'Let them eat cake,' says 31-years-young Borobudur Hotel
'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.