While our luggage and passports are indefinitely tucked away in our storeroom, we turn to our home ground to make the best out of it.
Singapoliday is a portmanteau of two words: Singapore and Holiday, and it literally means going on a holiday in Singapore. Interestingly, this word came about because of the pandemic, which has grounded flights and disrupted the travel, tourism and hospitality industries.
Despite the ongoing pandemic, we see plenty of possibilities and creativity offered locally. The hotel industry is tapping into new opportunities resulted from pandemic but at the same time keeping its ‘WOW’ factor intact for the guests.
Staycation Spotlight: One Farrer Hotel
Located in one of Singapore’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, One Farrer Hotel is a five-star urban resort renowned for its luxury hospitality, the vast collection of contemporary art and award-winning spa program.
For those who lived in the Little India and Farrer Park district, the hotel is only a stone’s throw away from Farrer MRT.
One Farrer Hotel is among the top 20 hotels in Singapore, according to TripAdvisor, and it has been receiving stellar reviews from the guests.
I had a chance to speak to Gilbert Madhavan, General Manager of One Farrer Hotel, to discover how the hotel is redefining luxury hospitality in the Covid-19 era.
How is One Farrer Hotel redefining luxury hospitality in the Covid-19 era?
“The hospitality industry is evolving, and we’ll continue to evolve (based on the current outlook). We conceptualised the refurbishment of One Farrer Hotel upon the onset of COVID-19, taking into consideration all the different concerns guests may have. To reassure our guests, we’ve implemented the highest possible standard of hygiene and cleanliness in all aspects of our service, from the traditional contactless entry points and sanitiser stations to launching the Mint Hotel, as well as ensuring our pillows are clean and well-taken care of with our new Pillow Lab.”
Mint Hotel – A New Concept By One Farrer Hotel
Mint Hotel is a room category that features cutting-edge materials and intelligent design principles. Under the advice of medical professionals from Farrer Park Hospital, all 176 rooms in the Mint Hotel category will come with antiviral wallcoverings, moveable furniture and the use of antimicrobial blind fabrics to allow the guest rooms to be sanitized more thoroughly.
The carpets have also been removed from guestrooms and common areas and replaced with custom gapless vinyl flooring. This does not trap dirt and can be easily cleaned and disinfected. To evoke an openness to the space, earthen tones now adorn the walls, and new mood lighting fixtures have been installed.
It is also important to note that the One Farrer Hotel’s housekeeping team is trained to handle new sanitation technology such as ultraviolet-light technology to disinfect hotel items.
“We identify what the post-pandemic travellers would be looking for in a hotel, this is a long-term strategy to ensure safety and bolster traveller’s confidence,” said Gilbert Madhavan, General Manager of One Farrer Hotel. “But of course, we also have other room concepts that match the guest’s definition of ‘luxury’, like carpets and ornate interior decorations. Mint Hotel is one of the newly introduced concepts that would appeal to the hygiene-conscious group.”
Enhancing the Dining-in Experience in the Age of Safe Distancing
We are already seeing restaurants reconfiguring their physical spaces so that their dine-in experience can accommodate mandated physical-distancing requirements and address consumers’ concerns about hygiene and safety. For the hotel industry, there is also an increase in demand for private dining experiences.
The Nest at One Farrer offers discerning diners bespoke menus by the hotel’s award-winning culinary team as well as a retinue of world-renowned guest chefs – all while immersing themselves in lush ambience and panoramic views of the Singapore skyline.
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Take a Singapoliday at One Farrer Hotel
Mint Hotel has rolled out a 3D2N launch staycation package worth S$599 nett. The two-night stay with breakfast includes guided tours that will bring you around Jalan Besar and Tekka Market. Going for a staycation in our own country can be both relaxing and culturally-engaging.
