The butler did it

Brandishing individualized service to set it apart, Pan Pacific Manila has turned to butler service in an effort to lure customers away from other five-star hotels.

The iconic butler is an Englishman. The word "butler" was derived from the Middle English term "bottler", or the person responsible for the castle’s wine cellar. While butlers of the rich and royal have held an important place, particularly in English households, for centuries, it is just recently that butlers have become available on a temporary basis for guests who lodge at fine hotels all over the world.

Here in the Philippines, Pan Pacific Manila is the first five-star deluxe hotel that offers butler service. The butlers are trained to anticipate the needs of every guest and make their impeccable service available anytime, day and night.

These butlers ensure that rooms are kept exactly the way guests like them. They also assist guests with their business appointments, or travel arrangements within and around the city, throwing in a recommendation or two about local restaurants and other places of interest and entertainment.

GENTLEMAN’S GENTLEMAN

In an industry where service is a key differentiator, it is a no-brainer to institute butler service. Butlers have always represented the pinnacle in service quality.

Pan Pacific Manila recently invited Wayne Fitzharris, director and lead trainer of the International Guild of Butlers and Housemanagers, to further enhance the knowledge and skills of its butlers in a five-day training, teaching them on how to become the quintessential Gentleman’s Gentleman -- truly the highest embodiment of a butler’s character.

"Filipinos have an edge because they are innately hospitable and sincere," said Fitzharris. "The butlers here smile a lot. Other butlers from hotels in countries I’ve visited lack the warmth."

"The service the butlers render vary from place to place, but their activities basically center around making your stay more comfortable and sparing guests from having to do tedious things like unpack, pack, or make reservations themselves, among others," Fitzharris said.

"A common problem though is if guests feel comfortable having a butler around? Butlers exist to serve you, and you don’t have to please them. A guest simply needs to treat them respectfully and as professionals," he added.

Over the years, Fitzharris has served renowned VIPs and celebrities. He was also the household manager for their Majesties King Hussein and Queen Noor of the Royal Kingdom of Jordan for three years.

Pan Pacific Manila boasts of royal treatment in all its 236 all-executive, contemporary–style rooms and suites. By simply pressing the ‘Butler Plus’ button on the guest phone, guests are guaranteed service from well-educated butlers who are trained to exceed every expectation.