Hotel general manager Yngvar Stray, 42, said the hotel will hold a job fair at the Arts House next Thursday and Friday.

The 299-room St Regis Hotel in Cuscaden Road is the first high-end international hotel to open here since the $400 million The Fullerton opened in late 2000.

The hotel is one of three 20-storey blocks, which includes the posh St Regis Residences.

The entire development by the Heong Leong Group is estimated to cost $900 million.

The challenge at hand, said Mr Stray, is to hire the 'right people with the right attitude'.

Mr Stray, who was general manager of hotel W Seoul-Walker Hill in South Korea, was with Sheraton Towers Singapore as director of rooms 10 years ago.

Foremost is the hiring of the 40 butlers for which the brand is famed for worldwide.

One basic criterion is that the butlers must speak at least one other language besides English.

They will undergo intensive training, including speech lessons to eradicate colloquialisms like the Singlish 'lah'.

For that, the hotel is looking globally because they want individuals who have experience with all kinds of guests.

Although Mr Stray will not disclose the room rates, the Asia-Pacific president of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Miguel Ko had indicated at the 2004 groundbreaking ceremony that St Regis will command the highest rates in the market.

Then, Mr Ko had said that rates will be 8 to 10 per cent more than the highest in town.

Five-star hotels like Four Seasons Singapore or Ritz Carlton now command rates ranging from $500 to more than $1,500.

As Mr Stray put it: 'We are positioned to come in at the very top end of the market, for which there is clearly untapped potential in Singapore.'