‘Almost nothing is impossible’: Raffles CEO Omer Acar on the hotel’s signature butler service

In the end, it was the Crodino that got me.

During my summer holiday in Italy, I alternated between drinking a Select spritz and Crodino, a non-alcoholic aperitif I discovered in Venice. Back home in Ireland, I couldn’t find it anywhere, so I posted an Instagram story asking if anyone knew where to buy it. A few days later, when I checked into my suite at Raffles London at The OWO in London, I found 12 bottles waiting on the coffee table, along with a note from my butler — who’d even called ahead to confirm which Dublin shops kept it in permanent stock.

More than the chilled bottle of Ruinart (my favourite champagne), the monogrammed leather key card or the tepee filled with toys and gifts for my toddler, I was blown away by this particular detail. “It’s not about doing more, it’s recognising more,” said Omer Acar, CEO of Raffles and Fairmont, who speaks fluently about Raffles’ ethos of creating magical moments. He’s in charge of ensuring this translates globally, with an ambitious expansion strategy that brings the Singapore-born brand to more destinations, including Los Cabos, Jeddah and Tokyo.

Central to Raffles is the intrinsic desire to surprise and delight — a quality personified by the Raffles Butler. Naturally, the butler became the heart of the brand’s storytelling, most notably in last year’s The Butler Did It campaign, which amassed over 166 million digital impressions, reached more than 60 million consumers worldwide, and drove a 50 per cent increase in business transactions compared to 2023.

In September 2025, the brand unveiled the second chapter of The Butler Did It, filmed at Raffles London at The OWO starring Henry Golding, Oli Green, Jacquetta Wheeler, Stephanie Grainger and Amalie Gassmann. Complementing the campaign is a new initiative — The Butler Did It Experiences, bespoke packages curated by Raffles Butlers to spotlight the cultural richness of each destination in a singular way. “We’re here to create the Raffles magic with glamour and style,” said Acar. “Here, almost nothing is impossible.”

WEAVING THE MAGIC

Having worked at Four Seasons, Harrods and the Ritz Paris, Acar is steeped in the world of luxury. He also served as the general manager of Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris, so he knows what makes the brand stand taller than other luxury hotel players. “I lived and breathed it every day,” he said of the drive to show guests the utmost level of care.

When I asked him for a particular example of going above and beyond, a smile spread across his face. “I had a loyal client from the US and the team was looking for ways of how to make his stay special,” he said. “The hotel hadn’t seen him in six months, and you know, preferences can change frequently.” The team began researching and monitoring social media, but it wasn’t until the day before the guest arrived that inspiration finally struck. “The guest posted on Twitter about how the flight he was on between New York and Paris, and didn’t have Diet Coke, which was his favourite,” Acar shared. A lightbulb went off.

The moment the guest stepped off the plane, a butler was waiting with a silver tray and an ice-cold Diet Coke. “Not that he wanted to drink that at 7am, but it’s the thought that counts,” he said with a laugh. “It shows that we are listening.” From there, the guest was whisked through a private lane at the airport and straight to the hotel.

MAKE IT PERSONAL

Few hotels have a legacy as rich as Raffles, which first opened its doors in 1887 in Singapore. For Acar, although honouring its heritage matters, it’s only one part of the entire story. With two properties landing on the 50 Best Hotels List 2025 — Raffles Singapore is ranked number five and Raffles London at the OWO at number 31 — the brand is definitely not resting on its laurels.

“The Raffles brand has a lot of history and we blend that with modernity,” he said. “We have beautiful hotels, but what makes us really special is our service culture.” As Raffles expands into new destinations spanning Jeddah to Shanghai, the common thread is a desire to bring romance back to travel, along with, as Acar put it, “the essence of creating a magical experience without being prompted.”

It’s not about being waited on hand and foot but about having a hotel that knows you and can anticipate your needs. Personalisation, he said, is key. From the room temperature you prefer to the minibar snacks you crave, a stay is completely tailored to you. The Raffles Butler is not a single person, but a hardworking guest experience team that keeps track of your preferences.

Acar offered another example. “We had a guest who was being driven to the hotel, and the conversation turned to his favourite band from childhood,” he recalled. When the couple went out for a walk that afternoon, the team quietly got to work. By the time they returned to their room, a vinyl player was waiting with a record from that very band.

That level of intentionality is what is being drilled down into every Raffles property. “Sometimes you go to a place where they shower you with gifts. But it could be the same gifts for someone else.”

HUMAN TOUCH

How do you craft this magic day in and day out? By putting people first. People have always been central to Raffles' direction, seen in Singapore where the doorman, the butler and the historian are as legendary as the hotel itself.

Choosing the right people is crucial. “Attitude is the most important thing for us,” he said. “Skills can always be learned. Even in my current role, I’m still learning every day.” What they look for are individuals with hospitality in their DNA, or as Acar put it, people who “speak the same language — a language defined by a genuine willingness to please.”

This quality is then perpetuated through rigorous training and empowerment. The brand has a programme called “Own It”, where employees are given the freedom and financial authority to solve problems or elevate moments instantly. The end goal is to please the guest and resolve issues with creativity, transforming hurdles into personal and meaningful experiences.

“We trust our guests, and we trust our employees,” said Acar. And although he has reached the pinnacle of the industry, he’s far more focused on the path than the peak. “I have a saying: The destination is not as important as the journey,” he shared. “Last year, I added something else — who you share that journey with matters most.”

For the discerning traveller, a Raffles Butler — and the team around them — is exactly the company you’d want.