'Let them eat cake,' says 31-years-young Borobudur Hotel
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Two women dressed in traditional outfits greeted guests in the Borobudur Hotel's lobby last Wednesday evening. One of them was wielding a knife and the other getting tissues ready.
They were not intent on scaring the guests or kids, however. Instead, they were offering arriving guests a slice of cake.
"Thank you," said three-year-old Michael, after receiving his slice.
To celebrate its 31st anniversary on March 23, 2005, the management of the Borobudur Hotel offered all arriving guests a slice of cake.
No spectacular ceremony was organized to celebrate the anniversary. Neither was there anything approaching ostentatious decoration. The only unusual feature, in fact, was a 1.5-meter- high cake placed in the hotel lobby -- right at the doorway.
"We did not organize a festive ceremony this year. The tsunami disaster prevented us from spending money on a celebration," said Sari Priskila, the hotel's public relations officer.
The Borobudur Hotel is among the few hotels that contributed to the relief operation for people in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatra.
Following the catastrophic tsunami that hit Aceh and part of North Sumatra on Dec. 26 last year, the management of the hotel decided to donate Rp 50,000 per occupied room per night starting Jan. 1 2005. The program will last for one year.
Despite its commitment to helping the victims of the disaster, the hotel did not forget to commemorate its 31st anniversary, including offering its famous sop buntut (oxtail soup) for Rp 31,000 a bowl, as against the normal price of Rp 58,000 (US$6.2).
In 2004, the sop buntut received the Best Seller Sop Buntut award from the Quadrant Positioning and Branding Company and Marketing Magazine.
In addition, the Bogor Cafe is offering a free buffet for one person with every purchase of a buffet package for three persons, while the Miyama Japanese restaurant and the Bruschetta Italian restaurant are also offering discounts.
A superior room which usually costs Rp 600,000 per night is on offer for Rp 310,000 on March 23 -- the hotel's anniversary.
Situated in 23 acres of landscaped tropical gardens, the five- star diamond hotel is one of the favorite choices of state dignitaries visiting the country.
From the late Princess Di to former South African president Nelson Mandela, a host of international celebrities have stayed in the Borobudur. The hotel has also hosted various historical events, like the debate between the presidential candidates prior to the country's first ever direct presidential election, and the ASEAN Conference on Terrorism.