Hotel chains to give room service a makeover

Four Seasons has announced a new in-room menu designed for travelers who are tight for time.The option, which is likely to be welcomed by anyone who has ever ordered room service and waited in hunger for its arrival, gaurantees a delivery to the room within 15 minutes of ordering.The fast food service will be rolled out across all Four Seasons hotels by the end of the year, the firm says, with each hotel offering a different twist on rapid cooking.Examples of the menus include wonton noodle soup with Chinese greens from the Four Seasons Hong Kong or traditional ploughman’s lunch and English-style nachos with Winchester cheese and chive crème fraiche at the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire in the UK.Some meal choices will be specifically marked 'to-go', Four Seasons said, and will be airline security-friendly, with an option to be delivered to the front drive as guests are departing for their flight.Although the Four Seasons' menus will be a permanent addition to the hotels, several other establishments have been getting creative with customer service in recent weeks as Christmas approaches.Hilton revealed last week that its Hilton Surfers Paradise property in Australia will offer a 'Christmas Valet' service to deliver items such as decorations and trees, as well as bringing milk and cookies for Santa to younger guests who are staying on Christmas Eve. Guests at Las Vegas's famous Venetian, meanwhile, will have their room service delivered by elves over the festive season, according to local media.