It’s not every day that a guest checks into a hotel room and finds a custom-made diamond encrusted ring that’s theirs to keep.
But that’s precisely what happened to Brisbane-based Environmental Scientist, Stephanie Williams, during her stay at The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins last night.
Exhausted after a business trip that had seen her lap the country in just three short weeks, Stephanie was looking for a great night’s sleep after a busy day of conferencing. What she found instead was an empty ring box hidden in her room with a special code word – she’d just won the grand prize in The Savoy on Little Collins’ and Fairfax & Roberts’ “Princess and the Pear” competition, an exquisite $10,000 pink sapphire and diamond encrusted ring.
“I was tired after a big few weeks at work and a long day, and something caught my eye on the bed as I entered my room,” she said. “I instantly remembered the competition and raced downstairs to tell Carol Douglas, the hotel’s General Manager.”
In Stephanie’s haste to claim her pear-shaped prize, she nearly locked herself out of the hotel room.
“I was so excited, I left the room without the ring box and the code word and had to race back up to grab it,” she said. “And I’m glad I did as the ring is even more stunning in real life.”
TFE Hotels’ Chief Revenue Officer, Shaizeen Contractor, said the Princess and the Pear competition was created in partnership with one of the country’s oldest jewellers, Fairfax & Robert, to mark the spectacular relaunch of The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment.
“The Savoy on Little Collins has a new name and a new look that pays tribute to the Art Deco era of the original Hotel Alexander built on the site in 1928,” Shaizeen said. “With Princess and the Pear, we were inspired by the glamour of those days and by the fairy-tale story of Princess and the Pea and wanted to do something special for our guests.”
The property’s ‘find a ring’ competition, attracted entries from around the country, and saw hotel guests wax lyrical about why they deserved to win the bespoke Fairfax & Roberts’ ring.
For Stephanie, her entry was written at midnight, as she was finalising her travel bookings and she spontaneously decided to enter the competition.
“I put an entry in and, honestly, that was the last I thought about it until I arrived,” she said. “I’ve been lusting after a pink diamond or a pink sapphire for ages, so you could say I’m tickled pink to win.”
“I can’t wait to tell my sister, but I think she’ll hate me for it.”
Stephanie now has ten thousand extra reasons to book another stay when next in Melbourne, but she needs no encouragement.
“I always try and stay at The Savoy on Little Collins when I’m in town for business,” Stephanie said. “I love the hotel and I love the architecture – it’s just a beautiful atmosphere after a stressful day in the office.”
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