"Welcome to your home in Singapore," a familiar, friendly face greets us. It’s Odette Huang, a face we fondly remember from her Mandarin Oriental Manila days and our Brasserie tempura-eating days.
Yet another familiar face joins us at our table at Cafe Vienna. It’s the dashing Patrick Fiat, who was with Hotel InterContinental Makati when it was put up in the 1960s. This well-liked, seasoned hotelier is now general manager of Royal Plaza on Scotts and a board member of the Community Chest, having received the SHARE corporate platinum award from the President of Singapore SR Nathan.
Over a most sumptuous buffet dinner (more delicious details later), we savored more "bedtime" stories. The story goes that Royal Plaza on Scotts Singapore conducted 1,000 hours of consumer interviews and based on the findings, it came up with a new mattress from Simmons Beautyrest. Featuring the Simmons-exclusive design, this "dream bed" has become the new brand standard redefining sleep comfort for the business traveler.
"We did a lot of research and found this bed to be the best with our brand image," says Patrick. "Currently, this trendsetting idea is being echoed throughout the industry and our goal is to create better guest satisfaction, create more loyalty, and offer guests a good night stay."
Lest we bore you to sleep, here are some fast facts about Simmons. Simmons who? Zalmon Simmons – he who opened the first Simmons manufacturing plant in Wisconsin, USA. More than a mattress company, Simmons summarizes its mission, to wit: "We want everyone to experience the benefits of better sleep. We want every person to understand how much more alive they’ll feel and more productive they’ll be. What it’s like to live with healthier hearts and minds. The happiness that comes with better sleep."
Ah, to sleep, perchance to dream!
A study notes that lack of sleep is a greater mortality risk than smoking, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Thus, for the Simmons people, the mattress certainly matters. Simmons mattresses combine innovation with comfort. A Simmons uses Pocketed Coil technology to suppress motion from your partner’s tossing and turning, so you could doze off to dreamland undisturbed. Of course, you’ll also love it even if you don’t have a sleeping partner.
The Simmons mattress has a Back Care Gradient Support system that helps keep the spine in its natural alignment while sleeping. This reduces stress while enhancing the recuperative value and quality of your sleep.
More, a Simmons mattress gives you 10 percent more personal space to sleep for a better night’s rest – while fitting most queen-size bed frames.
After installing the new dream beds, Royal Plaza on Scotts said goodbye to the old printed bed spread and blanket and made way for the all-white bedding featuring an extra thick, extra comfy pillow mattress top and a plush duvet. The pillows are hypoallergenic and made of cool, crisp 230-thread count 100 percent cotton filled with fiber puffs that move independently, thus allowing guests to mold the pillow to their individual sleep preference.
More than 2,700 hotel guests at Royal Plaza on Scotts have tried the dream beds and they could only gush: Heavenly! Inviting! Extremely comfortable!
A regular guest – a corporate mogul – loved it so much he ordered one from the hotel to bring home.
"We’ve received favorable feedback on our dream beds and five have been purchased from the hotel since their launch," says Sandra Tan, director of marketing communications.
To celebrate the dream bed launch, Royal Plaza on Scotts now offers its deluxe room at only S$175+++. Offer is valid until June 30. (For reservations, call the hotel at [65]65897777 or e-mail at roomres@royalplaza.com.sg.) For single or double occupancy, the price includes free access to high speed broadband, buffet breakfast at the award-winning Cafe Vienna, early check-in and late checkout, and a complimentary mini-bar in the room, replenished once daily.
We’re not drunk – you heard that right, a free mini-bar!
Sandra relates, "Our GM, Patrick Fiat, came up with the complimentary mini-bar concept five years ago. The idea came about because the mini-bar is so expensive for guests. According to Mr. Fiat, what you’ll pay $1 for outside, you’ll have to pay $15 in the mini-bar. The service has quietly become hot with corporate clients and travelers alike. Guests can grab drinks from the mini-bar (worth $46.60 net) without having to face a costly bill at the end of their stay."
After a good night’s sleep, it’s comforting to know that you need not go out of the hotel for good food. For instance, there’s Cafe Vienna whose international buffet (imagine Japanese sushi and sashimi freshly prepared ala minute, New Zealand mussels, an assortment of salads, lobsters, oysters, mountains of smoked salmon, carvings of chicken shawarma roasted to perfection, cheeses, desserts galore) is enough to awaken the most indolent taste buds.
Or if you’re craving more food adventure, Royal Plaza on Scotts, located in the heart of Singapore’s bustling business, shopping and entertainment district, is just an aroma away from Orchard Road’s restaurants and food centers.
Of course, for shopaholics, the Duty Free Shopping Galleria is just adjacent to Royal Plaza on Scotts and hotel guests get to enjoy special discounts.
After all that eating and shopping, it’s reassuring to know that there’s a warm, comfy bed waiting for you in your hotel room. Too bad you can’t bring it home.
So, to all ye fellow travelers, sweet dreamszzzz!