Memories of Hotel Miramar
After more than 50 years in operation, guests will be checking out of Hotel Miramar for the last time in October. We spoke with some of its long-serving employees, who shared their fondest memories with us.
Tan Wen Lin |
Hotel Miramar opened its doors along Havelock Road in 1971, one of several properties built in the area during the construction boom in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Some staff members have devoted decades of service to the hotel.
One of them is 69-year-old Florence Tan who started working as a room attendant when she was 17.
Mdm Tan, who is now a senior housekeeping executive, says the place has become a second home.
For her, the hotel’s closure is deeply personal.
“These are all the memories that are inside my heart,” she said. “So it feels sad to let go.”
Mdm Stephanie Goh who started as a part-time waitress in 1991, recounted how their boss took care of them.
“Until now, deep inside my heart, I always think of Miramar,” said the 65-year-old as she held back her tears.
The shared camaraderie makes leaving especially hard.
Even when things were uncertain during the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff stayed as they felt supported by each other.
“We help each other (with) the trust that the boss gives us,” said assistant food and beverage outlet manager Ma Nel Cargason.
With the closure fast approaching, the hotel staff said that things are mostly business as usual. After all, there are still guests to serve.
They’re keeping their spirits up by making plans to meet after the hotel closes.
“We're just telling ourselves it's okay. Now we can travel together,” Ms Ma Nel Cargason said.
Some have even planned to look for new jobs together so they can continue working side by side.