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They were there to relax and unwind, using their SingapoRediscovers coupons for their hotel stays over the weekend.
But many ended up waiting hours to check-in in hotel lobbies on Saturday due to crowds.
Among them were a group of four friends who used their vouchers, intended to support the local tourism industry, for a vacation at the Grand Park Orchard hotel to celebrate one of them landing his dream job.
They had to wait seven hours before checking in on Saturday, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
“The line was outrageously long,” one of the friends, who wanted to be known only as Mr. Firasssu, told The New Paper yesterday.
“There were parents who demanded rooms because their young children were sleepy. I also saw several elderly and pregnant women waiting in line.”
The delay caused the group to cancel their dinner reservation, as well as their late night movie plans.
According to online news site Mothership, guests at Hilton Singapore, Pan Pacific Singapore, Grand Hyatt Singapore, and Four Points by Sheraton Singapore, Riverview had experienced check-in delays for the past two weekends.
A spokesperson for Grand Park Orchard told TNP that it received an overwhelming surge of last-minute bookings in recent days.
The spokesperson said the hotel tried to contact guests to stagger check-in times, but found it challenging to reach all of them.
Guests TNP spoke to said they were asked to check in at 3 p.m. But when a guest who wanted to be known only as Mr. Ng arrived at 3:15 p.m., he said the line at the hotel reception had extended to the restaurant at the back.
The 29-year-old said there were only two hotel staff manning the check-in desk.
“We kept asking if there were still rooms left or if we can get a refund, but they didn’t give us any answers,” he added.
A man who identified himself as the hotel’s general manager finally showed up around 8 p.m. to convey to guests their options: a 100 percent refund, a free upgrade for their next stay with an extended check-out to 4 pm or continue to stay and be late Departure at 6 pm and 50% discount on food.
A spokesman for the Grand Park Orchard hotel said the hotel “deeply apologized” for the inconvenience caused to guests and has since reviewed measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
This includes working with travel partners to facilitate advance reservations with staggered check-in times and implementing a queue management system so that guests are contacted when it is their turn to check-in.
The spokesperson added that the check-in process at the hotel went smoothly yesterday after new measures were implemented.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) director of hotel and industry workforce Tan Yen Nee said STB is aware of the delay in the check-in process at Grand Park Orchard.
Fourteen safe distance ambassadors and law enforcement officers from STB were dispatched to the hotel around 7.30pm on Saturday.
“Together, they helped hotel staff manage crowds and ensure a safe distance of 1m between hotel guests. Singapore Police officers also responded to the incident to ensure law and order,” Tan told TNP .
STB said it seriously considers non-compliance with safe management measures by both companies and the public.
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