There’s more to hotels than guest rooms and bars. The people behind the scenes – from the food and beverage staff to the spa therapists and general management – work to make your stay special. But did you ever stop to wonder just what they do when they’re planning their daily guest check-ins?
I checked in with my friends at the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, to see how their year shaped up and was surprised to find some pretty interesting statistics. It just goes to show you… a hotel stay is more than room service and a helpful concierge (although they certainly add to the ambiance). It’s the little things that happen around you that really make a difference.
Did you know that since January, the Pastry Kitchen at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, has consumed around 212,000 pounds of flour and around 43,000 pounds of butter to make their pastry creations? Did you know that the restaurant has sold over 14,000 portions of its signature dish, Hainan Chicken Rice and produced more than 55,000 pieces of Dim Sum items?
Here’s a look at some of the quirky things have happened behind the scenes at one of Hong Kong’s favorite hotels:
- Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong has produced over 60,000 freshly baked scones for their legendary afternoon teas.
- Since January, The Mandarin Cake Shop has produced over 10,000 jars of their Rose Petal Jam.
- Since January, The Mandarin Cake Shop has produced over 7,500 signature American Cheesecakes for all cake-lovers.
- Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s Pastry team has baked over 9,000 Almond Croissants in 2010.
- The Mandarin Barber has conducted 14,076 haircuts this year.
- The Mandarin Spa has performed over 12,000 massages during 2010 and used over 84 cups of massage oil this year.
- The Mandarin Spa and Salon has manicured over 4,500 pairs of hands since January 2010
- Guests in the hotel’s Clipper Lounge have consumed around 455,000 pieces of Oyster in 2010.
Next time you walk into a hotel think about the amount of work that goes into each guest throughout the year. You never know… you might the first one to experience a new spa service or a signature dish, or you might be the guest that helps create a hotel’s new dessert menu item!