In preparation for its grand opening, Qasr Al Sharq, Jeddah’s first palace hotel, is conducting an intensive training programme for its personalised butler service, the first of such top level, personalized service in any hotel in the Kingdom.
Hailing from the International Guild of Professional Butlers, Mr. Robert Wennekes, Guild Chairman and Staff Placement Consultant arrived in Jeddah to execute a five week training programme designed to orient a staff of 17 butlers about the extraordinary palace hotel where they will be employed to serve each and every guests’ individual needs and requests.
“Our guests will be among the most discerning. Their needs will run the gamut of high tech solutions for global communications and conferencing, to dietary needs, to strictest privacy and security considerations, and an entire of array of individual considerations and preferences. This hotel is a Palace, and it will be run as one; the service is not comparable to a hotel stay. The personal butler is an integral part of any guest experience at Qasr Al Sharq,” explained Marc de Beer, General Manager for Qasr Al Sharq.
The Guild, established in 1995, is held in the highest regard and provides private staff to prominent clients from around the world, including Royalty, statesmen ,film and music celebrities, and foreign embassies. The Guild prides itself on providing and training the very best personal staff, and it remains dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests and reputation of its members and the private service profession.
“Great service begins with great attitudes among all staff that come into contact with guests. Hotel properties must commit to ongoing programmes of excellence both in promise and delivery. Experienced, trained and professional service personnel are a key component of a first class service delivery system that will keep guests returning, and will generate levels of interest through word of mouth positive testimonials,” said Wennekes, himself a one time professional butler.
Wennekes grew up within the catering industry, and entered professional butler service first in the USA and later in Europe. He was then headhunted by a German Executive Search firm to establish a recruitment division for private staff. After great success with this division, Wennekes became Chairman of the Guild and opened the International Butler Academy Foundation, the world’s finest household management school. Mr. Wennekes has, in the past, placed and trained high quality personal staff for clients in Saudi Arabia, and Qasr Al Sharq represents his first hotel assignment in the Kingdom.
“The Guild recognizes that hotel butlers combine the skills of top level staff with attention to personalized service that is the hallmark of a professional butler in the private sector. The butlers of Qasr Al Sharq will be a testimonial for the caliber of guests who will visit the Palace,” he added.
In addition to its specialized butler service, Qasr Al Sharq will envelop its guests in complete luxury. Guest suite fittings, upholstery, artwork, and amenities are among the finest in the world, and unique to the Palace. Qasr al Sharq is home to internationally renowned Bice, an authentic Italian restaurant, and Mataam Al Sharq, a fine dining restaurant serving Oriental specialties.
Qasr Al Sharq, the 46-all suite luxury property, managed by Hilton International and located adjacent to the Jeddah Hilton, is preparing for an early spring opening.
Hilton International (HI), an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of the USA, where the Hilton brand is owned and managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC).
HI currently operates 31 hotels in the Middle East – 17 hotels in Egypt, eight hotels in the UAE, four in Saudi Arabia and one each in Oman and Kuwait. Hilton's heritage in the Arabian Peninsula stretches back over 30 years, when it became the first international hotel brand to open a property in the UAE - the Hilton Al Ain in 1972.
The 46-suite Qasr al Sharq, or ‘Palace of the Orient’ will become Hilton’s first palace property when it opens in March this year. New Hilton properties are under development in Doha – Qatar, a worldwide resort in Ras Al Khaimah - UAE, in addition to the Arabian Peninsula’s first Conrad hotel in Dubai.
Hilton International operates 403 hotels, with some 261 branded Hilton and 142 under the mid-market Scandic brand. Under a joint venture agreement, Hilton International and the North American based Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) share responsibility for the Conrad brand, which includes 17 hotels in 12 countries. A global marketing alliance between Hilton International and Hilton Hotels Corporation extends the number of hotels operated by both companies worldwide to over 2,700 – over 500 of which are branded Hilton.
Hilton Worldwide Resorts is an upscale, global resort network with a collection of 57 resorts, located in exotic places, making up the world’s largest global choice. Currently, 36 resorts are operated by Hilton International – including four all-inclusive Coral by Hilton resorts, 18 by Hilton Hotels Corporation and three by Conrad. Hilton International Grand Vacations Company presently operates four resorts in Scotland and Egypt, comprising 271 time-ownership units.
Hilton International employs over 71,000 staff in 80 countries. Committed to doing business in a responsible way, Hilton International’s aim is to bring a positive benefit to the societies in which it operates through high quality services, economic growth, environmental protection, community involvement and employment.
For further information please visit our corporate website at www.hiltongroup.com or to download images please visit www.vismedia-online.com
The Hilton Reservations and Customer Care telephone numbers in the Middle East are as follows:
UAE - 8000 20000 11 Qatar - 800 97103
KSA - 800 82000 10 Egypt - 19009
Bahrain - 8000 4058 Jordan - 00 202 5805927
Kuwait - 371 1434 Lebanon - 00 202 5805928
Oman - 800 788788 Syria - 00 202 5805926
