. For a first timer it was fun to watch.
Dining at Makan
Makan; the main casual dining restaurant was located on level ten close to the lobby. I was able to try the buffet breakfast here. As expected the buffet presented all the traditional western style breakfast favourites such as juice, fruit, cereal, yoghurt, toast, pastries, bacon and eggs. However, they also had an extensive selection of Singaporean, and Indian dishes. It was impossible to try everything. There were dishes such as congee, nasi goreng, dhall curry, roti, noodles, steamed buns, dumplings, sushi, miso... the variety was vast and accommodated everyone's taste. The table settings were simple; consisting of a place mat, sugar, salt & pepper and a number. This helped to accommodate a fast table turnover. Coffee such as flat white and cappuccino were available, but only through an automated machine.
The variety of food was extensive and included specialities from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and India. The dishes were presented and kept hot in cast iron casserole dishes.
High risk foods were cleverly presented in a glass cabinet which acted as refrigeration and a sneeze guard. It had a drawer action so guests could select their choice.
The breakfast selection was varied and provided so many options, even doughnuts were on offer. I thought this presentation stand was quite different & innovative.
Breakfast crowd metRE
This clever but simple innovation was located on the Makan reception counter at the entrance to the restaurant. It gave a clear indication to diners when the busy and quieter periods were. Perfect for guests planning their day and making sure they are not stuck in a queue in the 9am rush.
It's nice to see that some simple pleasures such as a sign can be impactful and does not require some form of screen or device to give us information. This sign does not need to be recharged.
Rooftop Bar - Baywatch @ JEN
The most impressive feature of the hotel is the roof top pool and bar area. Located on level 19, it has panoramic views across the Singapore city skyline and Marina Bay Sands hotel. The long rectangle pool is ideal for those who like to swim laps, however the pool itself is divided in half creating a safe and shallower end for children. For those who love lounging there are ample pool lounges for soaking up the sun as well as some cabanas that provide a little more privacy and shelter. Adjacent to the pool is the gym that is equipped with treadmills, resistance machines and weights.
POOL BAR: BAYWATCH @ JEN
The pool bar was well attended to by friendly staff even for an overcast day The bar was fully stocked and provided towels, food and beverage service. Guests could order burgers, fries, cocktails and standard staples we have come to expect from a pool bar. There are a number of tables located around level 19 with QR codes so any orders can be made direct through the app.
Where the QR code takes you
ORDER
The QR code is linked to the table no. for identification and ease of delivery. The guest can simply order their choice from the food & beverage lists, sadly there is less human interaction.
PROMOTIONS
Guest could also stay informed of upcoming in house
specials, events and book direct from the app
Stephen's Take
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!
Jen Orchard Gateway Hotel Website
Article and all photos original by Stephen Duncan