What is unique at Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park hotel?

What is different in 5 star hotels? Why pay 2-5 times the rent of a budget hotel? What extra do we get at 5 star hotels that budget hotels don't provide? 

Like all middle class people, I had a cautious approach towards five star hotels, thinking they are overpriced. I had my share of 5 star stays earlier- few of them such as Park Hyatt Goa, Dusi Thani Hua Hin and so on. But last week’s stay at Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park hotel ,Chennai was a different experience. In this post, I am making an effort to explain what’s extra that is offered in ITC’s Sheraton Park hotels & towers that normal hotels don’t offer. In other words, it helps you understand what is the value realized for the additional money paid.

Do go through, it might just tempt you to shed your hesitations and try 5 star hotel once a while.

Personalized attention:

Sheraton customizes your stay to the best extent possible. As I entered my room, the Butler (Mr Vikram) who brought the welcome juice knew my name, as I entered the restaurant, the restaurant manager and chef knew my name. It is a real warm feeling to have being recognized and addressed by name, compared to other places where we need to identify ourselves.

 

Apparently all key staffs are briefed in advance about the guests, their likes and dislikes, preferences and so on. So even before you check in, they would know about you. Over a period of time, if you’re a regular customer, hotel staff will probably be knowing more about you than yourself!

As I was a vegetarian, Chef Partha prepared a customized set of veg items for me at Cappuccino restaurant. He admitted it was difficult to serve vegetarians as the options get very limited, but I never felt that as a guest, thanks to his efforts.

As I revealed that I don’t like mushrooms and too much of chocolate, the same got noted and during my next visit, chefs would automatically ensure that there’ll be no mushrooms in the food made for me. After few visits, you’ll feel like home, because without you having to tell anything, everything happens as per your likes and preferences. No wonder Park Sheraton has 80-85% business coming from repeat customers. This kind of attention and personalization is not available in normal hotels. I didn't realize that I had spent two hours over lunch, chatting and eating- probably my longest lunch.

Customization 

Room ambiance can be customized to suit the taste of the guests. We were given pillows with our name embroidered on it and it came as a nice surprise. A butler is always on standby for your service, who serves as a Single Point of Contact for all your needs. (No need to run around the hotel/different departments). I wasn’t used to this kind of VVIP treatment and felt little humbled having someone around waiting for my next order.

Its not like regular hotels where you walk in and one of the available room is given. Your room at Sheraton would have been worked upon to given personal touch, hours before you arrive 

Be in command

In normal restaurants, you need to wait for your turn, eat hurriedly and vacate as there'll be others waiting. In Sheraton Park's 'On the Rock', guests often walk in at 7PM, chat, chitchat and dine until 11PM before calling it a day. No one asks them to hurry up. As a customer you always feel in command and everything happens as per your convenience.

Chefs often walk up to the table and explain the menu they have on offer or what they recommend for you. If you have the interest to hear, they are willing to explain the story behind each item- what it contains, from where the items are sourced from, what is the significance, what side dish it goes well with and so on.

Attention to detail:

Each piece of cutlery is carefully chosen for the item, sometimes even imported. Lot of thinking goes behind before deciding how to present a dish.  These help making your experience unique and memorable.

Best in the industry staff:
The manager at Westminster is a world known expert in wines. Chefs at Dakshin travel frequently all our south India to learn more and more about South Indian dishers. Most of the staff are best names in the industry and this reflects in the quality of service.

Sleep quality:

All said and done, people go to hotel for one main purpose- to sleep. The sleep has to be free from any possible disturbances. Crowne Plaza and other star hotels never give you a reason to complain about this. No noise seeps in from neighboring room or outside.

Regular hotels clean the room once a day and when guests request it be cleaned. Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park hotel's housekeeping staff visit rooms multiple times a day to ensure everything is in order.

In summary, hotels like Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park hotel ensure guests walk away with satisfaction. Of course the price is higher than normal hotels, but you get personalized attention and quality of service that is not matched by a budget hotel. To me it was highly aspirational as well- one should grow professionally and financially such that they are put up in hotels like Sheraton Park hotels & towers by their company or paying for such an accommodation doesn't appear expensive. While we treat 5 star stay as luxury, for many that is a standard way of life. We should aim to be there!