YOUR SAY

Lea and Brett share how by going the extra mile, the staff at Ascott has made their stay truly memorable.

One could say that Lea Magbuhat is a seasoned traveller. The 45-year-old from Southern Orange County, California, has explored Europe, enjoyed the sunny skies of the Mexican Riviera, and now the Philippines, thanks to her parents who love celebrating special occasions out of the country.

Last December, her parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and the whole family went to the Philippines – her parents’ home country. “There were 14 of us including in-laws, children and grandchildren. We stayed for a month and while we travelled to different parts of the country, our home base in Manila was Ascott Makati. My parents chose to stay there because they wanted the ‘home away from home’ feel, which they felt Ascott could provide,” shared Lea, a mother of two who works for a software company.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Lea’s parents renewed their vows at the Sanctuario de San Antonio Parish Church. Preparations for the ceremony took place in their penthouse suite at Ascott Makati, and it was then that Lea noticed how spacious their room was. “It was great as there was a lot of space to fit everyone!” she recalled. “Imagine having family members, photographers, the makeup artist, hairstylist, the wedding co-ordinator and her staff all in one room!” Lea and her family also loved the accessibility of Ascott Makati – shopping malls and numerous restaurants were just a stone’s throw away. Another plus were the massages offered at Ascott Makati’s spa, as well as the pool and the games room which kept the kids occupied.

“The Ascott Makati staff’s sincere warmth and kindness made our month-long stay a memorable experience.”

But what really impressed the family about Ascott Makati was the staff. Lea said, “They assisted us with the arrangements for our sightseeing tours prior to our departure from the US. We were also pleased by how warm and hospitable they were. They never failed to greet us with genuine politeness and they even knew us by name. Their sincere warmth and kindness made our month-long stay a memorable experience.”

As first impressions go, this was a good one, considering that it was also the first time the family had stayed with Ascott. But it won’t be the last, according to Lea. As a parting message, Lea had this to say: “Thank you for the outstanding service you provided us. You were all perfect hosts and hostesses!”

Brett Jeffries, who stayed at Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaAs the IT Support Manager of an IT customer support centre, Brett Jeffries knows a thing or two about good customer service. On a recent business trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the 41-year-old, in his words, “had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of good customer service” at the Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon. “Being away from home for a long period is difficult, but the warm and helpful staff at Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon made being away a lot easier,” said Brett.

“The staff at Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon always had willing, can-do attitude which showed their pride in serving their guests and giving nothing but their best.”

One staff member who made an impression was Wan of housekeeping. “The attention to detail she took in maintaining my room was excellent, and the fact that she added a personal touch where appropriate needs to be noted,” he commended. “I brought along a soft toy animal for good luck, and at night, I use it to block the light from the digital clock. After one particularly long and difficult day at work, I came back and noticed that Wan had placed the toy on my pillow, and this brought a smile to my face. It’s small gestures like this that make the difficulties of working in a foreign country more bearable,” shared Brett.

Drawing similarities from his line of work, Brett believes that the initiative to go the extra mile or add a personal touch to your work makes a big difference. And at Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon, he appreciated that the staff always had a willing, can-do attitude which showed their pride in serving their guests and giving nothing but their best.

Based on his experience, Brett said he would gladly recommend Ascott to colleagues and friends. “It’s the perfect place to stay, with excellent customer service and reasonable rates!”