BY: HANNAH REES, PRESBYTERIAN LADIES COLLEGE SYDNEY
With around 1000 students from around the world attending THIMUN Singapore, our homes away from home are dotted across the country and include hotels the likes of the Hilton and the Regis. But what makes a good hotel?
The International School of Bombay are occupying rooms at the Albert Court Hotel. Students have commented that overall their experience so far in the hotel has been positive; the rooms are cosy, comfortable, and clean. Nayantara Dayal commented that the hotel “is conveniently located near Orchard Road and close to Hwa Chong Institution.”
Ravenswood School for Girls are currently residing in the York Hotel. The school’s choice of accommodation was influenced by the fact that they had stayed at the hotel before; it was a “familiar and safe option” as Ms. Charlesworth of Ravenswood commented, rather than the risk of a new and disappointing hotel.
Despite the positive experiences, some students have not been so fortunate in their accommodation. The Korean International School have been placed at the Bencoolen Hotel 81. Even though they have only had a short stay of two days, they are already relocating to the Link Hotel. Although this is not the likes of the Hilton or Regis, it is an improvement. The rooms at the Bencoolen were rundown and due for upgrades and renovations, whilst the food was of poor quality and anonymously described as “tasting similar to plastic”. Sex workers whose clients were staying in same location also visited the hotel.
But the question is: What determines a school’s choice of hotel?
The majority of schools at the Conference were placed in hotels recommended by Tour East. Their recommendation follows several criteria that ensure the client has a comfortable and enjoyable stay. A representative for Tour East, Janet, listed three main areas they evaluate in selection of hotels. The first criterion was price as “Most students come with a tight budget” and require a hotel that fits to their financial situation. Secondly they consider the location of the hotel, something that many Delegates and Press members commented positively on. Bencoolen Hotel, Albert Court Hotel, and York Hotel are all within prime locations and surrounded by appealing tourist attractions. They are in walking distance of Orchard Road, various shopping complexes, Raffles City, Raffles Hotel and Suntec.
The last criterion was looking for a hotel with a good track record. However, each individual’s experience and opinion is as Janet said, “subjective” which makes selecting a hotel on this basis difficult. Where one school may have no problem with the quality of a hotel, another school might.
With that in mind, if disappointing hotels are anything to go by, you will be guaranteed a comfortable stay if you stay somewhere familiar or somewhere you’ve been before.
With around 1000 students from around the world attending THIMUN Singapore, our homes away from home are dotted across the country and include hotels the likes of the Hilton and the Regis. But what makes a good hotel?
The International School of Bombay are occupying rooms at the Albert Court Hotel. Students have commented that overall their experience so far in the hotel has been positive; the rooms are cosy, comfortable, and clean. Nayantara Dayal commented that the hotel “is conveniently located near Orchard Road and close to Hwa Chong Institution.”
Ravenswood School for Girls are currently residing in the York Hotel. The school’s choice of accommodation was influenced by the fact that they had stayed at the hotel before; it was a “familiar and safe option” as Ms. Charlesworth of Ravenswood commented, rather than the risk of a new and disappointing hotel.
Despite the positive experiences, some students have not been so fortunate in their accommodation. The Korean International School have been placed at the Bencoolen Hotel 81. Even though they have only had a short stay of two days, they are already relocating to the Link Hotel. Although this is not the likes of the Hilton or Regis, it is an improvement. The rooms at the Bencoolen were rundown and due for upgrades and renovations, whilst the food was of poor quality and anonymously described as “tasting similar to plastic”. Sex workers whose clients were staying in same location also visited the hotel.
But the question is: What determines a school’s choice of hotel?
The majority of schools at the Conference were placed in hotels recommended by Tour East. Their recommendation follows several criteria that ensure the client has a comfortable and enjoyable stay. A representative for Tour East, Janet, listed three main areas they evaluate in selection of hotels. The first criterion was price as “Most students come with a tight budget” and require a hotel that fits to their financial situation. Secondly they consider the location of the hotel, something that many Delegates and Press members commented positively on. Bencoolen Hotel, Albert Court Hotel, and York Hotel are all within prime locations and surrounded by appealing tourist attractions. They are in walking distance of Orchard Road, various shopping complexes, Raffles City, Raffles Hotel and Suntec.
The last criterion was looking for a hotel with a good track record. However, each individual’s experience and opinion is as Janet said, “subjective” which makes selecting a hotel on this basis difficult. Where one school may have no problem with the quality of a hotel, another school might.
With that in mind, if disappointing hotels are anything to go by, you will be guaranteed a comfortable stay if you stay somewhere familiar or somewhere you’ve been before.
No comments:
Post a Comment