Friday 14 January 2022

One Farrer Hotel Reassures Guests with S$2M Upgrade

Mint Hotel
As hotel guests become more mindful of health and safety measures, One Farrer Hotel has embarked on a S$2 million refurbishment exercise to provide optimal hygiene standards. The refurbishment entails the launch of Mint Hotel; the creation of Pillow Lab; and a redesign of most of its guestrooms, facilities, and processes with input from medical experts and the latest technology. As a launch promotion, guests can enjoy a 3D2N Mint Hotel staycation, which comes with guided tours around the neighbourhood.

I had the opportunity to visit and explore the refurbished property and I couldn’t recommend One Farrer Hotel more for your upcoming staycation plans. I stepped in a hotel after almost a year and for the first time, it felt safe and clean. From doing away with carpets to even removing hand-held telephones from washrooms, One Farrer has really gone the extra mile to ensure maximum safety and well-being of employees as well as guests.

With UV cleaning technologies and innovative pillow lab (where you can also buy pillows that you like), One Farrer is arguably one of the best staycation destinations in Singapore right now.

Gilbert Madhavan, General Manager, One Farrer Hotel, said, “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.”

With over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Gilbert Madhavan has garnered a rich and diverse experience in Asia, Australia and the Caribbean and spent the last 6 years taking the helm at One Farrer Hotel as its General Manager. He brings in extensive industry experience and an agile as well as an innovative approach to the table when it comes to pivoting and adapting to the changing times, especially amidst the pandemic when the travel and hospitality industry has been among the worst hit.

Madhavan believes that with an innovative mindset, team collaboration and with the help of technology, the sectors can still survive and even scale in the coming year and beyond.

Mint Hotel rooms dedicatedly designed for the “new normal”
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.

Furthermore, carpets have 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.

Exploring the rich neighbourhood
Celebrate the launch of Mint Hotel with “A Walk in the Farrer Park”, a 3D2N launch staycation package worth S$599 nett. The two-night stay with breakfast includes guided tours created by travel partner Tour East that will bring you around Jalan Besar and Tekka Market. On the first day, uncover Secrets of Jalan Besar with a two-hour tour that will delve into World War II and sports history, and be introduced to some popular cafes that have sprung up in the area.

On the second day, start the day at the Tekka Market to Table Tour, followed by an Educational Farm Tour. Finish up with a Culinary Masterclass with Lunch at Escape. Stroll down Serangoon Road, the main street of Little India, and be introduced to Indian heritage, customs and traditions. Wind your way through Singapore’s largest wet market under the watchful eyes of our experienced guide, who will dispense tips on picking the freshest produce. Bring the fresh produce back for a masterclass with the chef at Escape.

An innovative Pillow Lab to ensure maximum safety and comfort
Mental health is just as important as physical health and one way to ensure positive vibes is to get good sleep. At the same time, hotel guests spend 6-10 hours per day resting on a pillow, making it one of the highest touchpoints for the hotel. In a bid to enhance guests’ quality of sleep, while improving hygiene levels, One Farrer Hotel created the Pillow Lab.

Upon check-in, guests from select room categories are provided with a pillow menu complete with a variety of pillows that will suit the most exacting preferences in firmness and sleeping posture. Once they have picked out their pillow, they may enjoy it in their rooms knowing that their pillows have undergone a deep disinfection.

The Pillow Lab, projected to launch in early 2021, uses an industry-leading Ultraviolet-C (UVC) Chamber to remove all pathogens, natural microbiota, moulds, and yeasts. One Farrer Hotel will also be making these pillows available for guests to purchase at the Pillow Lab at level 18 and the hotel lobby. With the Pillow Lab at One Farrer Hotel, guests can be assured of restful sleep with peace of mind.

Leveraging technology for health and safety
In addition to the Mint Hotel and the Pillow Lab, other health and safety measures in place include contactless entry points and sanitizer stations throughout the premises, sterilization of key cards and in-room amenities with specialized UVC chests, sterilization of guestrooms and bathrooms with UVC lamps, safe distancing demarcations for events and common areas, as well as staggered check-in and check-out times.

In redefining its dining concept for the age of safe distancing, the hotel is also launching the Nest at One Farrer. To meet the increasing 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.

Additionally, One Farrer Hotel understands that even when travel does resume, there will be some remarkable changes. To prepare for this, One Farrer Hotel has implemented and included various features to ensure stays will be more comfortable. For example, essential business travel may result in longer stays for corporate travellers. To provide added convenience and hygiene for these long-stay guests, the hotel set about opening a dedicated laundry room for the hotel’s Loft Apartments.

Further to this, the pandemic also highlighted opportunities in a post-COVID world. As critical healthcare facilities and hospitals were reaching critical capacity, they turned to hotels to function as ancillary facilities for the care of non-emergent patients. The design principles of the Mint Hotel such as movable furniture as well as astute material choices that are suitable for terminal cleansing make it ideal to be converted to a “hospitel” and be decanted quickly should the need arise.

At Nest at One Farrer, I was also kindly treated to a lavish four-course meal and the food was simply delectable. Personally, I highly recommend the Cherry Wood Smoked Duck Breast and the Butternut Squash Veloute. I would go back for the food alone!

Guests can enjoy Mint Hotel, Nest at One Farrer, Pillow Lab, as well as the other facilities and functions now.

For enquiries and bookings, contact reservations@onefarrer.com or call +65 6363 0101

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