Singapore Sling at icon of service sours memory

Clivebenss SG

I AM 82 years old and a frequent visitor to Singapore.

When I was much younger, my late husband and I shared our first 'Singapore Sling' at Raffles Hotel. During my most recent visit to Singapore, I decided that for nostalgia's sake I would return to Raffles Hotel to sample once again Singapore's most famous cocktail.

Unfortunately, the experience soured my memory.

The staff of Raffles Hotel treated me in an offhand manner, often ignoring my request for attention. Further, I was shocked to see them refer to recipes behind the bar counter when mixing cocktails.

My Singapore Sling tasted like a cheap fruit cocktail, lacking any spice of gin, and my friend, who had ordered a 'Lychee Martini', found it was made of vodka with no hint of Martini at all.

When we asked the bartender if there was a mistake in the mix, we were met with a sheepish smile but no apology or even an effort to correct the mistake.

I learnt from the manager at the Raffles Grill, where we subsequently had dinner, that the Singapore Sling tasted below par because the hotel made large quantities of the cocktail for demanding customers and, as with anything produced in great volume, standards suffered.

I found the explanation unacceptable at best, but the manager did offer to personally concoct a Singapore Sling for me. After the bad experience, I declined but ordered 'a good wine' instead. We were shown a bottle but not quoted the price. To our surprise, the bill for three glasses came to an astonishing $186+++.

If that was not enough to spoil my visit, the last straw came when, on leaving the restaurant, my arm was tugged back by a butler who shoved an article of clothing at me without a word. I discovered it was my shawl which I had accidentally left behind.

I confess that my hearing is not what it used to be. Perhaps someone did hail my attention and I did not realise it. But my knees are also weak and I have trouble walking. If I had been tugged back any harder, I would have fallen and could have been severely injured.

This poor standard of service must stop. Raffles Hotel is an international icon that has for generations attracted visitors from every corner of the globe. This is what motivated me to visit it more than 60 years ago and what made me come back again during my most recent visit. How can the hotel be so casual with its history and its brand? How can it hire such poor staff as its ambassadors?

How many more memories will Raffles Hotel shatter?

Joanna Hoare (Ms)
Surrey, Britain

the Bear SG

hotels seem to want to hire the "lowest cost" even at the expense of service..

looks like Raffles isn't immune to it...

alas....

Clivebenss SG

hotels seem to want to hire the "lowest cost" even at the expense of service..

looks like Raffles isn't immune to it...

alas....

Haiz... Raffles to Ratshit..

Moka SG

pay peanuts get monkey.

Clivebenss SG

Raffles Hotel no longer a Singaporean entity, it passed from American to Qatari.

Next serve camel milk?

Clivebenss SG

I REFER to last Friday's letter by Ms Joanna Hoare, 'Singapore Sling at icon of service sours memory', in which she describes the poor service attitudes she encountered on a recent visit to Raffles Hotel.

I empathise with her and would like to add my own experiences.

On Feb 20, my friend and I had a dinner appointment at Raffles Grill. On approaching the hotel door, we noted that only one half-door was open and there were two 'bouncers' standing there. One asked my friend, 'May I help you?', with a tone of voice that implied, 'So where do you think you're going?'

My friend took particular exception to this as it seemed the hotel was only interested in serving Caucasians. On arriving at the Grill, we noticed it was almost empty.

However, the final horror was still to come. At the end of the meal, we were each offered a large pink candy floss more in keeping with the fun fair at Coney Island in New York than a supposed five-star hotel. We saw this as a cheap marketing gimmick if ever there was one.

When the bill came, we noted, as did Ms Hoare, that the cost was extremely high. In our case, more than $500.

In sum, although there were some redeeming points, the overall dining experience and attitude was way below that of earlier days and certainly not befitting of a hotel like Raffles.

I wrote a complaint to the hotel's general manager on Feb 26 as my friend and I were upset by the seemingly racist 'welcome' we received on arrival. A reply - making no reference to this - was sent only two weeks later on March 9. Such in itself suggests lack of interest and importance accorded to guests by a senior employee of the hotel.

I rather wonder whether these attitudes are a reflection of poor service standards in their own right or whether it has anything to do with the fact that Raffles is no longer a Singapore icon, owned - as it is - by foreign interests whose major concern is presumably to see a handsome financial return from the property rather than provide a quality experience for guests.

Dr Peter Hardstone

Clivebenss SG

THANK you for publishing last Friday's letter by Ms Joanna Hoare, 'Singapore Sling at icon of service sours memory'.

I could not agree more with her. I went to Raffles Hotel with my husband on my first trip to Singapore in 2008. We were given no menu, only a cheeky smile from the waiter: 'Two Singapore Slings to start with?'

It tasted like over-sweetened cough medicine, and cost $58.

It is a real shame as this hotel is part of Singapore's image and it just gives a bad name to this beautiful hotel and country.

Xiaodan Wang (Ms)

Clivebenss SG

$58.00 cough syrup.

Better try McD male syrup.

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~ SG

$58.00 cough syrup.

Better try McD male syrup.

Clivebenss SG

sad to know that now Singapore Sling is a post mix.