Check out Hotel Jen Tanglin’s $45m renovation from Traders Singapore

It introduces a ‘heart map’ concept to replace hotel concierge.

After undergoing a $45m extensive renovation and transformation from Traders Singapore, Hotel Jen Tanglin has opened its doors once again to the public. The 20-year old property underwent a major 12-month refurbishment of all guest rooms, club lounge, lobby and reception. Café Biz restaurant was also renamed J65.

Hotel Jen Tanglin claims pioneering the innovations in design for the nine other Hotel Jen properties under Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd across the Asia Pacific region.

The brand ‘Jen’ is a virtual persona who is a professional hotelier and all-time lover of life, travel and discovery. Jen’s unique brand of style and service delivery appeals to what she calls a “New Generation” of travellers. The new hotel features a fresh and contemporary vibe designed to attract the same highly valued business and leisure travellers.

According to Clifford Weiner, general manager at Hotel Jen Tanglin, a unique feature of the hotel is the Heart Map. The Heart Map is where team members and guests alike are encouraged to share their favourite tips and recommendations on the hand-drawn map. This, he said, is such a fun and interactive way to discover the city and a way to ensure all team members act as ambassadors for the hotel. Without a traditional ‘concierge’ in place, every guest is assured that everyone working at the hotel is ‘in the know’.

“The Hotel Jen experience delivers what matters most to guests with a millennial mindset. They appreciate important things done well; demand quality, comfort and value, together with honest, authentic service; and want privacy and efficiency without unnecessary fuss or intrusion,” said Clifford.

Clifford added that with this new brand, they want to retain their existing customer base. However, as they also recognise that the customer needs are changing, they will broaden their range of guests and attract more travellers looking for distinctive experiences of local interest and character. The team would also like to appeal to families and groups who want a more independent, yet friendly and personable stay experience.

The transition from Traders Singapore to Hotel Jen Tanglin

According to Clifford, the transition of their brand was an inside-out transformation. They aimed to take away stuffiness and deliver a more relaxed and casual, fun yet professional and high quality experience to their customers.

Clifford specifically points out their approach to hiring and training new staff. He said that they take a more open approach and wish for their people to be ‘themselves’.

“At Hotel Jen we aim to train the skills required, local and cultural knowledge are also important factors, but we want people to keep their individual personalities and have these shine through to create an engaging and fun ambiance,” said Clifford.