The scheme, which has seen the men undergo intensive training throughout the last two months, is the first of its kind in the Kingdom, and is operating as a pilot for possible roll-out in further Le Royal Meridien properties in the region.
The new butlers have been hand-picked from the hospitality sector and were trained by Robert Watson, training director of the London-based Guild of Professional English Butlers.

Francesco Borrello, general manager of Le Royal Meridien Bahrain, said: �Service levels are key at Le Royal Meridien. Training the butlers has needed an important start-up investment, but we believe that the butlers will add a real edge to our offering, especially as customer service is one of principal selling points for our hotel.

�The butlers will operate throughout the hotel, catering to the individual needs of every guest � before the guest even realises he needs anything. This could range from making sure the room is stocked with the guest�s favourite fruit, unpack the luggage, to packing the suitcases again and checking the room for anything the guest may have left behind.

�The butlers are on call to every guest, 24 hours a day, and the guests have a dedicated button on their phone; in fact, they could even call their butler to place a room service order on their behalf!�

Le Méridien is a global hotel group with a portfolio of more than 140 luxury and upscale hotels (38,000 rooms) in 55 countries worldwide. Headquartered in London, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts Ltd is owned by Nomura International Plc and managed by Terra Firma Capital Partners.