Isolation to Inspiration

We can thank the pandemic for dropping WFH into the vernacular. But Lisa Perkovic discovers that “work from home” could also mean “work from here”. And here can be a hotel.

BACK at the start of the pandemic, we all thought the work-from-home directive would last no more than a few months.

Overnight bricks-and-mortar offices emptied, with staff setting up temporary workspaces on the dining room table or an old desk in the bedroom, and we set about learning to navigate the Q of working remotely.

But as we faced the challenges of the Delta and Omicron variants, and lock-down looked like lasting indefinitely, our work-from-home arrangements were perfected and became permanent with WFH deposited into daily conversations.

Statistics show staff have adapted to this “new normal”, with research firm Ivanti’s 2022 Everywhere Workplace Report disclosing an astounding 87 per cent of respondents are now opposed to returning to the office full time.

Even more telling, 71 per cent of those that took part in the study would pick working from anywhere before accepting a promotion, with the benefits listed as saving money and improving the work-life balance.

Then “work from home” gently morphed into “work from here” with those able to hit the road unplugging and packing to take laptops away. Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns Director of Rooms Karn Kapur confirms the hotel is seeing more guests combining holiday time with business hours in the capital of Tropical North Queensland.

“Bleisure is one of the post-pandemic trends, with guests adopting their own hybrid approach to work while staying with us,” he says.

“That might be plugging in from their rooms using the high-speed internet, working from our Business Centre, sitting beside the pool with the laptop on their knees, or settling into one of the quiet spaces around the property.

“In the Business Centre there are computer stations, private spaces for video conferencing and access to secretarial support including printing, photocopying and courier services.

“Horizon Club guests, and those staying in our suites, can tackle morning emails with a coffee and pastry in the private lounge or reserve the Horizon Club Boardroom for in-person or virtual meetings with space featuring the technology to video conference.

“And our rooms all feature a spacious desk with those famous Trinity Inlet, Coral Sea, garden, city or mountain views framed when guests look up from their work.”

EXECUTIVE MARINA VIEW ROOM

Our Executive Marina View Rooms feature either a king or two queen beds, and occupy the eastern side of the hotel’s first and second levels looking across the fleet moored in Marlin Marina to the magnificent mountains on the far side of Trinity Inlet.

DELUXE SEAVIEW ROOM

DELUXE ROOM

The hotel’s 98 Deluxe Rooms feature a king or two queen beds and are positioned to take in city, mountain, swimming pool or garden views from each private balcony or veranda.

ROOM WRAP

Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns offers 51 Deluxe Sea View Rooms to guests that want to gaze across the blue. These rooms have a king or two queen beds and are positioned beside the Coral Sea to savour sunset.

HORIZON CLUB ROOM

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts are famous for their Horizon Club levels. Our 32 Horizon Club Rooms boast Marlin Marina or Trinity Bay views, a functional deck, sitting area, and indulgent bathroom.