SINGAPORE's first F1 race is over. Let the race begin.
That will be race to book the best hotel rooms for the next F1.
Tentative bookings and enquiries are already pouring in for both trackside and Orchard Road hotels for next year's race.
These are mostly from foreigners who stayed at these hotels last weekend.
The dates for the next race are not confirmed. But according to F1's provisional 2009 calendar, the next Singapore Grand Prix will be held from 25 to 27 Sep.
Singapore has a deal to stage F1 races for four more years.
Next year's ticket prices and other levies have also not been finalised.
This year, trackside hotels had to pay 30 per cent of their revenue to the Government while non-trackside hotels paid 20 per cent.
Tentative bookings
One hotel that is getting tentative bookings is the five-star Ritz-Carlton Millenia.
Its public relations director, Ms Michelle Wan, said the hotel expects to do well again. It was fully booked for last weekend's race, charging more than $1,000++ per night.
'We have just started to receive requests for next year's race and we look forward to being fully sold out,' Ms Wan said.
'Like this year, rates for 2009 will be appropriately priced.'
All the Ritz-Carlton's 608 rooms have a track view.
Guests who want to stay at the hotel next year have been referred to its F1 sales manager for follow-ups, pending confirmation of room rates.
Ms Wan said: 'This year, guests had to stay a minimum period of four nights but for next year, the management will decide whether to continue with this practice.'
Swissotel The Stamford and Fairmont Singapore (formerly Raffles the Plaza) are also in discussions with several groups regarding bookings for next year's race.
The hotels' spokesman said 350 of Swissotel's 1,260 rooms have already been snapped up for next year's F1 weekend, while the 769-room Fairmont has received tentative bookings.
Both hotels were fully booked last weekend, even with rates hovering above $1,700 per night.
Without revealing details, Fairmont's spokesman said: 'Returning clients who lock in their bookings for 2009 earlier are more likely to gain by getting a competitive rate and a room with a track view.'
Also predicting good business for next year are Pan Pacific Singapore and Mandarin Oriental.
The Pan Pacific was 90 per cent occupied for last weekend's race and it has placed interested guests on its waiting list for next year's event.
Its public relations manager, Ms Cheryl Ng, said: 'Guests who have enquired about next year's F1 race will be contacted once the rates are finalised.'
The Pan Pacific had charged about $1,500++ per night during the F1 period.
Ms Ng, however, was quick to point out that not all of Pan Pacific's 778 rooms have good track views.
She said: 'Such rooms are limited so advance reservations would ensure a room with a view and a hassle-free stay over the period.'
Mandarin Oriental said that while it has received enquiries, it is not taking bookings until its 2009 rates are confirmed.
It was 80 per cent occupied for last weekend.
A spokesman for Mandarin Oriental said: 'Our F1 guests were mainly corporate clients who stayed with us during last weekend's race and they have asked about staying here next year.
'But the race has just ended and we're still doing a post-mortem of our F1 performance.
'We're also in the midst of confirming the dates of next year's race with Singapore GP (the race organiser).'
The five-star, 527-room trackside hotel had charged $1,750++ per night for a minimum stay of three nights during the race period.
The spokesman said that once the dates and prices are finalised, the hotel would contact interested guests to confirm their bookings.
Special rates
Another trackside hotel, the 575-room Marina Mandarin, is going one step further to entice guests to book early.
The five-star hotel, which was more than 80 per cent full last weekend, is offering special rates for guests who book their rooms six months before the race.
Its marketing communications manager, Ms Rae Tang, said: 'We have printed flyers with our early bird specials and from there, we got some tentative bookings.
'The package includes breakfast but to keep the rates attractive, we're keeping our packages simple.'
Marina Mandarin had charged at least $800++ per night for last weekend's race.
Grand Hyatt Singapore, which filled more than 90 per cent of its 663 rooms last weekend, has also received enquiries for next year.
Its spokesman said: 'A number of guests who stayed with us last weekend have indicated their interest to come again next year. But we have placed them on a waiting list as we'd like to finalise our prices first.'
Photo: A guest relations officer of Ritz-Carlton Millenia at the Club Lounge, which overlooks the race circuit. The hotel has received tentative bookings for next year.
This article was first published in The New Paper on Oct 5, 2008.
