0:00:02 > 0:00:05All over the world, there are remarkable hotels,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08born of bold vision and daring endeavour.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Oh, my goodness, look at that!
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Whether it's an epic structure housing a sky park the length
0:00:15 > 0:00:17of the Eiffel Tower...
0:00:17 > 0:00:20This is definitely the biggest space I've ever been inside.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25..or a glass box perched in the cloud forest...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- Look at that view.- Wow.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31..they're all products of innovation, creativity
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and hard graft.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36The people running these hotels
0:00:36 > 0:00:39strive to create the perfect sanctuary.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44But what does it take to offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- in stunning locations?- To build a hotel in a place like this,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49everybody thinks I'm crazy!
0:00:50 > 0:00:55In total we have about 160,000 pieces of uniform.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Oh, my word.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I'm a restaurant writer, newspaper columnist and critic.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I have opinions on just about everything.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05What a mad place to build a hotel.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Feel like Scott of the Antarctic.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09And it did not end well for him.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13And I'm a chef who has worked at the top end of the hospitality industry
0:01:13 > 0:01:15for well over 20 years.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17How many opportunities do you get to cook breakfast
0:01:17 > 0:01:19with elephants and giraffes?
0:01:21 > 0:01:25We'll travel to amazing hotels in every corner of the world...
0:01:25 > 0:01:28..to spend time getting to know the people working away
0:01:28 > 0:01:29behind the scenes.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31When did you last have a full night's sleep?
0:01:31 > 0:01:33- I don't remember.- Really?
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- Yes.- What motivates you to work so hard?
0:01:36 > 0:01:38- BOTH:- The kids.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40I will sacrifice everything for them.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Join us as we venture inside...
0:01:47 > 0:01:50..the world's most extraordinary hotels.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06Singapore, a bustling city state in the heart of south-east Asia.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Located on a tiny island just off the tip of Malaysia,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18this place takes urbanisation to its extreme.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Ancient temples are dwarfed by towering modern skyscrapers.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Singapore has long been considered a stopover point,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29rather than a destination.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32But this might soon be about to change,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36thanks in part to one of the most ambitious hotels in the world...
0:02:40 > 0:02:42..Marina Bay Sands.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Wow, I mean that's really extraordinary.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59It just looks like a 22nd-century Stonehenge.
0:02:59 > 0:03:00With a spaceship on the top.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Three towers soar to 200 metres,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08supporting a futuristic garden in the sky,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12all at a cost of over £3.5 billion.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18It looks like Noah's Ark has been stranded by the subsiding of the
0:03:18 > 0:03:21floodwaters on top of three massive skyscrapers.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25And it's inside this colossal structure
0:03:25 > 0:03:27that WE will be put to work.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37You feel like you're in a modern cathedral, having to always look up
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- and admire.- I think this is the...
0:03:41 > 0:03:43definitely the biggest space I've ever been inside.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46It's just extraordinary.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50It's like a giant greenhouse for growing people.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55This is architecture for giants.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01The space is filled with the works of famous sculptors
0:04:01 > 0:04:05like Antony Gormley, as if this were some gargantuan art gallery.
0:04:07 > 0:04:08And it's a little intimidating.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12I have no sense of where the...
0:04:12 > 0:04:15where reception is, or how I check in or how they'll know who I am.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Do I just go and say, "Hello, it's Mr Coren"?
0:04:17 > 0:04:21And they go, "Ah, yes." Or is it...? Very, very...
0:04:21 > 0:04:26Very... Are these the rooms? Is that walkway, is that how you get around?
0:04:26 > 0:04:28So I've only been here 15 minutes and already I'm lost.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33This hotel aims to blow your mind
0:04:33 > 0:04:36and ensure that your every consumer whim is catered for.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Under one roof, there are over 60 restaurants - yes, 60 - catering
0:04:43 > 0:04:46for up to 40 million visitors a year,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49which means you can eat cuisine from pretty much anywhere in the world
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- at any time.- There are flashy boutiques for shopping addicts...
0:04:54 > 0:04:58..and a museum showing exhibitions on everything from the Titanic
0:04:58 > 0:04:59to Impressionist painters.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05It's home to two theatres with combined seating for nearly 4,000.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10And for gambling junkies, there's one of the biggest casinos
0:05:10 > 0:05:11in south-east Asia.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21But before we plunge into hotel life, we've been told there's a
0:05:21 > 0:05:23spectacular showpiece that's as long
0:05:23 > 0:05:27as the Eiffel Tower is tall, up in the sky.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39- Look at that view. - This is extraordinary.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43So they're going to swim off the edge!
0:05:44 > 0:05:46That's just weird.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48That's just so strange.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53In Gulliver's Travels, one of the less-known travels, Laputa,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56the floating island, a thing that he imagined as the craziest thing
0:05:56 > 0:05:57you could possibly have,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and here we are in Laputa.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04This is the longest elevated infinity pool in the world.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07It's the length of three Olympic swimming pools.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Wow! How much does that water weigh on top of this building?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- Oh, my word.- There's a thing that I read...- Oh!- There's a thing I read
0:06:15 > 0:06:17in...I can't remember where, about the jacks that they have under
0:06:17 > 0:06:19the hotel to keep it level,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22because, obviously, it's so high that if it tilts the teeniest bit
0:06:22 > 0:06:25off its axis, all the water empties out into the city.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30To be exact, over 500 jacks precisely regulate the level
0:06:30 > 0:06:35of the pool, stabilising over 1,000 tonnes of water on a windy day.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40It's just a complete reinvention of what a swimming pool is.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42It used to be a place that you just dunked into
0:06:42 > 0:06:44to get cold on a hot holiday.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Now it's a thing that expands to infinity over the edge
0:06:47 > 0:06:51of a 57-storey hotel with a view of a financial district of one of the
0:06:51 > 0:06:54giant Asian economic tigers. It is an extraordinary thing.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Giles and I are going to join the 9,500 people that work here.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But first, I'm collecting my uniforms for the various departments
0:07:11 > 0:07:14we'll be working in.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- Hello, Helen.- Hi, Monica. - Hi, how are you?
0:07:17 > 0:07:18Good, good. Welcome to wardrobe.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21- Oh, wardrobe?- Yes. - I like this wardrobe.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30This wardrobe is one of the most hi-tech uniform departments
0:07:30 > 0:07:31in the world.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38The Singaporean with her finger on
0:07:38 > 0:07:41the technological pulse is Helen Tan,
0:07:41 > 0:07:46who's been mistress of the wardrobe since the hotel opened in 2010.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- Yes, Mr Handsome. - Yeah, I want to take a look.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- There.- Yeah, in here is somebody.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52He looks good.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56They look professional with our uniform
0:07:56 > 0:07:58and we want them to look nice.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02If it's not OK, we will do some alteration for you over this side.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05A little bit. A little bit, it looks nicer.
0:08:05 > 0:08:06More sexier!
0:08:06 > 0:08:08ALL LAUGH
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Helen's devotion to making sure all staff look their best
0:08:11 > 0:08:14means she's rarely off duty.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17If I see somebody wearing a uniform that is,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21you know, not in very good condition or doesn't fit them well,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25I will tell them, "Can you please come and get a change?"
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So in total we have 18 conveyors.
0:08:28 > 0:08:34- 18 of these?- Yes, 18 of these. With every conveyor we have 620 slots,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36which means that we can accommodate
0:08:36 > 0:08:41- 620 team members' uniform. - And you've got 18 of them?
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Yes. In total,
0:08:43 > 0:08:49we have over 160,000 pieces of uniform with approximately
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- 600 different designs. - The maths is making me dizzy.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55160,000 items of uniform.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00- Yes.- And to keep track of all these pieces, a cunning piece of kit.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05We are actually using these RFID chips for all the uniforms.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08- You put that in all the uniforms? - Yes, yes.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- And you can trace it anywhere? - Exactly, yeah.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Can I get one of these for my daughter's clothing?
0:09:17 > 0:09:19With Helen's help, I'm putting together housekeeping
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and butler's outfits and, of course, chef's whites,
0:09:22 > 0:09:27all clothing Giles and I will need as we get stuck into hotel life.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28We have the shirts for you.
0:09:28 > 0:09:29For me?
0:09:29 > 0:09:34But how do over 9,000 staff collect their uniforms every day
0:09:34 > 0:09:36without it turning into a scrum?
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Simple - computerised self-service.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47So what you have to do is, just to scan this, tap this on here.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50You can see, "Processing request."
0:09:50 > 0:09:54Logging in with your unique code tells computers to transport your
0:09:54 > 0:09:57personal bag to your door.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00"Please open door and retrieve items."
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- Yes. - MONICA GASPS
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- That's it.- And it's there! - So there is your bag.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- The grey one.- So you can... Yes, you can take out the uniform.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Can you imagine having a wardrobe system like this at home?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18The dream!
0:10:18 > 0:10:20'Right, next stop for me is the kitchen.'
0:10:27 > 0:10:31The commander-in-chief in charge of this army of staff is president
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and CEO, George Tanasijevich.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36He's been with Marina Bay Sands from the beginning,
0:10:36 > 0:10:38when the hotel was commissioned as part of the government's drive to
0:10:38 > 0:10:41triple income from tourists over a ten-year period.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45George is affectionately known as "Employee Number One",
0:10:45 > 0:10:47and he's very tall.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50All these people around us have no idea that you're
0:10:50 > 0:10:52- Employee Number One, do they? - I guess not.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54They don't need to know that, though.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57I suppose they don't. But it must, I suppose it must cross their minds,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59who's behind all this?
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Well, probably. But I think they're more focused on all the exciting
0:11:03 > 0:11:06attractions and amenities that we have here for them to enjoy.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Marina Bay Sands opened in 2010.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12For George, filling the 2,500 hotel rooms every day
0:11:12 > 0:11:14is the top priority.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17And the star attraction for visitors
0:11:17 > 0:11:19seems to be the swimming pool in the sky.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Some people think it looks like a ship,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24some people think it looks like a surfboard.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26But it was a great concept.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28And it literally draws millions of people a year.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Even if you aren't staying in the hotel, you can book a table at the restaurants that are up there.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36This may be a triumph of architectural design,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38but George knows it's the power of social technology
0:11:38 > 0:11:40that's putting the pool on the world stage.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44People bring their cellphones and they take their selfies.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47It's not really for swimming. It's for selfies, isn't it?
0:11:47 > 0:11:50It just seems that this was built round about the time that Instagram
0:11:50 > 0:11:53was starting. I mean, I'm sure it was coincidence
0:11:53 > 0:11:54but it's amazing free advertising.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- Yeah.- I mean, everybody wants a selfie.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Most hotels have to pay bloggers to take selfies.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02You just get millions of Instagram hits every day.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Well, that's true. We've been able to attract a lot of media attention
0:12:05 > 0:12:09and get the word out throughout the globe that Singapore's a great place
0:12:09 > 0:12:10to travel to.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16The hotel accommodates more than one million guests a year.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17And depending on your budget,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19there's an array of rooms to choose from.
0:12:19 > 0:12:25The cost of a basic room at the hotel starts at around £300 a night.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27And if you'd like to go presidential,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30you're not getting much change out of £10,000.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33This gets you two lounges, three bedrooms, a gym,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37a sauna and even a karaoke room.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42A feng shui master was involved in the design to help harness positive
0:12:42 > 0:12:44energy flowing through the rooms.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Suites like this one even come with their own dedicated 24-hour butler,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53providing services ranging from the delivery of gourmet food
0:12:53 > 0:12:55to personal shopping.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03I'm off to be suited up for a butlering job.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06But they've clearly got some issues in the measuring department.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13I know, I know. I look amazing.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16I look... I mean, basically, I can wear anything.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17I just look like a sort of giant schoolboy.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19It's like Tom Hanks in Big.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21I've just - bloop! - overnight. Look at the cut of those trousers.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25That is the kind of thing you get your mum to narrow.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28'So it's a quick stop-off with Helen for adjustments.'
0:13:28 > 0:13:29- Hi.- So how do I look?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32How does the uniform fit you?
0:13:32 > 0:13:33You comfortable with this?
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- I think I'm comfortable. Is this how...? Does this look right?- Yes.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38- Do I look smart? - You look very handsome.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- Do I?- Yes!- Oh, thank you very much.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- You look very nice, too. - But we need to do some
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- little adjustment on this. - Ah, my tailor has arrived.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47- Yes, your tailor is here.- Hello.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Helen refuses to let a single item of clothing leave her domain
0:13:50 > 0:13:52without it being perfect.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Her tailoring team are constantly fixing and adjusting
0:13:55 > 0:13:56the thousands of uniforms.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Is there anything you can...? The trouser's a bit of a bell-end,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04as it were. Bell bottom is what I was looking to say.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05We can do some alteration for you.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07We take in a little bit.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Does my...does my...does my bum look big?
0:14:09 > 0:14:10Oh, y... No.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- No?- Fine.- Is it OK?
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Is it good?
0:14:13 > 0:14:15That's the main thing.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20But how do you go about providing an intimate VIP guest experience
0:14:20 > 0:14:23if your hotel is the size of a small city?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26I'm about to find out from head butler Jeremy Cheah.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33So the day normally starts... A lot of our guests are still asleep.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35We rush to set all the vacant rooms.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38They're asleep because they were up late on the tables.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Yeah. And they'll start to probably be up at about 9:30am.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Waking up with a hangover, "How much did I lose last night?
0:14:44 > 0:14:47"Oh, my God, ten million. I think I'll shoot the butler."
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Jeremy leads a team of discreet, resourceful butlers.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Like all Singaporeans, he did national service.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02And for Jeremy, this involved becoming a special forces officer.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08The uniform may have changed, but he still demands total commitment
0:15:08 > 0:15:10to the mission from his team.
0:15:10 > 0:15:125188, my NDA guests,
0:15:12 > 0:15:13I want them out ASAP.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15OK?
0:15:15 > 0:15:18You check into one of the most iconic hotels in the world.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21You have a butler that is well-trained and who is taking care
0:15:21 > 0:15:23of you 24 hours a day.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27You're spending top dollar to be staying in one of the suites.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Jeremy's dedication to service is absolute,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33ensuring that his guests want for nothing.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40A lot of our guests, they can be quite demanding at times
0:15:40 > 0:15:42so you have to just bite the bullet
0:15:42 > 0:15:46and do the things that they want you to do.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I think the most unique one that I clearly remember was a gentleman
0:15:49 > 0:15:53who wanted us to arrange a wedding banquet in four hours.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Wow, he must have had a good night on the tables the night before.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01The suites that Jeremy's team look after are often used by the casino's
0:16:01 > 0:16:05high rollers. And the casino generates about 70%
0:16:05 > 0:16:06of Marina Bay Sands' revenue.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08So the ones who are here for gaming...
0:16:08 > 0:16:10- Gosh, mostly they're here for gaming.- That's right.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12And they don't pay for their rooms?
0:16:12 > 0:16:14- Well...- Some of them do. - Some of them do.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17The ones who promise to lose a lot don't have to pay for the room.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21- Well... - It's funny because it's true.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22But I won't answer that.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28The hotel tries to anticipate the needs of all its guests,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32whether big spenders or those just keen to dodge paparazzi.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36This is called the discreet counter.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Aha, so this is where the VIPs come in, round the back and then...
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- That's right.- 'A big-shot Chinese businessman is arriving,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44'so attention to detail is paramount.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48'And the last thing to be done is to arrange his flowers.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52'But Jeremy's service standards mean I'm being kept on a short leash.'
0:16:52 > 0:16:54- Shall I take these? - I'll push it, no worries.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56I'll push it, it's fine.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58She's reluctant to let me wheel this flower trolley.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00I mean, they keep trying to grab it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02They seem to think that it's some massive skill
0:17:02 > 0:17:04that I won't be able to do.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09After delivering flowers to the rest of the suites, maybe - just maybe -
0:17:09 > 0:17:11I'll be trusted to fly solo.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13I can... I've got this.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15- I can wheel it. Honestly, I'm fine.- All right.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21The hotel aims to appeal to guests from all over the globe.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23If that's your ambition,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26you need to cater for a vast range of culinary tastes,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29from Taiwanese to Brazilian and from European fine dining
0:17:29 > 0:17:31to Asian street food.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36The man overseeing all this is 54-year-old Canadian Chris Christie.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40So there is 53 licensed kitchens at Marina Bay Sands,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43under my name, that I'm responsible for.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46From that we have about 400 chefs.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Obviously, it's a bit daunting when you look at it the first time
0:17:49 > 0:17:53and you take a look at how big an operation it is.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Chris has previously worked with some of south-east Asia's
0:17:57 > 0:17:59most illustrious hotels,
0:17:59 > 0:18:00such as the Langham in Hong Kong
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and the Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06He wants to show me one of the huge dining areas,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08where in a few days' time,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12he'll be running an enormous VIP banquet for 1,400 guests
0:18:12 > 0:18:15of a major Singaporean bank.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19For me, a big night in the kitchen is 100 covers,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21so this sounds too good an opportunity to miss.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Have you got a place for one more?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25- Oh, love to, yeah, that'd be great. - Yeah?- I'll be here anyway,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27- so that'd be awesome. Yeah. - That'll be great.
0:18:27 > 0:18:28Oh, I'm looking forward to that.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32'If I'm going to help out, I need to know some numbers.'
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- How many courses are there? - Eight.- Eight courses?
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Eight. Eight courses, yeah.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Five different menus and they've got eight courses of each menu
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and they've all got to go out simultaneously.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45- So you need the amount of staff to be able to do that.- Absolutely.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49So if I'm going to be involved in such a large event,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51I need to understand how the kitchens work around here.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55So this is, uh, our fish room.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59I've never seen anyone prepare a fish with a cleaver.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01So as you can smell, this is pastry.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's a bit early to start dessert, isn't it, chef?
0:19:04 > 0:19:05- Never too early! - THEY LAUGH
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Here we go. My favourite room, the chocolate room!
0:19:07 > 0:19:09My favourite room, too.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11- Hi, guys!- Hi, gentlemen.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Peanut butter and jam.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Mmm! There's a bit of saltiness in there as well.- Right? Yeah.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18As well as the number of kitchens,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21what's also mind-boggling is the quantity
0:19:21 > 0:19:23of the ingredients consumed here.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30We average about 500 kilos of flour a day.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- 500 kilos?- For bread. On any given day,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36we'll cook between 300 to 500 kilos of rice.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Deep-fried cauliflower today. If we deep fry it, we need 700 kilos.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44- 700 kilos of cauliflower? - People love fried cauliflower.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47With the banquet coming up in a few days' time,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50I'm going to have to get used to working on an epic scale
0:19:50 > 0:19:51the way Chris does.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55In terms of numbers of actual rolls or loaves of bread,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58I would say we're probably preparing and serving somewhere around
0:19:58 > 0:20:028,000 to 10,000 individual rolls on a daily basis.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- Is that all?- So it seems like an enormous amount,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08but really, if you look at how many restaurants we have as well.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Chris, it's an enormous amount.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Yeah. It's a big amount, absolutely, yeah.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18As part of the butlering team,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I've headed up to the dizzying heights of the 52nd floor.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Here we are, welcome to our presidential suite.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Head Butler Jeremy is finally allowing me to help.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32We're making some last-minute tweaks to the suite
0:20:32 > 0:20:33before the arrival of the VIP.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Just requested for 24 bottles of water.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Has he got a bit of a hydration problem, your man? JEREMY CHUCKLES
0:20:40 > 0:20:42And does he want them all arranged like snooker balls?
0:20:42 > 0:20:43No, this is just how we do it.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49- This is our massage room. - Ooh, lovely.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Are you going to sort me out? Shall I just hop on?
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Former special forces officer Jeremy won't be deviated from his mission
0:20:57 > 0:21:00to provide perfection. Is the powder room through here, no?
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Yeah, yeah. Right here.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04It's all about feng shui with flowers.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07I think it should go over there to allow the chi to flow round
0:21:07 > 0:21:09the corner while you're on the loo.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14The flow of positive feng shui is of great importance in this hotel
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and Jeremy picks up on every detail.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18Oh, you don't like my jaunty angle?
0:21:18 > 0:21:19JEREMY LAUGHS Fair enough.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Clearly, as far as Jeremy's concerned, I have a lot to learn.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Preparation is one thing,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36but it's when the VIPs actually arrive that the service comes under
0:21:36 > 0:21:38genuine pressure.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43We've had an urgent food request from a high roller in another suite.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47The team of 50 butlers can deliver in-room dining to any of the suites.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Across the hotel, 800 meals are delivered to rooms every day,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54but NEVER is the pressure more intense than at breakfast time,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56when around 150 meals can be requested at once.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00So what he's doing now is going through all the orders to make sure
0:22:00 > 0:22:02everything that the guest has ordered is all here.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08What else is the guest having? He's got all these chilli sauces and stuff. Is he having noodles?
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Yeah, the dim sum. The oil is for the dim sum.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13So the dim sum has to be freshly steamed and really hot.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Do they complain if it's not?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Yeah, yeah. After he's ordered the breakfast, how long should it be?
0:22:23 > 0:22:27OK. Usually we take around half an hour to 45 minutes, it depends.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Now it's like a breakfast period, it will take longer time.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32So usually 45 minutes.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33When did he order the breakfast?
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Around...9:50. Yeah, around then.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38- So he will now... - Oh, so it's getting now.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- He's been 35 minutes. - Yeah, 35 minutes.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- It's time to get him his breakfast, isn't it?- Yeah, almost.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Keeping a VIP waiting would mean failure for Jeremy and his team.
0:22:49 > 0:22:50How many more items?
0:22:50 > 0:22:51One more item. Let me double-check.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04With only minutes to go until we bring dishonour upon the entire
0:23:04 > 0:23:07butlering department, we still have to navigate 50 floors and hundreds
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- of metres of corridor.- It's OK. Let's go down with this.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17OK. Where are we going? This way.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20OK, Giles, this is where we'll leave Jungwon to serve the guest
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- because this guest is very particular.- Are we going straight
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- into the room? I can't go out into the corridor?- We can.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27I'll just go as far as the door, yeah?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Which way, right or left?
0:23:32 > 0:23:36OK. This is where I move out.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38'Made it, with 37 seconds to spare.'
0:23:44 > 0:23:47In the basement, Chris has brought me to one of his
0:23:47 > 0:23:49most important kitchens.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Hello!
0:23:51 > 0:23:53'Dim sum, steamed rice noodle parcels,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57'is one of the most requested breakfast dishes at the hotel.'
0:23:57 > 0:23:58Look at this.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02'If you're going to achieve success in the hotel trade
0:24:02 > 0:24:03'in south-east Asia,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06'the skill of making perfect dim sum is essential.'
0:24:07 > 0:24:09How many years have you been doing dim sum?
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- Dim sum, ten years.- Ten years?
0:24:11 > 0:24:15- OK, go easy on me. - You can see the skill.- Yeah.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17'Dim sum, meaning touch the heart,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21'are traditional Chinese dishes dating back thousands of years.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24'They're delicate, often filled with prawn or chicken
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'and are designed to not sate the appetite.'
0:24:27 > 0:24:32The more you can teach one guy to be a master at one specific
0:24:32 > 0:24:36skill, it just keeps the wheel working much more efficiently.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40'With his grand event only a couple of days away,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42'it's an opportunity for Chris to see what I'm made of.'
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Jesus!
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Whoo! Yay! My first one!
0:24:50 > 0:24:53He's going to throw it in the bin now, isn't he?
0:24:53 > 0:24:56This is my favourite dim sum, prawn. We could be here all day.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Maybe you want to go do your rounds and come back tonight.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Come back tomorrow morning. Is that too much? It's OK?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08'Chris's experts can make up to 5,000 of these a day.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11'And I'm beginning to see why it takes so long to master the skill.'
0:25:16 > 0:25:18- Get into a pocket.- Let it hang. - Yeah.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Press. I should wear my glasses for this.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Looks to me like you're getting the hang of it.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- Whoo!- All right! - ALL CLAP
0:25:33 > 0:25:36All right. I did this one.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39SHE LAUGHS
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Whether it's the labyrinth of kitchens or vast atriums,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45this hotel is an audacious building.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51And whenever he's in town, the man responsible for the design
0:25:51 > 0:25:53is to be found staying in his own creation.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02Moshe Safdie is an award-winning architect with airports,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04museums and skyscrapers to his name around the world.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09But he's particularly proud of the ground-breaking technological
0:26:09 > 0:26:12achievement of Marina Bay Sands and the SkyPark.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16We always work with models.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19There was this big chunk of balsawood just the right size
0:26:19 > 0:26:22and I placed it on the roof and said,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25"Why don't we try doing it up there?"
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Instantly it just seemed to make sense.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Away from the pool, the SkyPark is a lush landscaped garden
0:26:32 > 0:26:34that is home to hundreds of trees and plants.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38But its design was one of the most technically demanding parts
0:26:38 > 0:26:39of the three-year build.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45There were endless meetings with the engineers.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47You know, I wanted to have one body of water,
0:26:47 > 0:26:51so we had to devise a way of an expansion joint that won't leak.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55So there were a lot of technical issues to resolve.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Plans for the building were initially controversial,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01with concerns that it would block the view of the bay.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04As we started coming up, physically,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08people in town started getting curious.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Then as soon as we put the park on top of it,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15the magic started happening in town.
0:27:15 > 0:27:16People kind of woke up.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The hotel is hoping it will be seen as a future symbol of Singapore,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26with aspirations of becoming an iconic landmark,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28like the Sydney Opera House or the Empire State Building.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34PEOPLE CHEER
0:27:35 > 0:27:38It's all very well making an impression on the skyline,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41but when you build in the heart of a city like this,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45there's a challenge at ground level that cannot be ignored -
0:27:45 > 0:27:47the parking of thousands of cars.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52The man tasked with keeping the huge volume of traffic flowing
0:27:52 > 0:27:54at the hotel's capacious front entrance
0:27:54 > 0:27:57is 32-year-old American George Roe.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00We can be parking 200 cars in one hour.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03I mean, that's what a normal hotel does in a day.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05And for us to do that in one hour, it's really impressive.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10George is responsible for over 120 valets
0:28:10 > 0:28:12and is often found in the basement,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14patrolling the 2,500 parking spaces
0:28:14 > 0:28:16in his diddy little electric Hummer.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19It's phenomenal that on big nights we can fill up all those spaces to
0:28:19 > 0:28:22where we wish we just had one more space.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24And when a guest asks for their car,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26George will be judged on how soon it's delivered.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Once we get over seven minutes,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31we know that we're not doing something right.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35With thousands of guests arriving for the big banquet in a few days,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37there'll be extra pressure on valet parking,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41so I volunteer to be part of George's team to see how they cope.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44But first I have to find him.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46I was told that his office is easily found
0:28:46 > 0:28:48because you follow the sign to the loo.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Bing!
0:28:54 > 0:28:57- Giles, how are you?- Hi. Hi. Very well. Do you know who else's office
0:28:57 > 0:28:59was in the little boys' room?
0:28:59 > 0:29:03- "Office was in the little boys' room?"- Well, you know how there's a sign to the gents on the thing?
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- The Fonz.- The Fonz?- Do you remember the Fonz from Happy Days?
0:29:06 > 0:29:10- Yeah, at your age you would remember. I don't remember the Fonz. - I'm sorry. He was a very cool guy.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11Anyway, his office was in the toilet.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14You're basically everything with wheels.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16That's what we try and say we are. All of the trolleys and then all
0:29:16 > 0:29:21- the cars that come in and out of the property.- Am I going to get to drive something...- Sure.- ..proper?
0:29:21 > 0:29:23- Do you have your licence?- No.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26- That's all right.- I'm an Englishman, they know I can drive.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31George's domain is a 20km warren of tunnels and roads filled with
0:29:31 > 0:29:34row upon row of expensive cars.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38All this despite Singapore's efforts to control the growth of car ownership.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44So just to purchase a vehicle, you receive a certificate.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's valid for ten years.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Right now it's about 55,000.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52- 55,000 for permission to own a car. - Permission to own a car.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55- Per vehicle?- Per vehicle, to own it for ten years.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58- 55,000!- Yeah. And that's before you even buy the car.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00- Singapore dollars? - Singapore dollars.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Because this is quite a dream job for a young...
0:30:02 > 0:30:04I mean, I'm sure your dream is to own the entire universe
0:30:04 > 0:30:08but these guys who work here, let's face it, are never going to have 55,000 for a vehicle.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09No. So, I mean, they're getting to...
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- To drive, yeah.- They're driving your Aston Martin, they're driving,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14you know, all of the cars.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18Yeah, I mean, no question in Singapore that owning a car is a rich man's thing.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21If I'm going to be one of George's valets,
0:30:21 > 0:30:25first there's the small matter of a driving test to pass.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27And my test vehicle?
0:30:28 > 0:30:31A typical, everyday Singapore runaround...
0:30:31 > 0:30:34A brand-new Italian supercar.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Now... Do you know where the seatbelts are?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43- Now, have you driven one of these before?- No!
0:30:43 > 0:30:44So, put your foot on the brake.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- ENGINE REVS OK, cool.- You know how much horsepower you have?
0:30:47 > 0:30:49This is more powerful than a horse?
0:30:49 > 0:30:52No! This new technology will never catch on.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56- What is it? - So you're doing 510 horsepower.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01You can do 0 to 100mph in 3.7 seconds.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05- Is that before I get to that wall? - Yeah, I think just before the wall.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08That's fine, because when we hit 86mph, the flux capacitor
0:31:08 > 0:31:09will kick in and we'll go...
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Well, if you see here, there's actually the launch,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- so we can launch... - What does that mean?
0:31:14 > 0:31:16- What does the launch button mean? - It's literally a launch.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Hold on, hold on, hold on!
0:31:22 > 0:31:24I just wanted to make you squeak!
0:31:26 > 0:31:28'Singapore has one of the highest densities
0:31:28 > 0:31:30'of millionaire households on the planet.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34'So I could end up cruising around in lots of these beasts at the imminent event.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37'If I pass the test.'
0:31:37 > 0:31:38Where is your blinker?
0:31:38 > 0:31:40What blinker? You mean my indicator?
0:31:40 > 0:31:42- Yes, the blinker. - Don't think it has them.
0:31:43 > 0:31:44Where are you going?
0:31:44 > 0:31:47I don't know. I thought I'd try and get in the direction of the arrows.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49- So, then, go this way, go left. - There we go.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55- Am I going the wrong way?- Yeah, you're going down the wrong way.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Why don't I go over here? What happens over here? Oh.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01'I'd say George has seen all he needs to. I'm a shoo-in for the job.'
0:32:03 > 0:32:05- Shall we just park...? - Try and park here.
0:32:05 > 0:32:10Yes, shall I just whip it in like that and go, yeah, boom, handbrake on, done?
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Job's a mighty fine one.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15OK, boom, that's really good parking, surely?
0:32:15 > 0:32:17- Parked like a true Brit. - Yeah, look at that.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Look at that, it's perfect! Boom!
0:32:22 > 0:32:25There, what, and then I'm just going to go and play on the tables?
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Yes, throw me your keys and that's it.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30And then when it's time to get back in, you just run and slide...
0:32:30 > 0:32:31Don't, don't!
0:32:31 > 0:32:33- What?- All right, let's go.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- I was going to...- You're done.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43The job of an exclusive valet parking luxury cars is prized in the hotel.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45And native Singaporeans,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48one of the most educated workforces on the planet,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52are usually after those and other plum roles across various departments.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57But that leaves a host of manual jobs that many of them don't want to do.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01And, without question, the biggest example of this is housekeeping.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05Housekeeping has got to be one of the busiest, considering there are
0:33:05 > 0:33:07over 2,500 rooms to take care of.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09And I'm going to find out how it's done.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15'Finding sufficient numbers of quality staff is a constant challenge
0:33:15 > 0:33:18'for housekeeping manager Michael Xu.'
0:33:18 > 0:33:21Michael, where does the majority of your staff come from?
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Singapore? Where are they coming from?
0:33:23 > 0:33:2695% to 98% are from PRC. I mean China, China.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31So, we do only have 2% or 3% from Malaysia or local Singaporeans.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33For over a century,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37Singapore has relied on China's large pool of blue-collar labour.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41'One of Michael's star recruits is Hong Wei.'
0:33:44 > 0:33:46Hong arrived from China five years ago,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49and like many others working at the hotel,
0:33:49 > 0:33:51he has come in search of a more lucrative future.
0:34:13 > 0:34:14OK?
0:34:14 > 0:34:16This thing is heavy!
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Whoo! Take the door out!
0:34:18 > 0:34:21'But how does Marina Bay Sands ensure that Hong and
0:34:21 > 0:34:26'the other 360 housekeepers keep on top of their huge workload?'
0:34:26 > 0:34:27Housekeeping.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29This room is a mess!
0:34:29 > 0:34:33'Simple. Using handy, state-of-the-art technology.'
0:34:52 > 0:34:55'This app tracks the readiness of each room,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58'ensuring not only that high standards are met,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01'but their over one million guests a year are never left waiting.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:07So, he took a picture, sent it off on his app,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10he's got the picture and he can see what's missing in the minibar.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Just great.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16'But the reason Hong is a star housekeeper is because
0:35:16 > 0:35:18'he likes to add his own personal touch to a room.'
0:35:25 > 0:35:29'It turns out, Hong's speciality is towel art.'
0:35:43 > 0:35:44That's so cool!
0:35:45 > 0:35:46Whoo!
0:35:48 > 0:35:49Oh, we've got eyes as well.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01'Dedication like this hasn't gone unnoticed by the hotel.'
0:36:07 > 0:36:08Ah, well done you.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Yes, very handsome, yes.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17A hotel with thousands of rooms
0:36:17 > 0:36:19produces tens of thousands of dirty items
0:36:19 > 0:36:23that require washing, but Singapore's water supply is under pressure.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25The country needs over 400 million gallons a day,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and has to import around half of its water,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31so the hotel has been engineered to help conserve what little water
0:36:31 > 0:36:34there is through architecture that collects rain for recycling.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39But, however good your intentions,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42large-scale sustainability can be a constant headache when dealing with
0:36:42 > 0:36:44thousands of demanding guests.
0:36:47 > 0:36:48Hi, Michael, how are you?
0:36:48 > 0:36:50- Are you well?- How are you? - Yes, good, thank you.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53- Nice day.- Nice day, sunny day.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55It turns out pool towels are a great example
0:36:55 > 0:36:58of the environmental problems faced at Marina Bay Sands.
0:36:59 > 0:37:04We're joining Michael Teoh for the morning to see first-hand how the mammoth challenge
0:37:04 > 0:37:08of providing for guests' needs can be aligned with ecological sense.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13How many towels do you hand out every day?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16More than a thousand per day.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17That's ridiculous!
0:37:17 > 0:37:20I mean, imagine the laundry to get all that done.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23'To get a real sense of the scale of the task,
0:37:23 > 0:37:25'we split up to cover more ground.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28'I'm going to be handing out the towels.'
0:37:28 > 0:37:31- How many would you like? - Three towels.- Three towels?
0:37:31 > 0:37:35I get to drive a towel cart, it's all about vehicles for me.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38'And I'm with Michael on collection duty.'
0:37:38 > 0:37:39Look at all these towels!
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Yes. These are the towels.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Just... I've never seen so many towels in my life.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46It's towel-mageddon!
0:37:46 > 0:37:49- They are just everywhere. - Right, put them in the towel bin.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51The towel bin? No, wait, I'll open it for you.
0:37:51 > 0:37:52You put it in. Teamwork.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55That's it, that's how you deal with the towel problem!
0:37:55 > 0:37:58'My issue is that there is no limit on the number of towels
0:37:58 > 0:38:02'guests can ask for, so they don't stop flying off the shelves.'
0:38:02 > 0:38:03Excuse me?
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Hello. Two towels?
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- Yes, please.- There we go.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Just charge it to your room.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11- Thank you.- Hello!
0:38:11 > 0:38:12- One towel.- One towel.- Thank you.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Have a nice day.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Hi, how many towels would you like?
0:38:16 > 0:38:18- Two, please.- Two. Have a nice day.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21I've been here less than ten minutes and you can see,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24my numbers of towels have already halved.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28With supplies running low already, we have to pick up replacements.
0:38:31 > 0:38:32So, we need to lift this up.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Crack out just a hundredweight of new towels.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Beautiful.- This is a total of 180 towels in here.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Wow, and then they go back into these things, do they,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43and then they go off to the laundry?
0:38:43 > 0:38:47- Yes.- OK, shall we stand on the back and ride it down the slope?
0:38:47 > 0:38:50No? Why is he laughing? That's what I intend to do!
0:38:53 > 0:38:57The thousands of dirty pool towels are collected and sent to a very
0:38:57 > 0:38:59innovative cleaning plant.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04On a daily basis, we wash about 35,000 room linens,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07and about 4,000 pool towels.
0:39:07 > 0:39:08That's in a day?
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- Yes, on a daily basis. - 35,000 pieces of linen.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15- What's that, bed linen? - Bed linen, room linens, yeah.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18The pillowcase, the duvet cover, the sheets.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Under the watchful eye of Stephanie Chan,
0:39:21 > 0:39:25this huge laundry site has turned to technology to become highly water-efficient.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31The company has invested in eco-friendly washer equipment to the tune of over £10 million.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37The old extractor that we had used about 16 litres of
0:39:37 > 0:39:40water per kg of soiled linen.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43By using the tunnel, we only use about
0:39:43 > 0:39:474.5 litres of water for one kg of soiled linen.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50So that's about 70% of water reduction.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Once the pool towels are cleaned, they need to be pressed.
0:39:55 > 0:39:56It looks easy enough.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59OK, can I have a go?
0:39:59 > 0:40:00Can I try?
0:40:04 > 0:40:05Is that right?
0:40:08 > 0:40:10I've got to do it again, all right.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Ahh! No, come back! Sorry.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17I'll do it, OK. Right...
0:40:18 > 0:40:20I've broken it again.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22I think I'm just doing the same towel over and over,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24and he's bringing it back. I can't even...
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Oh, that one's creased. OK.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31OK, you didn't tell me that it's about...
0:40:31 > 0:40:35Yeah, you kept that little secret back.
0:40:39 > 0:40:40Yes, very good.
0:40:40 > 0:40:41Get in!
0:40:42 > 0:40:43Did it!
0:40:43 > 0:40:48This massive plant, this incredibly mechanised place,
0:40:48 > 0:40:52just shows the steps that can be made if a hotel really gets behind the idea of sustainability,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55and I know that I CAN drop my towel on the floor
0:40:55 > 0:40:58and it will be dealt with in the most sensible way possible.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04Singapore is a city state that has learned to look outward for solutions
0:41:04 > 0:41:06to its lack of natural resources.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09And, as I've discovered in my time with housekeeping,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12there is one resource that's particularly sought after.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14Migrant workers.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17By 2030,
0:41:17 > 0:41:22it's predicted that the migrant workforce will make up well over a third of the city's population.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Now I'm hungry, yes, now I'm hungry.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29'For housekeeper Hong and his colleagues,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32'the city's local food courts, known as hawker houses,
0:41:32 > 0:41:35'serve a vast range of dishes and offer a taste of home.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40'As someone who works thousands of miles from their own home country,
0:41:40 > 0:41:45'I'm interested to see how Chinese migrants like Hong are adapting to life in Singapore.'
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- You...- I eat everything.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52- Yeah?- Yes.- Is this OK?
0:41:52 > 0:41:53Yes. You like?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55- Yes.- OK, you take.
0:41:55 > 0:42:00Hi, one of this one, and a little of this one, please.
0:42:02 > 0:42:03Thank you.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09So, what were you doing back home in China?
0:42:13 > 0:42:14- Truck driver?- Yeah.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23How much more are you earning here, at MBS,
0:42:23 > 0:42:24compared to when you were in China?
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Two times.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Two times more?
0:42:29 > 0:42:34'Hong tells me he sends about 70% of his housekeeping salary back home.
0:42:35 > 0:42:36'He lives here alone,
0:42:36 > 0:42:41'and his young family are thousands of miles away back in northern China.'
0:42:41 > 0:42:43So, now that you are here,
0:42:43 > 0:42:47how often do you see your families back in China?
0:42:54 > 0:42:56'Like so many migrant workers,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59'Hong has to rely on technology to stay in touch with his family.'
0:43:01 > 0:43:03SHE GASPS
0:43:03 > 0:43:04Hello!
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Oh, look how cuddly he is!
0:43:07 > 0:43:10He is wrapped up like a little marshmallow!
0:43:10 > 0:43:13Ni hao! Hello!
0:43:13 > 0:43:14Oh, he likes me.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18Hello! Don't let me take all the call because you haven't seen him.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Hey!
0:43:20 > 0:43:23- Name is Lula.- Lula?- Lula.- Lula!
0:43:25 > 0:43:29Really, you are missing out watching your children, you know, grow up.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48Hong is making a huge sacrifice,
0:43:48 > 0:43:51leaving the children at home back in China to be here,
0:43:51 > 0:43:52to provide for their future.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54But, actually,
0:43:54 > 0:43:59a huge percentage of the workers in housekeeping are from China as well,
0:43:59 > 0:44:01and they are all going through the same thing,
0:44:01 > 0:44:03leaving family behind.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06In fact, because they are here, away together,
0:44:06 > 0:44:09they have become their family away from home,
0:44:09 > 0:44:14this little network of workers that have travelled here to Singapore.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17But it doesn't make the choice to be here any easier.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29With the hotel's VIP banquet just around the corner,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31every detail needs to be right.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34Especially last-minute maintenance issues.
0:44:34 > 0:44:38But when do you repair the wear and tear on a luxury hotel of this size?
0:44:38 > 0:44:41Well, apparently, you work in the wee small hours
0:44:41 > 0:44:43when no-one's around to see.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47It's two o'clock in the morning in the hotel that never sleeps,
0:44:47 > 0:44:49but does occasionally have a slight rest,
0:44:49 > 0:44:52and there aren't as many people as there normally are,
0:44:52 > 0:44:54which is a good opportunity for them to do maintenance.
0:44:55 > 0:45:00I'm coming to meet a chap called Vishnu, whose job is to change light bulbs around here,
0:45:00 > 0:45:04and who is far more used to working these unsociable hours than I am.
0:45:04 > 0:45:05Oh, I just banged my head.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Lucky I was wearing a helmet.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09GILES GROANS
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Hello, Vishnu, nice to meet you.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14- Giles.- OK, are you ready?
0:45:14 > 0:45:17Yes, absolutely. My first time in a cherry picker, this is awesome.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20OK, now we are going up, so just hold on here.
0:45:20 > 0:45:21Yeah.
0:45:21 > 0:45:23Right. We're moving. OK.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26We're driving along while up here.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29Is this entirely safe? Totally not wobbly.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32'Vishnu has been part of the maintenance department for nearly four years,
0:45:32 > 0:45:36'and in all that time, reckons he has changed nearly 5,000 bulbs.'
0:45:38 > 0:45:40This is like bomb disposal.
0:45:40 > 0:45:41Yes, exactly.
0:45:41 > 0:45:43'But the obvious question is...'
0:45:43 > 0:45:45How many Vishnus does it take to change a light bulb?
0:45:45 > 0:45:49- Just one?- Two of us.- Oh, right.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51Do you ever have fun just hitting the buttons and going up and down?
0:45:51 > 0:45:53Yes, it's really fun.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55As with everything around this place,
0:45:55 > 0:45:59each department must cope with challenges on an epic scale.
0:45:59 > 0:46:00I might have to get one of these at home.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03- It'd be really useful for cleaning the windows and stuff.- Yes!
0:46:03 > 0:46:07'OK, only another 114 bulbs for us to change before the banquet.'
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Catering for events like the imminent VIP banquet
0:46:17 > 0:46:20involves vast quantities of food.
0:46:20 > 0:46:21But if left unchecked,
0:46:21 > 0:46:24this could have a profound impact on the environment.
0:46:24 > 0:46:29Especially when it comes to one of south-east Asia's staples - seafood.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33It's the early hours of the morning, and this is Jurong Fishery Port,
0:46:33 > 0:46:35the largest fish market in Singapore.
0:46:37 > 0:46:38Wow, beauties.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41- I love these.- Yeah.- I buy these in packets of 12 for home.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43- Do you?- On the barbecue. Yeah.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45Beautiful.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48'Whenever they are planning banquet menus,
0:46:48 > 0:46:53'this market is a vital resource for exec chef Chris and his seafood buyer, Dennis.'
0:46:54 > 0:46:56I've never seen such big mackerel!
0:46:56 > 0:46:59- Be happy to pull that up on a fishing line, huh?- Yeah.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03- Look at the crab! - Yeah, a lot of crab.
0:47:03 > 0:47:04Wow, fantastic.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07'Although I work with fish every day,
0:47:07 > 0:47:11'sometimes I am upset by what I see in fish markets.'
0:47:11 > 0:47:13Oh, my God, look at all the stingrays.
0:47:17 > 0:47:19I dive, and they go above you,
0:47:19 > 0:47:22and they are literally smiling as they are going.
0:47:22 > 0:47:23You look at them when they've been killed,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26and their mouth goes into this frown, it's so sad.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32Some species of stingray are under threat due to overfishing,
0:47:32 > 0:47:34as are some of the other fish here.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38- This is a red grouper. - Red grouper is so rare.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40It is so rare,
0:47:40 > 0:47:44they pay hundreds of pounds for this because it's a rare fish.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46There's not many of them left.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49I mean, I haven't seen one in years.
0:47:49 > 0:47:50Well over...
0:47:50 > 0:47:54- Really?- It's well over 15, 16 years since I've seen one.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58Chris and his team are certainly mindful of the limits of natural
0:47:58 > 0:48:02resources, yet have to deliver thousands of seafood dishes a week.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05Our main goals over the last few years are focused on
0:48:05 > 0:48:07the sustainability of the seafood.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Because we're on the sea.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13A big part of what we serve is seafood.
0:48:13 > 0:48:18So we want it to be, you know, an integral part of our menus.
0:48:18 > 0:48:24- Absolutely. It's always... It's about being able to keep it going, 10, 20, 30 years, you know.- Exactly.
0:48:24 > 0:48:28If it continues with some of this fishing that goes on,
0:48:28 > 0:48:30the ocean will be empty before we know it.
0:48:30 > 0:48:35'Chris has begun working with experts like Dennis on what they say
0:48:35 > 0:48:38'is a sustainable seafood policy across his kitchens.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41'In their case, using farmed seafood to reduce the impact of fishing
0:48:41 > 0:48:43'on the ocean stocks.'
0:48:43 > 0:48:46- These are the ones that you're using?- Yes.- And they are farmed?
0:48:46 > 0:48:47- They're farmed.- Amazing.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52We want to make sure that we are really being responsible for
0:48:52 > 0:48:59the environment, we are being responsible for our own livelihood, here in Singapore,
0:48:59 > 0:49:02and we want to grow that future.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07In terms of the present, the big event is finally here.
0:49:07 > 0:49:111,400 people are about to arrive for the VIP banquet,
0:49:11 > 0:49:13involving eight intricate courses,
0:49:13 > 0:49:16some of which will involve seafood from the market.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19As part of Chris's banqueting team,
0:49:19 > 0:49:23it's time for me to crack on with plating up row upon row of starters.
0:49:26 > 0:49:27Mmm! Nice prawns!
0:49:29 > 0:49:32To cope with the extra volume of VIP traffic that will be arriving
0:49:32 > 0:49:36any minute now, I have been taken on by George's valet department.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40We have two dinner dances, so we should see a fair bit,
0:49:40 > 0:49:42along with our normal Friday crowd.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45Although there seems to be a bit of confusion regarding my actual role
0:49:45 > 0:49:47around here.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Just so you guys know, we have a new valet driver,
0:49:50 > 0:49:53Mr Giles, who will be helping us.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56He drove a Ferrari earlier.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00I was in the car. He will not be driving any cars because of his experience.
0:50:00 > 0:50:02Um...
0:50:02 > 0:50:04So, we don't trust him with any of our guests' cars,
0:50:04 > 0:50:09but he will be driving a buggy, so, please, hang on,
0:50:09 > 0:50:11make sure he goes in the right direction.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13And your grooming standards...
0:50:13 > 0:50:15Let's zip up your shirt a little bit.
0:50:15 > 0:50:17We don't want to see your chest hair.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20It looks better when it's down.
0:50:20 > 0:50:21No. All right, perfect.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23All right, have a good shift, guys. Thank you.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29'It turns out my job is to shuttle the valets around.
0:50:30 > 0:50:35'So, with Ferraris now off-limits, it's a less powerful machine for me.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37'Not that it's any easier to master.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42'Luckily, senior valet Henry is here to help.'
0:50:42 > 0:50:43No, no, turn it this way.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45OK. You didn't say which way we were going.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48- OK, stop. Stop, stop, stop! Stop, stop, stop, stop!- OK.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51- AUTOMATED: - 'Five, three, nine, one...'
0:50:51 > 0:50:53- Go this way.- No dramas, it's fine. Don't panic.
0:51:00 > 0:51:01Oh, no, it's the plod!
0:51:01 > 0:51:03HENRY LAUGHS
0:51:03 > 0:51:04Quick, duck, let's go!
0:51:05 > 0:51:07Get away from the police.
0:51:08 > 0:51:12'I'm meant to transport drivers to car drop-off and collection points across the hotel.'
0:51:12 > 0:51:14OK.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17- Hi, there.- Hi. - You know I charge 5 a ride?
0:51:17 > 0:51:19MAN LAUGHS
0:51:19 > 0:51:22You've brought a car from the car park, given it back to a customer...
0:51:22 > 0:51:24- And now...- Did you get a tip? - No, I didn't.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26- Oh! What a- BLEEP!
0:51:26 > 0:51:29'To maintain the hotel's high levels of service,
0:51:29 > 0:51:33'and deal with the predicted spike in car volumes this evening,
0:51:33 > 0:51:35'George is being rigid with his targets.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38'Deliver all cars to clients in under seven minutes.'
0:51:40 > 0:51:41Now we go back down?
0:51:41 > 0:51:43'And he's not afraid to crack the whip.'
0:51:43 > 0:51:46- Go, get the guys down there!- OK, OK!
0:51:46 > 0:51:48Shall I listen to him or listen to you?
0:51:48 > 0:51:51- How do we get through the barrier? - OK.- Less talk, more action!
0:51:51 > 0:51:53- Let's go.- I resign.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55HENRY LAUGHS
0:51:55 > 0:51:58It's not just the valets who are under pressure.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Down in the hotel's kitchens,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02dozens of chefs are working flat out to be ready,
0:52:02 > 0:52:04and the clock is ticking.
0:52:05 > 0:52:09Next up for me, one of the kitchen's signature dishes -
0:52:09 > 0:52:10barbecued chicken.
0:52:12 > 0:52:17So, there is a total of 140 chicken that they have got to chop.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20They have got about an hour to get it all done.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24Sam over here, he is our superstar barbecue chef from Hong Kong.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26'With over 40 years of experience,
0:52:26 > 0:52:31'chicken master Sam and his team have got preparing chicken down to a fine art.'
0:52:33 > 0:52:36They're going to fry it, while it's hot, chop it up,
0:52:36 > 0:52:39put it onto the plate, and then into the warming box.
0:52:39 > 0:52:40When you use the warming box,
0:52:40 > 0:52:43you have got to make sure it's not too hot, otherwise the chicken will dry out.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45The Chinese are very concerned about the chicken.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48I find it really frightening how fast they can work with a cleaver.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51But, you know, they use it all the time.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55- Quite frightening to watch them chop with a cleaver and keep all their fingers.- Yes, absolutely.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57They don't even blink.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59No.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01'The finished result is delicious,
0:53:01 > 0:53:03'but will I be the weak link in the chain?'
0:53:07 > 0:53:09- You cut or no?- Yeah, cut.
0:53:09 > 0:53:10Off?
0:53:11 > 0:53:13- OK. Now cut?- Right there.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15- Here?- Yeah.- Whack?- Yeah.
0:53:17 > 0:53:18It's so sharp.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22- And then here? No?- And then...
0:53:22 > 0:53:24'It turns out it's not as easy as it looks.'
0:53:24 > 0:53:26OK. Oh...
0:53:28 > 0:53:30- I'm sorry.- It's OK.
0:53:30 > 0:53:31I'm making a mess of it.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34'It may take ME 40 years to portion a chicken with a cleaver.'
0:53:34 > 0:53:36MONICA LAUGHS
0:53:37 > 0:53:38I like this.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43THEY SPEAK THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
0:53:43 > 0:53:44That means finished.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53'With the cars now coming thick and fast,
0:53:53 > 0:53:55'my level of responsibility jumps up a notch.'
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Right, I'm now going it alone.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02Henry is getting out, I'm going to do it all on my own, not get lost,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05and it's all quite busy and, you know,
0:54:05 > 0:54:08maybe it's a bit stressful and scary.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10'But George is still keeping a tight rein on me,
0:54:10 > 0:54:13'locking me into the valets' comms system...'
0:54:14 > 0:54:18- Controls your volume.- Which one is it?- This one.- And the talking is...?
0:54:18 > 0:54:20- This button. All right, go.- OK.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23'..although, to be honest, it's not exactly helping.'
0:54:23 > 0:54:25Oh. Oh...
0:54:26 > 0:54:30Whoops! I think you're meant to NOT hit them.
0:54:32 > 0:54:33OK, we're loaded. Got a full load.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37Hold onto your hats, I'm a little bit faster than the average scooter driver.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Oh, it's faster down the hill with all these people on board.
0:54:39 > 0:54:41Is it possible to flip one of these?
0:54:41 > 0:54:44Do they roll or not? Are they quite safe?
0:54:45 > 0:54:50- 'Giles, have you dropped off your drivers?'- Er... Where's my button?
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Not yet, just about to.
0:54:52 > 0:54:53'George to Giles.'
0:54:53 > 0:54:55I don't know which button it is.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58I'm here. I can't find the button, George.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00But I'm here, it's all fine.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03- Just watch the show and you'll find out.- 'Giles, answer your walkie!'
0:55:03 > 0:55:05I'm trying, I can't find the button!
0:55:05 > 0:55:08- It's on the right. - Where's the button?
0:55:09 > 0:55:10Which button is it?
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Is it...? It's all a bit of a head screw.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15Right, see you later.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Look, Giles to George,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19it's all fine I just couldn't find the button on my walkie-talkie.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23I've found it, I've dropped them off, it's great, they've had the time of their lives, over.
0:55:23 > 0:55:28Back at the banquet, 1,000 prawn dishes must be made,
0:55:28 > 0:55:32and as it's the main event, each and every one must be spot-on.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34This is so awesome!
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Look at that.
0:55:36 > 0:55:37Yum!
0:55:38 > 0:55:40This is not easy, huh?
0:55:40 > 0:55:42Whoo!
0:55:42 > 0:55:43These guys are tough.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46They are strong. This is heavy.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49'The end result... Not bad, if I do say so myself.'
0:55:52 > 0:55:55The dishes reach the exacting but appreciative room of VIPs
0:55:55 > 0:55:57without a minute to spare.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03At last, I'm getting the hang of it,
0:56:03 > 0:56:06and fast becoming a vital member of the team.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09HORN HOOTS
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Come on, they're all in my way. Only muppets use the barrier.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14Through the gap...
0:56:14 > 0:56:19Nice one. OK, we're going to cut seconds off.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22Red light on, green light on - go, go, go!
0:56:23 > 0:56:25Another victorious mission.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30They said this would be stressful. Frankly, I've got the wind in my hair,
0:56:30 > 0:56:32I can go wherever I like, and I'm taking this baby into the lift,
0:56:32 > 0:56:35up to the 57th floor, and straight into the infinity pool.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37HORN HONKS
0:56:40 > 0:56:42The guests have been well fed,
0:56:42 > 0:56:44and the drivers reunited with their cars.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46'We've nailed it.' You survived.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49- You survived! - Oh, how was your evening?
0:56:49 > 0:56:51Really good, really good.
0:56:51 > 0:56:54It looks like organised chaos, it really does.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57But it runs a very smooth operation.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59It's funny, I mean valet parking, I guess it's like a big meal.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03You take it for granted, but with these kinds of numbers,
0:57:03 > 0:57:05- it's mind-blowing.- Stressful.
0:57:05 > 0:57:06Stressful. BEER stressful.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09- Let's go.- Or in your case, wine stressful.- Wine stressful.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13It seems that to cope with the numbers it attracts,
0:57:13 > 0:57:17this hotel has to run like a military operation.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20Back in civvies by the pool,
0:57:20 > 0:57:23it's a chance to recover from the hotel's front line.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26This place is nuts,
0:57:26 > 0:57:30but the operations that make it work and run smoothly,
0:57:30 > 0:57:32like a machine, is pretty impressive.
0:57:32 > 0:57:35The old image of the duck paddling serene on the surface,
0:57:35 > 0:57:37and the feet moving underneath.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40I think if you wanted to set out to make one of the biggest hotels
0:57:40 > 0:57:45in the world with one of the biggest casinos, with 2,500 bedrooms,
0:57:45 > 0:57:48if you want to do that, this is the way to do it, isn't it?
0:57:48 > 0:57:51It is that. You can't help but admire it.
0:57:51 > 0:57:55It sort of scares me if the whole world turns into massive complexes like this.
0:57:55 > 0:58:00As great as it is, you know, this is almost another planet.
0:58:00 > 0:58:05You say that, great as it is, but you could not say that this place does not reflect at least
0:58:05 > 0:58:06one side of Singapore.
0:58:06 > 0:58:09You know, a country that has grown incredibly fast, incredibly high,
0:58:09 > 0:58:11built on a lot of foreign investment.
0:58:11 > 0:58:13This is, in some ways,
0:58:13 > 0:58:16a microcosmic version of Singapore of the last 25 years.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20And as the Government's plan to increase tourist revenue seems to be
0:58:20 > 0:58:23working, with growing numbers of people flocking here,
0:58:23 > 0:58:24it looks like the charming,
0:58:24 > 0:58:28hard-working staff we have met at Marina Bay Sands are going to have
0:58:28 > 0:58:32to keep on paddling, possibly even faster, for many years to come.