Singapore"s hotels par excellence

SINGAPORE – Ever wondered what gives a hotel its five- star rating? Or how many 5-star hotels there are in Singapore?

Wonder no more as the recently released Forbes Travel Guide 2013 Star Awards shows that, for the first time, three hotels in Singapore have received a 5-star rating from the “Oscars” of the travel industry.

Founded in 1958 as Mobil Travel Guide, the Forbes Travel Guide is recognised as the gold standard for hospitality excellence due to its rigorous selection process.

The Singapore recipients of the highest accolade in the hospitality industry – Capella Singapore, The Fullerton Bay Hotel and Mandarin Oriental – were among 76 luxury hotels around the world to be recognised for fulfilling the award’s criteria of having strengths in both “hardware” and “software”.

Traditionally, hotels here are rated by the Singapore Hotel Association according to their “hardware” only, which refers to the physical amenities and standard services that the hotel boasts, including the number of rooms and facilities such as swimming pools, 24-hour room service and 24-hour reception.

The prestigious Forbes Travel Guide awards, though, also considers the “software” aspects, including the level and extent of personalised services that the hotel provides.

Among other things, hotels are judged on how long it takes for a guest to be greeted at the restaurant entrance, escorted to the table and provided with chair assistance; the ability of the staff to offer thoughtful and creative suggestions when asked for a menu recommendation; the ability of the server to discuss details of menu items and beverages, including basic ingredients and preparation methods; and the total time that service took.

Other criteria focus on the restaurant menu, which must be presented in pristine condition, free of stains and water spots and not dog-eared, as well as whether service stations, the bar counter and back bar area are always neatly maintained and appealing to the eye.

Hotels are also gauged on their ability to communicate with their guests and so the criteria include telephone greeting and conversation, which must be calm and clear; the guest is always asked permission before being placed on hold or recording; and that no telephone call should hold longer than 30 seconds without offering call back.

Other customer service qualities a hotel is evaluated on include how long the registration process took, whether the staff smiles readily and maintains an engaging expression, and if the staff member makes eye contact and keeps focused on the guest and exhibits a genuine sense of interest and concern for the guest’s satisfaction.

Michael Cascone, president and chief operating officer of Forbes Travel Guide, said: “The Forbes Travel Guide Annual Star Awards represent the best in class in luxury hospitality.

Singapore"s hotels par excellence

Garden of hi-tech trees

The giant trees at Gardens By The Bay in Singapore remind Izwan Ismail of the movie Avatar, minus the creatures

AS the sun sets, the giant concrete trees at Gardens By The Bay in Singapore come to life with a colourful display of LED lights and sounds.

It’s a sight not to be missed by those passing by the bayfront area near Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino in Singapore. The uniquely-designed hi-tech superstructures, 18 altogether, are part of a landscaping project by the Singapore Government to gather and display varieties of plant and flower species especially those from around the region.

SUPER STRUCTURE

These supertrees are tall at 25-50m high and they feature large unique canopies that look like tree branches but without leaves.

Walking among them make me feel really small and reminds me of the movie, Avatar, especially at night when the trunks and branches are lit with colourful LED lights.

There is a suspended 128m long walkway between two of the larger supertrees, giving visitors a bird’s eye view of the area.

Since it was opened to the public in the middle of last year, the place has become a huge attraction for both locals and tourists.

PLACE TO GO

While it can be too hot to walk around in the afternoon, despite the shades, the place becomes cooler in the evenings. It’s a good venue for strolling and jogging then and in the early morning. Just make sure that you have the stamina to walk. Wear suitable shoes as it is a huge park.

However, there are some nice and cosy eateries as well as bars where visitors can take a rest from their walk.

These supertrees are not just concrete and lights, but also a truly vertical garden. The big trunks are covered with live plants — 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers which are planted on the supertrees.

The areas surrounding the trees are also planted with various species of flora, all labelled with a brief description.

The trees mimic the ecological functions of real trees through environmentally sustainable features. Some have photovoltaic cells on their canopies to harvest solar energy to provide light at night while others are integrated with cooled conservatories and serve as air exhaust receptacles.

PHOTOGRAPHY HEAVEN

For those who are into photography, the area is a pretty sight to test out your shooting skills, especially night photography.

With the majestic Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino in the background and the bayfront and Singapore Flyer in the distance, the supertrees offer you breathtaking night photos and at sunset too.

There is no entrance fee but you have to pay for other attractions such as the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest.

GETTING THERE

The supertrees area is accessible by car and public transportation such as MRT, bus and taxi. You can walk from the Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino.

If you’re taking the MRT, alight at Bayfront MRT station and if you are coming from Marina Bay Sands, walk across the Lions Bridge on level 4, which connects to the Dragonfly Bridge, into Bay South Garden.

There are ample car parks too.

Shoot in the dark

NIGHT photography can be challenging but if you know the proper way to do it, it can be rewarding. The pictures of the supertrees featured here can be captured easily if one knows the correct way of doing it.

Many make the common mistake of not using a tripod when taking pictures of lighted structures or buildings at night and most will just use the Auto mode.

This results in shaky pictures as the camera will normally take a few seconds to capture scenes in a darker environment and your hand is not steady enough to hold it for more than a couple of seconds.

What you need is a tripod and to switch your camera mode to manual (M). A dSLR camera or more advanced point-and-shoot will have the manual function.

Once you place the camera on the tripod, make sure that everything is tight and that the camera will not move even if you point it upwards. Also make sure the tripod is placed on a solid surface — concrete floor, tarmac, pavement, etc.

Turn the mode dial to M and set the shutter speed to about 10-20 seconds, depending on the brightness of the surrounding area. Adjust the aperture opening to between f10 and f16.

Once this is set, don’t press the shutter with your finger. Use the timer instead as this will minimise any possible movement.

When the camera clicks, do not touch it until you hear another click sound and the picture appears on the LCD screen.

Take several pictures and then make adjustments to the shutter speed and aperture until you get the pictures that you want.

At night, the supertrees come to live with their colourful LED lights display. pictures by izwan ismail

The supertrees area is a photographer’s heaven.

The bridge linking two of the bigger trees.

The Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino and the Singapore Flyer are part of the Gardens by the Bay background.

Garden of hi-tech trees