Don’t these pictures look lovely?
These are the eptiome of my favorite thing when staying at a hotel. Any hotel. Especially luxury ones.
I don’t technically have words to describe the feeling of having access to a Executive / Club Lounge as an in-house guest. It’s the feeling of belonging to an exclusive circle of esteemed (or so I think) guests who are viewed differrently (in a good way) from the rest of the other maybe 70% in-house guests.
I used to think that booking a Club-access room was a waste of money. I mean, paying extra 20% for the same room and 2 hours of cocktails and bites? Pfft.
But then I got my first taste of in 2010. I had booked Conrad Centennial Singapore for a 3D2N staycation during one of their rare 50% sale and got a deluxe room at SGD167++. Then 2 weeks after, the rates dropped even lower, to SGD155++. So I gave feedback to the hotel and they kindly offered to either revise the rate, or be upgraded to an Executive room. I picked the latter.
And wow, was it an experience to remember. And I got hooked ever since. (Psst: Conrad Centennial Singapore STILL is one of the best club lounge ever – their bites are a mini buffet and the service rocks).
To verbalise why I’m constantly obsessed:
- Being spotted at the front desk and escorted to be checked in at the club lounge and actually be able to sit down while waiting for the process to be done.
- Recieving a personalised note in the room detailing the Lounge benefits.
- Not having to worry about where to get some cookies or a good cup of americano in the middle of the day, and a nice place to savor them to boot.
- Walking into the lounge during cocktail hours and sit through the 2-ish hours of food and alcohol (and more coffee) without having to worry about racking up the bill.
- Being acknowledged by first / last name. Small things makes me feel special.
See why the extra 20% is well worth it?
Of course, not all hotels do all of these. Espeically no. 1, no.2, and no.5. But but but, that’s all good if they do no.3 and no.4 well!
I’ve seen a whole assortment – from the excellent to the middling, and then there are the bad ones. From reheated frozen food to elaborately prepared exquisite bites. And it has nothing to do with the star ratings of the hotel. Sometimes dependant on the country too.
Checked: Sofitel, Novotel, Pullman, Mercure, Westin, Hotel Jen, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Intercontinental, Royal Plaza, Mandarin, Renaissance
To be checked: Ritz, Marriot, Sheraton, Meridien, Holiday Inn, Mandarin Oriental, Hilton, Grand Park, Kempinski, and…..alot more. Shucks.
And so I sometimes struggle to pick hotels like St Regis, or W, because at that premium, they don’t have club lounge facilities. #Firstworldproblems. I know.
I want to plan my next Club stay!