Originally Posted by
mecabq
It seems like in Singapore, one can apply online with only an additional form submitted by a "local contact." It seems like providing this form would be a reasonable service that the hotel should provide for a long-time Four Seasons customer (though never at that property). Or is my expectation out of bounds?
Your expectation is out of bounds.
If you dig thru what is requirements for visa to Singapore, 'local contact' means beasically
an invitation from a private person and that person theoretically is on hook if the invited person has trouble with a law (immigration or otherwise) in Singapore.
Originally Posted by
mecabq
Someone will say that this puts the hotel at risk, etc. I get that, but there are other services that a luxury hotel front office could provide that theoretically entail some risk. There's a balance.
Not for Singapore. Expectation that a a local private person (again - 'local contact' is a private person) puts him/herself on a risk for some foregner and does it for free is outside of a reasonable expecatation even if you spend $1m/year on Hilton.