1101 is an innocuous enough number, but whisper this room number to staff members of the Crown Towers Manila in the City of Dreams and they will come running to fulfill your every need.
That’s because Room 1101 happens to be the hotel’s Presidential Villa, a 540-square-meter suite that costs Php340,000 per night. “As soon as you see room number 1101, you know this guest is a high roller. The person that stays in this suite is the highest roller within the City of Dreams,” said Brett Hickey, General Manager of the Crown Towers.
A framed display of peacock feathers welcomes you into the room, while a hyperrealist painting of water ripples hangs on the wall. The suite has three bedrooms (each with its own bathroom) and access to a private jacuzzi and a garden, a treadmill, and a spa treatment room. The bathrooms possess quiet opulence, with his-and-hers sinks topped with onyx, and real shagreen on the drawers. Residents can choose among Ferragamo, Hermès L’Occitane, Bulgari Green, Bulgari White, and Chopard for their toiletries. Downstairs, there is a living room and a 10-seater dining table. A lift that fits four people connects the first and second floors of the suite, because at those prices, why take the stairs?
Residents of the room are also assigned a butler whose services are available 24 hours a day. These butlers are trained to do almost everything, including arranging tours, translating from Filipino and English to Mandarin, and, according to Mr. Hickey, delivering bulalo straight from Tagaytay. Guests staying in Room 1101 may also ask the hotel to request a store to bring in racks of high-end goods to the suite, so they may shop in privacy.
The room is set apart from other high-end suites by a measure of exclusivity. “You wouldn’t be able to book this room online. This room would have to be booked through our International Marketing or Casino Marketing departments,” said Mr. Hickey. “The person that goes into this suite also has to be able to have some value to the City of Dreams as a whole.” — JOSEPH LAZARO GARCIA
