Imagine you are a big spender, a VIP. You walk into a dimly lit bar and are led to a table by a beautiful woman in a tight mini-dress who addresses you by name.
She laughs, she smiles and after she pours you and your friends drinks - a bottle of Dom Perignon at $600 a pop, perhaps - she will sit with you and chat about anything you want: where she is from, where you are from, your business, hers, whatever conversation that can be heard over the music.
Some serve as eye candy, their job description strictly within the limits of serving drinks to customers. Others are entertainment, there to chat with customers, play drinking games or even perform choreographed dances.
This might sound like something out of a KTV or Thai disco, but there are at least four upscale nightspots - clubs Pangaea, Drink Culture and Playhouse and gastropub Boulevard - which hire beautiful women to plump up their profits.
Club owners are adamant that there is no sleaze factor involved, saying the higher "quality" of the women they hire - and the customers they attract - separate them from KTVs and Thai discos where women, often from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, chat, flirt and cuddle with customers while asking them to buy expensive drinks for which the girls receive commission.
They point out that most of the beautiful women hired for the VIP hostess positions at their higher end clubs here are Singaporean, while some are Caucasians from countries such as the United States, Australia and Russia.
And they are at pains to point out that all their party princesses are hired for their ability to carry a conversation on a variety of topics - some are pursuing or have finished a university degree - and provide top-notch drinks service.
All four nightspots train their staff on proper methods of pouring and serving drinks, the types of liquor the bar offers and how to interact with customers.
Still, at the end of the night, it does sometimes boil down to making money for moving the booze. But in the case of the highest of the upscale clubs, the amount can be mind-boggling.
At luxe lounge Pangaea at Marina Bay Sands, its Pangaea Girls, as they are called, do not usually receive tips, but they do pocket a 10 per cent commission on receipts from their tables.
Considering that some bills run as high as $100,000, it is no small amount for the chatty beauties swanning around in tasteful, one-shoulder cocktail dresses designed by London-based Singaporean designer Ashley Isham.
The pay at the three other clubs - which, while upscale, are not in Pangaea's league - may not reach such stratospheric heights, however.
Drink Culture, a champagne and cocktail lounge which opened in Kreta Ayer Road last year, hires models to up the party vibe. Six-year-old Boulevard, with three locations in the central business district including Millenia Walk and Marina Bay Financial Centre has Boulevard Babes, which are good-looking students mostly working part-time.
The women at these clubs cannot accept personal tips or receive commission on drinks sold and neither outlet would reveal how much they are paid. However, Boulevard did say that its Babes - clad in white, one-shoulder tops, dark pants and heels - are paid roughly 20 per cent more than their full-time waitressing colleagues who are dressed all in black.
This is because they are more than waitresses, having been chosen in particular for their good looks.
Playhouse, a cabaret-style club which opened in Clarke Quay last month, veers the closest to KTV territory with its Fantastic Babies. They are allowed to drink with customers and though they do not receive tips, they do get at least 10 per cent commission on "ladies drinks" - a selection of shots served in a test tube which are about $10 each - if they are ordered for them.
Playhouse's director Phil Poon, 34, declined to say how much commission is involved but noted that the women's income is primarily salary-based.
And having the booze-pushing beauties who have the charm factor as well does seem a successful formula for the clubs, going by what patrons say. Boulevard regular Colin Max Rozario, 46, a director at a money brokerage firm, says that while the Boulevard Babes attract customers, it is the good service that keeps them coming back.
He says: "The girls are great eye candy and no guy is going to complain about that. But what I like about Boulevard is that the girls are really well-spoken and articulate. Some remember my name and my order. They are more than just pretty faces."
Another regular customer, Mr Anthony Lim, 52, also a broker, felt comfortable enough at Boulevard to recommended his daughter, a 20-year-old student at the National University of Singapore, for a Boulevard Babe job.
"I thought it would give her good real-world experience and I was assured that it was a proper place, a high-end drinking joint. Most of the people you see there are professionals who just go to drink, talk to one another and swop jokes. They are not riff-raff who have other ideas."
Meanwhile, Drink Culture's waitresses, who wear short, tuxedo-themed dresses, are Chinese Singaporean models who are sourced and hired through a model agency here.
Their interaction with customers centres around inquiries about how the customer's night is going and if he would like any more drinks. A quick chat and they are on their way to serve the next customer.
Over at all-night party lounge Pangaea which attracts both local and international patrons, most of its eight VIP hostesses are Caucasian, serving the lounge's 19 tables.
Pangaea founder Michael Ault, 49, says the ability to engage the customer is what makes the Pangaea Girl special. "It's about knowing their customers' drink of choice, how they like it served and in which glass. The experience you have is how they put you in the mood and connect you to the party," he says.
To achieve this, the girls must act as though they are entertaining in their own home, interacting with each of the guests who are sitting at her designated table.
This is somewhat different from the scene at Playhouse, where its Fantastic Babies - named after the Korean pop song Fantastic Baby by Big Bang - entertain customers while dressed in costumes according to that week's sexy theme, such as French Maids or Naughty Nurses.
Most of the Babies are Singaporeans who are there to socialise and play drinking games with guests and make sure the guests have enough to eat and drink.
There are also dancers who perform choreographed sets on raised platforms in the club area three times a night. They are called Fantastic Babies too but are mostly from China and Japan who will be joined by acts from Taiwan and Korea in the next few months.
Their routines, which are several minutes long, range from simple shimmies and dips to more provocative burlesque-like moves arranged to a dance pop beat.
Playhouse's Mr Poon says the club-lounge hybrid targets a local audience looking for a dance club alternative to Thai and Chinese venues but still want to party six nights a week.
"During the week, most dance clubs are empty and there are no girls to hang out with or talk to. We filled this gap in the market by assembling our troupe of hostesses," he says.
He insists the vibe is fun and playful, not sleazy.
"Anyone who goes to Playhouse will know that the look and feel of it is a lot more upscale than Thai clubs and bars. The whole experience is more upscale, the music is very different, and the quality of girls we have is different.
"At KTVs, you have to pay for the girls' time by the hour. They get tips and commission from drinks," he adds.
Mr Tomur Ho, 34, an American software consultant, goes to Playhouse with friends and colleagues a couple nights a week."The Fantastic Babies add to the atmosphere, a bit of conversation. Their interaction is a mix of friendly and flirtatious, pretty much the same as other clubs," he says.
While it may seem as though the girls are paid to party, managers are on the floor to step in if the girls or the customers get too carried away.
Ms Annabelle Tan, 24, a foreign exchange broker who goes to Playhouse once a week with a group of friends, says: "Once I saw a guy getting all over a woman. He was trying to hug her and she looked uncomfortable and the bouncer went over and politely spoke with him. And the guy took his hands away."
In her opinion, Playhouse and the Fantastic Babies differentiate themselves from those at KTV lounges. "The quality of the Fantastic Babies is better. They speak proper English and they dance well. The women in general look hotter than those at the Thai clubs," she says.
How the women interact with customers is different too. She adds: "The women at Thai discos are really desperate to get the guys to buy them drinks and sometimes, they get a little 'touchy'. At Playhouse, they are more decent. They get involved in chatting but they don't get close to the customers."
She does not mind the women's sexy costumes, either. "I think they're cute," she says.
Still, those provocative looks do raise the question of how much customers can interact with the beauties. At Drink Culture and Boulevard, the women are not allowed to mingle, accept drinks bought for them, exchange phone numbers or go on dates with customers.
Should a customer get too touchy, the management will either issue a warning or escort the offender off the premises.
As for the women themselves, Drink Culture managing director Leonard Low, 30, says: "If they break these rules, they will be fired. We are strict here."
However, he admits that he cannot control what they do when they are not at work.
Drink Culture door hostess Debbie Ang, 21, likes the policy, saying: "We do not want to give the wrong impression. We explain that we are at work and that under company policy, we do not give out our numbers. We keep it professional."
If the guys are persistent, the management will send a male server to the table instead, she adds. Ms Jez Lim, 33, co-owner of Boulevard, says strict rules establish a professional interaction between the Boulevard Babes and customers.
"Our customers are mostly from the financial district, male and high-powered executives," she says. "The girls cater to that demographic, but they are waitresses. They don't sit down or chill and have a drink, but they are encouraged to recommend items on the menu, remember the names of regulars and know their orders as part of good service."
At Pangaea, the women are allowed to drink and mingle with customers as long as they are sober enough to serve other customers and tally their receipts at the end of the night.
Whether they exchange numbers or go on dates is up to their discretion, provided they do not alienate other customers.
Ms Shilpee Mishra, 22, who has been a Pangaea Girl since the club opened here late last year, says: "We are treated like adults, left to handle the situation in our own way and to gracefully deflect the situation."
One customer, a 23-year-old investment banker who spoke to Life! on the condition of anonymity, has been reserving VIP tables at Pangaea with his friends a few times a month since he moved here from New York in August.
"Since I've become a regular, the girls treat me well but the interaction is purely based on how much money you spend and if you have a table. The more money you spend, the better service you get, which isn't surprising, I guess. It's a superficial interaction," he says.
Still, he says the women make an effort at being the hostess, getting to know him, and checking if people at the table have enough to drink.
"I ask them where they are from and we will chat a bit, but you're in a club, it's noisy. What kind of conversation can you have?"
He does not often see them interacting much with female customers. "Men are the ones generally spending money, so getting the Pangaea Girls to talk to the guys is pure marketing."
Girl scouts
The clubs source their pretty young things in various ways.
Boulevard and Pangaea hire predominantly based on referrals and interviews. Boulevard Babes typically come from polytechnics and universities here.
They are between the ages of 18 and 26, must be at least 1.63m tall, have a slim figure, a pretty face and be able to speak good English. According to Ms Jez Lim, 33, co-owner of Boulevard: "They have to be able to stand out in a crowd."
Boulevard started hiring two years ago.
Pangaea does not impose any criteria of age or experience for its women - in fact, it often prefers to hire those whom it can train from scratch. Who it selects depends on the woman's personality and ability to entertain.
Founder Michael Ault says the women cannot be intimidated by the VIPs the club attracts, saying: "They are intuitive women with a great deal of character and personality who have the ability to interact with highly intelligent people as equals."
Pangaea's use of beautiful women for its VIP service goes way back, starting with its first branch in New York in 2001. Other branches then opened in London, Marbella, Miami, Florida and Austin in Texas, and Mr Ault brought the Pangaea Girls to Singapore when it opened its first Asian branch at Marina Bay Sands late last year.
At Playhouse, the club's management scouts for its women among the staff and partygoers at clubs and lounges around Singapore, approaching those they feel suit the Playhouse vibe.
Drink Culture relies on a modelling agency, which it declined to name, to source its bevy of waitressing beauties who are mostly freelance Singapore Chinese models.
Girls! Girls! Girls!
Pangaea
Where: Marina Bay Sands, Crystal Pavilion South B2-05
Open: 10pm till dawn, Wednesdays to Saturdays
Price range: $40 for entry; $20 and up for each house pour drink; $2,500 minimum spend for each table
Info: Go to www.pangaea.sg
Boulevard
Where: 8 Marina Boulevard, 01-02, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Tower 1
Open: 11 to 12.30am (Mondays to Thursdays), 11 to 1.30am (Fridays), 5pm to midnight (Saturdays)
Price range: From about $15++ a drink, no minimum spend required
Info: Go to www.boulevard.com.sg
Drink Culture
Where: 51 Kreta Ayer Road
Open: 6pm to 1am (Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays), 6pm to 2am (Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays)
Price range: Bespoke cocktails about $20 each, minimum spend of $500 to $1,000 for tables
Info: Go to www.drinkculture.com.sg
Playhouse
Where: 3 River Valley Road, by Clarke Quay fountain
Open: 9pm to 3am (Mondays to Thursdays), 9pm to 4.30am (Fridays and Saturdays)
Price range: Women enter for free, men pay first drink cover charge of $15 and up; minimum spend of $1,000 for tables and $5,000 for VIP rooms
Info: Go to www.facebook.com/playhouseSG
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Photos: ST, Drink Culture via their Facebook page, Boulevard, My Paper, Pangaea, Milk Photographie
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