Ahmad Arifin Ilham, butler at Tampah Hills

You could say that Ahmad Arifin Ilham, known as Arifin, knows exactly how to give every guest at the Tampah Hills – Seaside Society Lombok the ‘royal treatment’. And he’s probably had the best type of training for the job. For more than a year he has been a butler at the resort and he loves it.

Arifin spoke with mylombok recently about the work he has always wanted to do.

What led you to this role?

Basically, it was about having the right background and training.

My first experience working in hospitality was in 2015 at the Merumatta Hotel, previously known as the Senggigi Beach Hotel. I trained as a waiter, while I was studying at the hospitality school. I graduated in 2016 and found casual work in Mataram and Senggigi. I got my first job in 2017 at Karma Kayak on Gili Trawangan and after that I went to Malaysia.

I worked as a captain – a supervisory role – and later in guest experience, and then as an ambassador at Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur. Six years as an ambassador gave me a lot of valuable experience, but to be honest I always wanted to become a butler. As an ambassador you are representing the company, which is great, but working as a butler you are there for the individual guests.

I completed two courses in butler training; one of them was in Central Lombok. I worked for the Berjaya Corporation, which has 34 hotels in Malaysia, and I moved around to many of its properties. I also had experience with royalty. Before we were allowed to serve the royal families, we had to have special royalty training.

In 2022, I returned to Lombok and was married. My wife didn’t want me to go on working in Malaysia, so I didn’t go back. I found a job here at Tampah Hills – Seaside Society Lombok working as a butler.

Tell us what the work of a butler involves

Being a butler means being ‘the man of the house’. I don’t live on site but my home is one minute from the gate at Tampah Hills – Seaside Society Lombok. That means from the first thing in the morning until the guests go to sleep I look after them.

I check on them in the morning to see how they slept and whether they need anything. Some guests prefer privacy, so I send a WhatsApp message; others prefer I come to the villa in person.

When I’m in the villa I will offer them coffee. If the guests want to have breakfast at Biras, our bar-restaurant, I take them in the golf buggies. After breakfast, I let the guests relax or take them on a trip. Sometimes I cook lunch for them or help them cook their own. After lunch, I take care of arrangements for any activities they might want to do, such as booking massages, sightseeing or snorkelling trips. When they are in the villa, I meet their requests – for drinks, to take them to Biras or to the sports centre in the buggy….

Generally the guests head back to the villa around 5 to 6pm. When they’re ready, I organise their dinner. It will usually be at a restaurant of their choice in Kuta or Selong Belanak. We have drivers to take them; sometimes in high season I will drive them myself. Guests might choose to dine in the villa: we have room service or they can choose the chef’s package, where the chef comes to the villa and cooks the meal. After dinner I bring them back and, if they like to party, I’m their barman and I serve drinks, until late, if necessary.

How are guests made to feel welcome?

I always do my research. I know the guests before they even arrive. When I know who to expect, I find out the necessary details and learn their names. It makes it easier to know what to say and what not to say.

We also have a welcome ritual. When the guests arrive we give them each a Sandang – a traditional cloth made from Sasak tenun (woven fabric) – a cool towel and a welcome drink. Then we leave them to relax and enjoy the view and the villa , while we quietly and discreetly ask one of the guests from the group to complete the registration.

I also love to suggest a range of activities for them, so they know what’s available to see and do in Lombok.

There must be some challenges or difficulties….

Currently I look after three villas – Villa Layang, House of Herring and House Kala. That’s the tricky part. It’s hard to be in three places at once, so I work out how to move between the three villas to keep all my guests happy.

I also have to ‘read’ the guests and that’s only possible with experience. It has taken me nine years. I soon see whether they need a lot of attention or whether they just want to be left on their own. Some guests – especially the 20 to 30-year-olds, want me to be there from morning until night, and join them in their activities, so sometimes I don’t get home until about 1 or 2 am. But that’s part of my job: keeping my guests happy. And, of course, I have my helpers, so I am not completely alone.

Can you mention any particularly unusual requests?

No, I couldn’t. Being a butler is about being trusted and keeping secrets, so I can’t tell you anything about that.

But sometimes we have requests for surprise birthday parties or engagements and we might even be asked to go grocery shopping.

What types of guests does Tampah Hills attract?

Normally we have families or large groups. It’s very rare that we have couples. The guests I serve have enough resources to be able to enjoy this luxury experience.

Some guests are memorable because they are so great to look after. I remember a family from Germany; they stayed with us for 20 days. They had two lovely kids, who were fun to cook for. Their parents brought new toys to the villa almost every day, for them to play with. When they left, they offered me all the toys; my daughters were so happy.

How would you sum up what ‘excellent butler service’ means in a villa resort?

You should be able to know the guests – their coffee routine, or what they like for breakfast and so on – so you can anticipate everything ; that’s really important. You need to read the guests; I have to become a different person multiple times a day, depending on the circumstances. And, of course, you always have to know when to be there and when not to.

These are the sorts of things guests remember most about their experience

What do you enjoy most about working at Tampah Hills?

It’s very flexible so I can connect with the guests – that’s a really good thing. Working in a big hotel means you can’t be too close to your guests but at Tampah Hills – Seaside Society Lombok, you are a personal, private butler, so you can make sure they have the best holiday and experience by giving them the best service.

What hopes and plans do you have for the future?

My dream would be to have my own private tour agency and be able to take guests on tours around Lombok.

What do you like most about living and working in Lombok?

I have lived here for 28 years and there are still so many places on the island I haven’t been to. With my family – my wife and two daughters – it’s great to go exploring; you just need a scooter or a car. There are so many beaches and I love to swim in the sea, especially at Selong Belanak Beach and also in my home village in East Lombok. It’s like being on a free holiday.