When you enter your hotel room after a long journey or a day spent lounging by the pool, you are often greeted by a stack of fresh, neatly folded towels. Depending on the venue, some hotels, cruise liners, or bed and breakfasts elevate this experience by crafting towel formations, such as the classic swan shape popular at honeymoon destinations. While many guests chuckle or snap a photo to share with friends, one expert towel artist has taken this craft to new heights, creating adorable and creative designs that might make you request an extra towel just to preserve your new fluffy companion.
Meet the Towel Artist Behind the Magic
Monique Sheena Platon, originally from the Philippines, works aboard the Marella Discovery ship for Marella Cruises as a cabin steward. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Monique shared insights into her artistic work and offered a behind-the-scenes look at the secret art of towel twisting on cruise ships. Since joining the team in 2019, she has built an impressive portfolio over seven years, featuring swans, bunnies, crocodiles, and more as part of her regular repertoire.
Monique stated: 'I like to make the passengers smile. Every time they return to their room and see a new towel shape, they become even happier.' Naturally, she has mastered all the classics, including swans ideal for honeymoons or romantic trips. However, she delights in surprising guests with unexpected creations. She added: 'The best shapes are the ones you don't see often.'
Popular Designs and Challenges
Passengers particularly enjoy her dog-shaped designs, crabs, mice, and other complex creations. When asked about the most difficult design, Monique revealed: 'The crocodile. It requires a lot of towels—at least two hand towels and a bath mat. One person needs to roll out the towels. We save this for special occasions, like birthdays.'
Perhaps most impressive is Monique's speed. The longer, more complicated designs, including the crocodile, take her just three to five minutes when working alone. Simpler designs, such as the small bunny or spider, can be completed in as little as 15 seconds.
Funny Guest Interactions
While guests are usually entertained, some enjoy playful interactions. Monique shared: 'Sometimes it's amusing because guests guess the designs wrong. They might think a dog is a penguin. Occasionally, guests like to play with us—someone will put shoes under the bed and drape a towel to look like someone is hiding, or even place a towel to resemble someone on the toilet.'
How She Learned Towel Art
To hone her skills, Monique worked her way up from housekeeping. She has no formal artistic training; instead, she relies on visual learning. Monique explained: 'Visual learning is the best way to learn towel art. I use YouTube videos to learn new designs.' Social media is now filled with tutorials covering everything from folded swans to monkeys, and she emphasizes that while guests love her genius designs, they are not impossible to recreate at home.
Exclusive Tutorial: How to Make a Towel Frog
Monique shared an exclusive step-by-step guide with the Daily Mail for creating her coveted frog design. For beginners, she advises starting with small flannel designs before progressing to more complex creations.
Materials needed: One large towel for the body and one hand towel for the head.
- Fold the large towel in half, then roll it toward the center.
- Fold the rolled towel tube in half.
- Pull the corners of the towel outward to create the frog's body.
- For the head, fold the small towel into triangles and attach the two parts together.
- Add eyes to complete the frog. Monique notes: 'To make it look like a real frog, we put eyes on it.'
The entire process takes less than three minutes, and the shape is sufficiently obvious even without googly eyes.
Bring Towel Art Home
Gone are the days when fancy folded towel shapes were reserved for holidays. Now, anyone can enjoy them from the comfort of their own home. With practice and patience, you too can create adorable animal designs that bring a smile to your family and guests.
