Words cannot describe how wonderful the staff at Raffles are: concierges, servers at the bars (Courtyard and Writer's), waiters, doormen (hello, Vikram!) and by no means least, the fabulous butlers who went beyond the call of duty on many occasions. They know who they are. They should all be so proud of their work in this fabulous hotel. I can't sing their praises high enough.
It's a stark contrast between the staff members who are bending over backwards for the comfort of their guests, moved to tears by the history of the building they work in; and the interim GM coming in and telling them to cut the crap, then not even mustering the sincerity to give a simple toast to them without pausing to refer to his notes. Their posture around him! I hope he's watched this footage and learned some humility in the years since. I notice that after his blustering about having only two desks in the temporary lobby, there were three desks by the end, and that made me smile.
The last guest, Herr Reiff said it all and said it the best, speaking to the staff, "...you are great people; you are nice people..." It is the wonderful staff that really makes the hotel great.
i've watched this numerous times....and here I am again watching it. people who value service is so far gone. i'm not talking about people being servants...but about the art of providing service. i just wish that today more people would be appreciative of those that actually do provide it....back to watching a great video :)
as a small business owner, this is so interesting to watch. seeing all the work and coordination needed to run the hotel, so many staff. i especially love watching the chefs, cooks, platers, servers. since we all know how that developer looks like, could everyone in the business just not engage him anymore? every hotel just refuse to give him a room, construction companies, architects all refuse to take his project etc. remind him of this video every time he contacts anybody
Wow , I will never see this masterpiece but have great respect for the history, employees, staff and dedication of you all, wishing you all continued great success in all that life has.
Had one week stay there 4 years ago for my eighteeth birthday,. and during that week I was in "heaven". I never saw the need for renovations ... but there you are ... different generation. As stated in the documentary, I hope it will not spoil the atmosphere which was very elegant, very unique, in a very quiet environment. I stayed in the cheapest room which felt like a very luxurious appartment ! Everything looked "rich" ... the furniture, the curtains in particular, not forgetting the creaking floor boards ! Food and drinks are rather expensive so I indulged on a few occasions. Imagine having a nice dinner in the Grill restaurant and finshing up in the Club Bar sipping a beautiful french Cognac, listening to some jazz music; then stepping out in the warm, humid air of Singapore finally returning to a very special obode for the night ... heaven I said ! I could go on, but four years on, and having another special birthday in 2020, I may "relive" this stay in heaven once more !
What a very beautiful comment! I would love to enjoy it for myself too... Hopefully you may come back to Singapore, and still in 2020. (I visited S´pore in 1990, but then just in the beginning of constructing a new life after "the Iron curtain" it has been to expensive. Nethertheless, I enjoyed Singapore 30 years ago very, very much!!!)
We were delighted to see that our favourite waiter, Marvin Hummus, had been promoted. He deserved this as he was even more attentive than the other staff, if that was possible. We missed returning for another restful stay whilst the hotel was shut.
Stunning hotel. I visited it just before this began and although it badly needed a restoration, it was still full of old world charm. If you ever go here, check out the Hemingway bar unless you are allergic to peanuts!! (seriously ... if you are allergic, DO NOT GO THERE).
True I’m a Malaysian I travel to Singapore often and spend a short holiday there. I enjoy the food, the shopping, walking on the streets and visiting their historical buildings. Most importantly you feel safe when travelling in Singapore compare with Malaysia where you can even get robbed in the car park of a mall or walking on the streets 😰 You can nicely dressed up with your heels walking on the streets without worry but not in Malaysia. You can see the differences in the video where Singaporeans are truly serious in doing their jobs and they work hand in hand in harmony atmosphere but not our fellow Malaysians “kerja main-main!”
Sad. Stayed there and loved it. Don’t like change. It seemed perfect but that was over 20 years ago. Don’t know why they got rid of all the beautiful antique pieces though. It had taken them so long to find them 30 years prior.
@@channelnewsasia i learned a lot about the construction method of the early 19th century and methods of strengthening the existing building with modern materials . There were lots of arguments and coordination problems between the C&S and the M&E consultants which happen to be under the same company .
21:31 Wow...the Duty Manager Roslee actually used the term "gunny sack". Haven't heard that for decades. For those of you who don't remember, it's a thickly netted fabric bag used for storage and delivery; let's hope their use will become popular again, to eliminate yet more plastic from modern markets.😊
This is such an iconic hotel. So happy, and somewhat proud, to have stayed there many times since early 90ies. It has a very special atmosphere. So very important that restoration and upgrades of such a historic place is done correctly and in accordance with original history.
Raffles seems like the pinnacle of luxury with historic rooms and halls. I have been to The Peninsula hotels in both Manila and Bangkok and as much as they are wonderful accommodations, I would love to stay at Raffles one day.
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HOTEL WITH AMAZING HISTORY. A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING WITH THE PUBLIC WHO ARRIVE IN VERY DAGGY GEAR....GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN GREAT STYLE, AND ELEGANCE ,APPRECIATED THE VERY HARD WORK TO CREATE SUCH AMBIENCE....is this the modern way? All the best to RAFFLES AND THEIR STAFF.
As a Chinese Malaysian and back in the 1980s, I befriended a Iranian student at a British university in Wales, UK. Although Iranian by citizenship, ethnically, she was of Armenian Christian origin, and there were many of them in Iran. To my surprise, I found out that she was a direct descendant on her mother's side from the Sarkies brothers who had founded and owned Raffles Hotel. She told me that whatever shares that the Sarkies brothers had left in Raffles Hotel had been placed in trust for their descendants with a law firm in Singapore. On encouraging her, she flew to Singapore in the late 1980s, the first Sarkie descendant to do so since the Sarkie brothers left Iran for Singapore to find their fortune. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that the trust had mysteriously disappeared sometime in the 1950s and except for the name, the Sarkie descendants had no more connection with Raffles Hotel.
So many Germans. The GM, the Front Office Manager, the family at the begining, the female permanent guest, the a-hole "Developer" guest and the nice guest at the end. Just the cook is French. Somehow not so British at all, not even speaking of Asian. Still, though, Singapore rules and so does the Raffles Hotel :-) Fantastic documentary
@@billyb37 The Sarkies Brothers who originally owned the hotel aren't British but Armenian. It's now managed by Accor, who are French, and owned by Katara Hospitality, which is based in Qatar. The only British influences are: 1. The name was after the founder of Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. 2. An English architect designed the architecture in a neo-Renaissance one. That, and Singapore, obviously was a British colony once and is still a commonwealth nation. Just because we were a British colony doesn't mean we cannot be international. Most countries are anyway. It's an indication of a modern metropolis.
It was in 75' & 76' and I had the run of the place for awhile as I think maybe a dozen guest stayed when I was there. Breakfast hall three minute eggs were delightful all staff locally.
sadly with these kinds of hotels in non-western countries, you'll find that the locals make up 90% of all the manual labour/ low level roles, whilst the main managerial roles are usually given to westerners. the remnants of colonisation sadly.
I'm only halfway through this and I'm already dreading what the renovation will look like. Grey drab Ikea chic like every other so-called "luxury" hotel? Please God no. Give me my lovely antiques and brown furniture any day! I cringed when they drilled into the marble. Dreading part 2. Absolutely dreading.
You're not wrong. Re-visited not long ago. Its cold American interior. Alexandra Champalimaud ripped the warmth from Raffles and inserted a typical white cold look.Thank god the staff are wonderful as always
That German developer guy - what a horrible entitled little man. Typical nouveaux riche, no manners, no perspective - and if this is his largest problem he needs to look around and see how spoilt he is.
@@burtonl7239 when you pay that price, you are also entitled to be polite and stop acting like a wronged diva. Totally distasteful and vulgar behaviour.
Excellent presentation.I was told this account by a Singaporean shop keeper.I used to bring disabled people from Malaysia to Singapore,staying in hotels.If there was no covid we would have continued and who knows even stayed at the Raffles.
That German developer was rude, arrogant and had no understanding of the situation. Also his ignorance to be on his IPhone whilst being spoken to by the FDM was appalling. His PA was even told that the hotel was undergoing the work.. The person who should be fired is the idiot developer.
Paid close to 4000 USD recently for a 3 day trip to Singapore, staying at the Raffles. No one came to wish me at the front of the hotel, even though the hotel transfer was organised by them. The Sikh (man wearing turban) who happens to be a doorman was extremely hospitable, especially when i said 'sat shri akal' (greeting in his native culture/religion), considering I am also a Sikh. Besides that, the service was lack luster and prejudice. I remember coming to this hotel 20 years ago with my family and the quality of service was 10 times better. It seemed like they only wanted to serve the 'white man'.
The concept of envy - the hatred of the superior - has dropped out of our moral vocabulary … The idea that white Christian civilization is hated more for its virtues than its sins doesn’t occur to us, because it’s not a nice idea. … Western man towers over the rest of the world in ways so large as to be almost inexpressible. It is Western exploration, science, and conquest that have revealed the world to itself. Other races feel like subjects of Western power long after colonialism, imperialism, and slavery have disappeared. *The charge of racism puzzles whites who feel not hostility, but only baffled good will, because they don’t grasp what it really means: humiliation. The white man presents an image of superiority even when he isn’t conscious of it. And, superiority excites envy. Destroying white civilization is the inmost desire of the league of designated victims we call minorities. …*
One of my favorite hotels. Even though I only go there for the famous high tea in the Tiffin Room. Once I had the opportunity to have a look into several suites courtesy of the managers then. Very lovely and well curated rooms. Hopefully they beauty and style will remain after the renovation.
They did the same in Paris and gutted the most iconic hotels, there is Nothing left of the original ones and now its all boutiques boutiques and shiny shiny ,,what a pity ,,
That disgruntled guest was correct. You cannot expect 5-star payment, while subjecting customers to YOUR restoration. It doesn't matter if they've been informed or not. The restoration period should've at least been a discount period to be respectful. They resolved it in the nick of time, luckily. They may've lost $5000 that night but, in the long run, this guy has powerful networks that would not come to this hotel if they didn't care.
It always cracks me up when people say the staff " are like family". Ask the staff if these people are their family and you will probably get a COMPLETELY different answer.
What a marvelous and well-made documentary! Now I am sorry I did not spend even a night at Raffles when I changed planes at Singapore in Feb 2019. My understanding then was that the hotel had closed for good -- not that certain parts were closed for the renovation. Well, ya can't win them all.
Thanks! Show the team some love by "liking" this video, and hit the subscribe button to get more great content. And have you watched part 2 of the Raffles Hotel to see the final transformation? th-cam.com/video/ud4U9Gyt7bQ/w-d-xo.html
Happy to see that for all his pompous attitude he didn't get his two matching maps and there were in fact three tables, not two, in the temporary lobby.
In his home country he could not even enter a hotel like this through the backdoor. His suit is so tight because he is going to burst from self-importance.
His arrogance matches all those mattress stains. 💯 And apparently as I have observed, most GM's in Singapore hotels embodies this kind of persona. I HATED it (too surfaced and more acting). 😂
@@beachinthebeach Well you can't be friendly with your subordinate, the friendlier you become, the more they won't follow orders. Most leader give the aura "Hey! follow me or I'll fire your ass"
@@minyaksayur "You can't be friendly with your subordinate"? "Hey! follow me or I'll fire your ass"? Yeah that's the Schutzstaffel management style, and look how well THAT worked out.... Jerk!
My wife and I stayed in Raffles in the mid-seventies and had a wonderful time. The renovations look superb, and we would hope to stay again. However, why oh why was this pair of videos centered around Frau Frikker. I'm sure she's a fine person but scene after scene of the staff fawning over her and oddities such as her "brisk 4 km walk" followed by confinement to a wheelchair to get from the lobby to her car were at odds to say the least. My wife thought that maybe she had funded all the restorations but, it seems, her claim-to fame is only to have stayed there many times. I hope, if we do get the opportunity to return, that we will not bump into the good lady in the lobby still striving to steal the limelight.
Without the information, I already knew that the front manager would be German. Nobody in the world is better in 1st class hotel management than the Germans. I am proud, to have been one of them.
I stayed in Raffles 50 years ago. It was the best hotel, compared to hovels at that time. It is historical, and I did have a gin sling. It was still a third world hotel then.
Amazing hotel! i was there in 2013 one week! the top pool bar is my favorite spot! i remember it was a piano man by the name "Jimmy" he played wonderful piano at the lounge!
The people who work at the hotel do not seem to be oppressed and miserable compared to the Mumbai Taj Mahal hotel employees...and the architecture is incomparably superior.
lmao when i was there at the hotel i wasnt treated with so much courtesy... so is this all wayang for the camera, or is it wayang for the foreigners only?
I was lucky enough to perform at the Raffles Theater in the early 90s' There was only one technician who changed over from the animatronic tiger show to our show. He was great. During this closure, I met a person from the company who were selling all the old equipment of the hotel. I got three seats from that theater.
I still remember the swimming pool was nice and had a small bar,free cold hand towels mint smell, and also complimentary cold frozen fruits stcks! the piano lounge at the lobby was nice too, the piano man was Jimmy from Usa! at the entrance the door man with the beatd was a big guy! I truly enjoyed the stay!
I knew before they lifted the mattresses they was going to be of a different color. I guess even in the finest hotel you'll still find mattresses with nasty yellow stains!😂
I was there for drinks in 1978. It was getting seedy, but you could see the original greatness. Edit. The man with the headache is probably just dehydrated. Oh, well!
Robert-Jan Woltering (Interim GM) comes across as a real pompous jerk. "Cut the crap?" Come on, what self-respecting leader uses language like that? Thank goodness he was only there for a few months. The Executive Chef, Pierre Burgade, is also a bully who yells at his staff. Compare him to the world-class Chef Hemant Oberoi at Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai...a true gentleman who brings out the very best in his team without having to berate them. Unfortunately this is the kind of management team corporate hotel ownership hires. A real shame.
20:07 The start of the "showmanship" from the GM. 🤦🏽♂️Sorry not sorry but you have to level up your leadership game. #ArroganceComesWithTheTitle 🍍When hotel staff smile's at me, I always ask myself how does his GM or superior treats him? 'Cos I can easily sense if the smile is sincerely genuine or it's just I'm smiling 'cos it's required. 🥴
![เป็นไปได้ไหม - WanMai [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_6lZ6b3_7Vo/mqdefault.jpg)
Words cannot describe how wonderful the staff at Raffles are: concierges, servers at the bars (Courtyard and Writer's), waiters, doormen (hello, Vikram!) and by no means least, the fabulous butlers who went beyond the call of duty on many occasions. They know who they are. They should all be so proud of their work in this fabulous hotel. I can't sing their praises high enough.
It's a stark contrast between the staff members who are bending over backwards for the comfort of their guests, moved to tears by the history of the building they work in; and the interim GM coming in and telling them to cut the crap, then not even mustering the sincerity to give a simple toast to them without pausing to refer to his notes. Their posture around him! I hope he's watched this footage and learned some humility in the years since. I notice that after his blustering about having only two desks in the temporary lobby, there were three desks by the end, and that made me smile.
Arrogant GM, it would help for him to listen to the people who really know their stuff before flaunting his "authority"
The last guest, Herr Reiff said it all and said it the best, speaking to the staff, "...you are great people; you are nice people..." It is the wonderful staff that really makes the hotel great.
oh my goodness the human connection between staff and residents is just touching
i've watched this numerous times....and here I am again watching it. people who value service is so far gone. i'm not talking about people being servants...but about the art of providing service. i just wish that today more people would be appreciative of those that actually do provide it....back to watching a great video :)
Until the Indians from India comes and would need a servant due to culture differences 😅
as a small business owner, this is so interesting to watch. seeing all the work and coordination needed to run the hotel, so many staff. i especially love watching the chefs, cooks, platers, servers.
since we all know how that developer looks like, could everyone in the business just not engage him anymore? every hotel just refuse to give him a room, construction companies, architects all refuse to take his project etc. remind him of this video every time he contacts anybody
Sounds like a great 😃 idea !!!
Wow , I will never see this masterpiece but have great respect for the history, employees, staff and dedication of you all, wishing you all continued great success in all that life has.
Never say never
I remember walking pass this building every weekend to visit my Father’s office when I was young, the nostalgia
it makes me cry watching this documentary about a great hotel , specially when that great lady check out from the hotel 🍸🥂🍾
This was a surprisingly emotional video! The kindness and love is so apparent from the staff and residents.
Of course there is kindness and love, but it’s for a price
@@chris7921 Very good point
2 years production? I can only be jealous of the intensity and passion of making it! congratulations on a job well done!
Had one week stay there 4 years ago for my eighteeth birthday,. and during that week I was in "heaven". I never saw the need for renovations ... but there you are ... different generation. As stated in the documentary, I hope it will not spoil the atmosphere which was very elegant, very unique, in a very quiet environment.
I stayed in the cheapest room which felt like a very luxurious appartment ! Everything looked "rich" ... the
furniture, the curtains in particular, not forgetting the creaking floor boards !
Food and drinks are rather expensive so I indulged on a few occasions. Imagine having a nice dinner in the Grill restaurant and finshing up in the Club Bar sipping a beautiful french Cognac, listening to some jazz music; then stepping out in the warm, humid air of Singapore finally returning to a very special obode for the night ... heaven I said !
I could go on, but four years on, and having another special birthday in 2020, I may "relive" this stay in heaven once more !
What a very beautiful comment! I would love to enjoy it for myself too... Hopefully you may come back to Singapore, and still in 2020. (I visited S´pore in 1990, but then just in the beginning of constructing a new life after "the Iron curtain" it has been to expensive. Nethertheless, I enjoyed Singapore 30 years ago very, very much!!!)
The beautiful marble floors........😭. Lovely staff , I hope they all kept their jobs .
We were delighted to see that our favourite waiter, Marvin Hummus, had been promoted. He deserved this as he was even more attentive than the other staff, if that was possible. We missed returning for another restful stay whilst the hotel was shut.
Stunning hotel. I visited it just before this began and although it badly needed a restoration, it was still full of old world charm. If you ever go here, check out the Hemingway bar unless you are allergic to peanuts!! (seriously ... if you are allergic, DO NOT GO THERE).
i was worked as hotel front desk for yearssss. and its true, both hotel staff and hotel guest, could be each other second family real quick.
Thats beautiful
Great to see a company in Singapore that values service.
And nicely shot and edited video.
(Great to see a company in Singapore that values service.) Yes. Agree 100%. It looks fabulous.
True I’m a Malaysian I travel to Singapore often and spend a short holiday there. I enjoy the food, the shopping, walking on the streets and visiting their historical buildings. Most importantly you feel safe when travelling in Singapore compare with Malaysia where you can even get robbed in the car park of a mall or walking on the streets 😰 You can nicely dressed up with your heels walking on the streets without worry but not in Malaysia. You can see the differences in the video where Singaporeans are truly serious in doing their jobs and they work hand in hand in harmony atmosphere but not our fellow Malaysians “kerja main-main!”
Sad. Stayed there and loved it. Don’t like change. It seemed perfect but that was over 20 years ago. Don’t know why they got rid of all the beautiful antique pieces though. It had taken them so long to find them 30 years prior.
i was involved in the restoration project in 1990 ... and i really love this hotel very much
What was your experience then?
@@channelnewsasia i learned a lot about the construction method of the early 19th century and methods of strengthening the existing building with modern materials . There were lots of arguments and coordination problems between the C&S and the M&E consultants which happen to be under the same company .
love these two CNA documentaries on Singapore's Raffles Hotel.
21:31 Wow...the Duty Manager Roslee actually used the term "gunny sack". Haven't heard that for decades. For those of you who don't remember, it's a thickly netted fabric bag used for storage and delivery; let's hope their use will become popular again, to eliminate yet more plastic from modern markets.😊
This is such an iconic hotel. So happy, and somewhat proud, to have stayed there many times since early 90ies. It has a very special atmosphere.
So very important that restoration and upgrades of such a historic place is done correctly and in accordance with original history.
Lucky you! I wish I could enjoy it too :)
Those marble slabs, those wonderful millwork and mouldings all shattered. I hope it was worth it.
Raffles seems like the pinnacle of luxury with historic rooms and halls. I have been to The Peninsula hotels in both Manila and Bangkok and as much as they are wonderful accommodations, I would love to stay at Raffles one day.
As a person interested in marketing excellence this is a great watch. Congratulations to the team at raffles.
The scene with Berd and the interim Managing Director is priceless. Great job!
"Let's cut the crap." so germanic :)
@@euanmorse: I am sure, you speak German language. Because it is "crap" to assume so, I assure you :)
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HOTEL WITH AMAZING HISTORY. A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING WITH THE PUBLIC WHO ARRIVE IN VERY DAGGY GEAR....GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN GREAT STYLE, AND ELEGANCE ,APPRECIATED THE VERY HARD WORK TO CREATE SUCH AMBIENCE....is this the modern way? All the best to RAFFLES AND THEIR STAFF.
Absolutely true!!
@@ek7593 glad you agree EK .thank you.
@@hugholiveiro2081 : Love from Portugal :)
As a Chinese Malaysian and back in the 1980s, I befriended a Iranian student at a British university in Wales, UK. Although Iranian by citizenship, ethnically, she was of Armenian Christian origin, and there were many of them in Iran. To my surprise, I found out that she was a direct descendant on her mother's side from the Sarkies brothers who had founded and owned Raffles Hotel. She told me that whatever shares that the Sarkies brothers had left in Raffles Hotel had been placed in trust for their descendants with a law firm in Singapore. On encouraging her, she flew to Singapore in the late 1980s, the first Sarkie descendant to do so since the Sarkie brothers left Iran for Singapore to find their fortune. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that the trust had mysteriously disappeared sometime in the 1950s and except for the name, the Sarkie descendants had no more connection with Raffles Hotel.
Wonderfully shot documentary! Great production and great coverage of one of Singapore's most historic sites.
I visited raffles several times. Always enjoyable. The bar and the food. Staff were wonderful. Not stuffy at all.
So many Germans. The GM, the Front Office Manager, the family at the begining, the female permanent guest, the a-hole "Developer" guest and the nice guest at the end. Just the cook is French. Somehow not so British at all, not even speaking of Asian. Still, though, Singapore rules and so does the Raffles Hotel :-) Fantastic documentary
Do watch part 2 to see the final transformation! th-cam.com/video/ud4U9Gyt7bQ/w-d-xo.html
Yes i thought it was a British tradition, not very Btritish these days then?
But an Aussie Project Director....really enjoying this program....thanks!
@@billyb37 The Sarkies Brothers who originally owned the hotel aren't British but Armenian. It's now managed by Accor, who are French, and owned by Katara Hospitality, which is based in Qatar. The only British influences are: 1. The name was after the founder of Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. 2. An English architect designed the architecture in a neo-Renaissance one.
That, and Singapore, obviously was a British colony once and is still a commonwealth nation. Just because we were a British colony doesn't mean we cannot be international. Most countries are anyway. It's an indication of a modern metropolis.
I love how wonderful the staff are!wonderful caring people!wish I had some money I would have loved to have gone just to meet the staff!!!!!💝
I LOVED THIS HOTEL. BRINGS BACK MEMORIES.
I really wished that something so historic to Singapore was staffed by more locals
It was in 75' & 76' and I had the run of the place for awhile as I think maybe a dozen guest stayed when I was there. Breakfast hall three minute eggs were delightful all staff locally.
sadly with these kinds of hotels in non-western countries, you'll find that the locals make up 90% of all the manual labour/ low level roles, whilst the main managerial roles are usually given to westerners. the remnants of colonisation sadly.
@@hwasooju ....the most effective marketing strategy to attract the rich white men ???
@@hwasooju love song
Agreed however, in a country with so much wealth manual labor is usually outsourced. The local population will not do the work.
I'm only halfway through this and I'm already dreading what the renovation will look like. Grey drab Ikea chic like every other so-called "luxury" hotel? Please God no. Give me my lovely antiques and brown furniture any day! I cringed when they drilled into the marble. Dreading part 2. Absolutely dreading.
You're not wrong. Re-visited not long ago. Its cold American interior. Alexandra Champalimaud ripped the warmth from Raffles and inserted a typical white cold look.Thank god the staff are wonderful as always
at 31:50 & 32:02, low adhesion (blue) masking tape is easier to remove (less residue) than the super sticky beige construction type masking tape.
That German developer guy - what a horrible entitled little man. Typical nouveaux riche, no manners, no perspective - and if this is his largest problem he needs to look around and see how spoilt he is.
Haha. When you pay that price, you're entitled to be entitled. If the hotel ppl mind, they would charge cheaper.
@@burtonl7239 when you pay that price, you are also entitled to be polite and stop acting like a wronged diva. Totally distasteful and vulgar behaviour.
@@MickyAM I can't tell if you're talking about the guy or yourself. Why are you acting like a wronged diva? How much did you pay for that? LOL.
@@burtonl7239 No honey, I know how to behave in such circumstances. Totally appalling behaviour of this guy.
My Father, when the RAF, was stationed in Singapore in the 60s. He visited Raffles and said it was so nice.
It's this type of guest (the "Developer" guest) that is such a disgrace to mankind. Unreasonable and demanding. Ugly behaviour.
Charge people few thousand a night and you expect them to be lambs? Seems like you're more entitled than the developer.
Few thousand only too cheap. Trump 2020 woo hoo
This hotel went to the shitters since it's been acquired by Accor.
I didn't expect anything less. French and hotel management. I'm going to the Fullerton Bay nowadays.
What a pity if this is true. Imagine the rich history and beauty of this etablissement and place. Well, "never touch a running system", right?
Excellent presentation.I was told this account by a Singaporean shop keeper.I used to bring disabled people from Malaysia to Singapore,staying in hotels.If there was no covid we would have continued and who knows even stayed at the Raffles.
That developer guy is every hotel's nightmare!
That German developer was rude, arrogant and had no understanding of the situation. Also his ignorance to be on his IPhone whilst being spoken to by the FDM was appalling. His PA was even told that the hotel was undergoing the work.. The person who should be fired is the idiot developer.
Paid close to 4000 USD recently for a 3 day trip to Singapore, staying at the Raffles. No one came to wish me at the front of the hotel, even though the hotel transfer was organised by them. The Sikh (man wearing turban) who happens to be a doorman was extremely hospitable, especially when i said 'sat shri akal' (greeting in his native culture/religion), considering I am also a Sikh.
Besides that, the service was lack luster and prejudice. I remember coming to this hotel 20 years ago with my family and the quality of service was 10 times better. It seemed like they only wanted to serve the 'white man'.
Not expect much. Even the hotel named after a white british man.
Yes. A Bastion of racism - in many directions.
The concept of envy - the hatred of the superior - has dropped out of our moral vocabulary … The idea that white Christian civilization is hated more for its virtues than its sins doesn’t occur to us, because it’s not a nice idea. … Western man towers over the rest of the world in ways so large as to be almost inexpressible. It is Western exploration, science, and conquest that have revealed the world to itself. Other races feel like subjects of Western power long after colonialism, imperialism, and slavery have disappeared. *The charge of racism puzzles whites who feel not hostility, but only baffled good will, because they don’t grasp what it really means: humiliation. The white man presents an image of superiority even when he isn’t conscious of it. And, superiority excites envy. Destroying white civilization is the inmost desire of the league of designated victims we call minorities. …*
Very sad, probably they want only whites to come.
Like wise some Indians are also nice to Indians only. Is it called racist also? 🤔
130 years of long service n the staff members r so polite now thts team work👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
One of my favorite hotels. Even though I only go there for the famous high tea in the Tiffin Room. Once I had the opportunity to have a look into several suites courtesy of the managers then. Very lovely and well curated rooms. Hopefully they beauty and style will remain after the renovation.
Yes, such a beauty .....the way they care for their guests....sweet♥️ lovelyness
They did the same in Paris and gutted the most iconic hotels, there is Nothing left of the original ones and now its all boutiques boutiques and shiny shiny ,,what a pity ,,
Stephanie Murray
Yeah dumb move
no mattress protectors ewww, did you see those stains on the mattress
yes I did it's disgusting yellow green stain.
@@himmel2436 Meh. Could be worse. Could be brown....
Well, at least there is no bedbugs
@@raklix6765 You can see them? They should have a bedbug cover.
truth BEHOLD nasty 🤢 I thought the same thing
That disgruntled guest was correct. You cannot expect 5-star payment, while subjecting customers to YOUR restoration. It doesn't matter if they've been informed or not. The restoration period should've at least been a discount period to be respectful. They resolved it in the nick of time, luckily. They may've lost $5000 that night but, in the long run, this guy has powerful networks that would not come to this hotel if they didn't care.
It always cracks me up when people say the staff " are like family". Ask the staff if these people are their family and you will probably get a COMPLETELY different answer.
'i'm a developer', how bout you start developing a sense of humility?
True that! 💯 And humility should always be applied to whatever you do in life. 🌟
What a marvelous and well-made documentary! Now I am sorry I did not spend even a night at Raffles when I changed planes at Singapore in Feb 2019. My understanding then was that the hotel had closed for good -- not that certain parts were closed for the renovation. Well, ya can't win them all.
The GM seems like a very unpleasant person to work for
Yeah, he carries himself like some Czar. Those types don't last for long.
did anyone notice the stain on the mattress@9:30 ? and how much is it per room? Not acceptable sorry
this should seriously get more views...
Thanks! Show the team some love by "liking" this video, and hit the subscribe button to get more great content. And have you watched part 2 of the Raffles Hotel to see the final transformation? th-cam.com/video/ud4U9Gyt7bQ/w-d-xo.html
The GM... what an attitude 🙈
Happy to see that for all his pompous attitude he didn't get his two matching maps and there were in fact three tables, not two, in the temporary lobby.
In his home country he could not even enter a hotel like this through the backdoor. His suit is so tight because he is going to burst from self-importance.
His arrogance matches all those mattress stains. 💯 And apparently as I have observed, most GM's in Singapore hotels embodies this kind of persona. I HATED it (too surfaced and more acting). 😂
@@beachinthebeach Well you can't be friendly with your subordinate, the friendlier you become, the more they won't follow orders. Most leader give the aura "Hey! follow me or I'll fire your ass"
@@minyaksayur "You can't be friendly with your subordinate"? "Hey! follow me or I'll fire your ass"? Yeah that's the Schutzstaffel management style, and look how well THAT worked out.... Jerk!
My wife and I stayed in Raffles in the mid-seventies and had a wonderful time. The renovations look superb, and we would hope to stay again. However, why oh why was this pair of videos centered around Frau Frikker. I'm sure she's a fine person but scene after scene of the staff fawning over her and oddities such as her "brisk 4 km walk" followed by confinement to a wheelchair to get from the lobby to her car were at odds to say the least. My wife thought that maybe she had funded all the restorations but, it seems, her claim-to fame is only to have stayed there many times. I hope, if we do get the opportunity to return, that we will not bump into the good lady in the lobby still striving to steal the limelight.
Without the information, I already knew that the front manager would be German.
Nobody in the world is better in 1st class hotel management than the Germans.
I am proud, to have been one of them.
😂 🎉
Love the white building in sg...look so elegant, n suit sg environment n weather.
Totally Excited to Visit the Brand New Raffles!!!!
Watching this makes me yearn to work with these beautiful people.
What a wonderful video, always interested in the beauty and history of this wonderful hotel
I stayed there three nights at £25 a night when it was all sad and run down. Loved it and Singapore was still fun then
I stayed in Raffles 50 years ago. It was the best hotel, compared to hovels at that time. It is historical, and I did have a gin sling. It was still a third world hotel then.
Amazing hotel! i was there in 2013 one week! the top pool bar is my favorite spot! i remember it was a piano man by the name "Jimmy" he played wonderful piano at the lounge!
They are not having high tea , they are having afternoon tea , completely different
Wow, beautiful caring people. I even shed a tear. ❤
The people who work at the hotel do not seem to be oppressed and miserable compared to the Mumbai Taj Mahal hotel employees...and the architecture is incomparably superior.
Love the conservation on old building in singapore. I hope we indonesian could do the same...
You Indonesians managed to tear down Hotel des Indes in djakarta.
It was nice to see this. Thank you. I spent there 3 days in 1982. Great place! Greetings.
Stayed there nearly 20 years ago . Sad to read from comments here that its lost all its former glory .
lmao when i was there at the hotel i wasnt treated with so much courtesy... so is this all wayang for the camera, or is it wayang for the foreigners only?
Bobby Frozen That’s a shame, we were treated like royalty but it was about 15 years ago 🤷♀️
you should file a complain
Bobby Frozen
Well they only treat the foreigners this way if they’re British, Singapore was a British colonial possession.
maybe you staying in a wrong room haha
I was lucky enough to perform at the Raffles Theater in the early 90s' There was only one technician who changed over from the animatronic tiger show to our show. He was great. During this closure, I met a person from the company who were selling all the old equipment of the hotel. I got three seats from that theater.
I still remember the swimming pool was nice and had a small bar,free cold hand towels mint smell, and also complimentary cold frozen fruits stcks! the piano lounge at the lobby was nice too, the piano man was Jimmy from Usa! at the entrance the door man with the beatd was a big guy! I truly enjoyed the stay!
I've had the great opportunity to have visited personal. Absolutely delightful stay indeed.
Beautiful renovation! Congrats!
@makeamerica Happy New Year!
I knew before they lifted the mattresses they was going to be of a different color. I guess even in the finest hotel you'll still find mattresses with nasty yellow stains!😂
i saw this >>> light yellow
i spotted yellow stain bottom side of the mattress :p
TO ME,IT MEANS EVEN RICH PEOPLE PEE AND POOP, SO MATTRESSES SHOULD BE PROTECTED WITH A WATER PROOF COVER.
They should wear the gloves when they move the bed, I clinch when I saw the stains
This was really enjoyable - thank you
I was there for drinks in 1978. It was getting seedy, but you could see the original greatness.
Edit. The man with the headache is probably just dehydrated. Oh, well!
BRAVO !
Quite intriguing to watch this documentary even though I also work in the hospitality industry!!
I am proud to say that I stayed there once in 1980s
It's a beautiful hotel, and delicious foods. Good presentation.
Beautiful building
Raffles Hotel. $1,000 a night but pay the staff $4.00 an hour or import cheap labor from Bangladesh.
Aman Basanti
So what ?
Bangladesh people don't deserve a job?
@@marcuslance5883
It's modern day racism and exploitation.
Seriously those Bangladeshi employees are lucky to have the jobs when their government failed to provide employment back home
Its almost similar in manila hotel and its age. Nostalgia
HAD MY SINGAPORE SLING THERE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL
The sincerity of the staff shines through, they seem to enjoy their jobs although in that opulence and beauty it would be hard to be unhappy
I will be here in March 2024. Can’t wait 😜.
at minute 9:30 there are stains on the bed mattress
Is this a star hotel?
Robert-Jan Woltering (Interim GM) comes across as a real pompous jerk. "Cut the crap?" Come on, what self-respecting leader uses language like that? Thank goodness he was only there for a few months. The Executive Chef, Pierre Burgade, is also a bully who yells at his staff. Compare him to the world-class Chef Hemant Oberoi at Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai...a true gentleman who brings out the very best in his team without having to berate them. Unfortunately this is the kind of management team corporate hotel ownership hires. A real shame.
Singapore and Hong Kong have the most professional hospitality professionals I've ever seen. Japan is pretty good as well
Very good documentary.
I can't believe they chopped down those iconic palm trees!
Watching what should be a listed building being ripped apart was just awful.
20:07 The start of the "showmanship" from the GM. 🤦🏽♂️Sorry not sorry but you have to level up your leadership game. #ArroganceComesWithTheTitle 🍍When hotel staff smile's at me, I always ask myself how does his GM or superior treats him? 'Cos I can easily sense if the smile is sincerely genuine or it's just I'm smiling 'cos it's required. 🥴
Bern seems like a nice guy and very capable
It´s "Bernd" :)
When you hear of the Raffles hotel, you know there will be exceptional service fit for royalty.
This is a very KOOL Hotel!!!