I must admit, the idea of having my own dedicated assistant catering to my every need at the 5-star The Reserve at the Savoy Palace in Madeira recently was initially somewhat disconcerting.
I mean, being from a solid working-class background in Belfast, such exclusive service to my mind has always been reserved for Royalty, the likes of King Charles and Queen Camilla of England or the newly-crowned King Frederick and Queen Mary of Denmark.
But I suppose we all deserve – and require – a little pampering sometimes.
As it turned out, after quickly getting to know my dedicated assistant, Joao Henriques, on a more personal basis, I thoroughly enjoyed his company and the time we spent together. My apprehension that Joao would be monitoring my and my wife’s every move and meddle in our daily affairs, offering advice at every step, turned out to be entirely misplaced.
Gracious. Kind. Informative. Friendly. Patient. Understanding. Helpful. Discreet. These were some of the adjectives I’d use to describe his interaction with us throughout our short stay.
It was reassuring that whenever we needed something we could rely on him and his colleagues to find out the how, what, why, where and when. This saved precious time, allowing us to concentrate on enjoying our first-ever taste of the exotic Portuguese island’s many delights, both cultural and culinary.
The reason we had the pleasure of having Joao as our guide and advisor is that this luxury grand dame of an island hotel just a few days ago officially launched an innovative concept entitled ‘The Reserve’ and we were fortunate enough to have a ‘sneak peek.’
Described to me by Vanda Perestrelo, one of the hotel’s public relations representatives, as ‘a luxurious concept within the luxury concept of a hotel,’ this personalized service is offered to guests in 39 sea-view rooms, ranging from deluxe to pool suites, and its rooftop presidential suite. Pool suites feature a private terrace with plunge pools overlooking the ocean and Funchal Bay.
The central tenet of the concept is, of course, the dedicated Guest Experience Personal Assistant (GEPA) available around the clock. Once guests book ‘The Reserve’ they are connected with a GEPA via email and WhatsApp who then tailors their hotel stay to specific requests. Upon arrival, room access is via a private elevator to the Jacarandá Lounge & Club on the 16th floor where they can indulge in an array of snacks and drinks throughout the day and an exclusive rooftop pool with panoramic views over Funchal.
Among the many extras for such guests are early check-ins from 9am and late check-outs until 10pm, a culinary greeting upon arrival, complimentary welcome drinks, free newspapers, in-room breakfast upon request, parking and a delightful luxurious in-room bathing experience complete with rose petals, candles and aromatic oils. Of course, guests at The Reserve can indulge in the hotel’s other facilities, including its seductive Laurea Spa.
Joao is not the only staff member deserving of praise. We were also very impressed with the friendliness of his colleagues including Irene Gonçalves, Ana Carreiro, Zita Alves, Petra Caetano and Milagros Freitas who greeted us everyday with sincere smiles and engaging conversation and a willingness to help whenever we needed it.
