Here are the funny responses to Mandarin Oriental Singapore’s GM’s letter to competitors
During renovations, the Singapore hotel enlisted the help of fellow luxury hotels to “take care” of its guests.
A six-month renovation is underway at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, and to mark the start, general manager Philipp Knuepfer has sent a personal letter to fellow hotel general managers in the city, asking them to assist with taking care of their guests in the meantime.
Christian Westbeld’s letter starts: “Dear Christian, our hotels are only a few blocks apart, but we’re exactly one century apart. I must say, you don’t look a day over 136.”
After that, it concludes: “In order to put learning into practice, we closed our doors last week to begin our own transformation journey. In the meantime, we would appreciate it if you took care of our guests. At Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, we trust they will receive the exceptional Singaporean hospitality they’re accustomed to.”
A short film was released on Mandarin Oriental’s Instagram page, featuring Knuepfer as he pens the letters. A bellboy then hand delivers them to each hotel, even stopping for a photo with Raffles Hotel’s legendary butler.
A number of fellow hotels have also responded with their own cheeky responses. For example, Shangri-La Singapore released a video showing its general manager, John Rice, receiving the letter. He reads it out loud, jokingly pointing out that he couldn’t read Knuepfer’s handwriting. He said, “We’re happy to take care of your guests until the renovation is complete and you reopen. I am pleased to say they may never return to the Mandarin after staying at Shangri-La.”
The Fullerton Hotel’s country general manager, Gino Tan, responded as well. Thank you so much for entrusting us with your valuable guests. You can rest assured that your guests are in good hands with the #FullerExperience, and we look forward to seeing you back in the neighbourhood soon with your new look. Tan wrote, “Take care and see you soon.” We wonder if #FullerExperience is meant to be a cheeky jab?
