Butler shares steamy secrets of high-end hotels
It’s incredible to think there are people out there with the means to stay in a hotel room priced at $25,000 a night, but that’s the going rate for people wanting to stay in the Chairman’s Villa at Crown Towers.
It’s incredible to think that there are people out there with the means (and inclination) to stay in a hotel room priced at $25,000 a night, but that’s the going rate for people booking a night in the Chairman’s Villa at Melbourne’s Crown Towers.
But what happens in the rooms of this five-star hotel?
Crispin Hannibelsz, who works as a butler at the exclusive establishment, has shared details about life in the penthouse in an exclusive interview with News.com.au.
Here’s a few of his classic stories:
1. Abalone
“Once I had a guest that required a specific abalone from Perth. So we had to get a private plane to go and pick it up to be delivered ASAP.”
2. Rouge wombat
“A family requested to see Australian wildlife during their stay but wouldn’t leave their room.
We contacted a registered wildlife handler and arranged to have a wombat and koala brought into the hotel. Trying to keep the wombat from eating the $10,000 couch was an interesting task.”
3. In-room shopping mall
“A celebrity band requested we arrange an in-room shopping experience from a wide selection of luxury retailers. We had to contact each retailer separately and convince them to bring a rack of their latest lines into Crown and be shown in a room full of their competitors. This wasn’t easy however managed to get over 15 retailers into a Crown Villa together and the guests completed their shopping without having to leave their hotel floor.”
4. Medieval thrones
“During the stay of a well-known celebrity couple we were requested to arrange a surprise medieval-themed birthday party. We had to go with them to costume shops, try on costumes for the guests and staff, sourced thrones for guests to sit at, medieval themed cutlery and goblets ... the whole lot.”
5. Surprise over-size private jet
“A guest requested to land his private jet — an Airbus A380 — at Essendon Airport. Due to the
"size of the aircraft, the runway at Essendon was too small. With little notice to arrange an alternative, we contacted Melbourne Airport and negotiated to rent a private hangar for the landing and sought special permission from airport security to allow his driver to meet the plane.”
6. Outsourced marriage proposal
“A guest requested an Amazing Race style proposal all around Melbourne, finishing in a
hotel room with a diamond ring on the bed. The guest gave us some places that were special to them as a couple and why, then we had to think up some clues and contact each venue to place envelopes in appropriate locations; the guest delivered the ring to our team and we placed it on the bed and kept the last clue with us. When the woman made it to us we escorted her up to find the ring before her partner came in to surprise her.”
Source: News.com.au.