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We stayed at the RC in a Marina Bay view club room – just spectacular at night, always left the blinds open!
The lounge options were among the best I’ve ever seen, and ever-changing throughout the day (always with champagne).I also think the MO is gorgeous, though the rooms really are a lot smaller; however, at least a few years ago, it did have for me the best Sunday brunch!
Agree with @Jill Kinkell about the PanPac – even though I haven’t been post-refurb! The lifts and lounge alone are worth it. Looking forward to seeing their new hotel this summer.
Surprised the Fullerton Bay hasn’t been mentioned, excellent throughout.
Raffles will of course always be THE classic, but I do wonder if you’re not better off doing the Long Bar cocktails / tea in the Tiffin Room, as opposed to staying there.
Oh, and the Goodwood was v cute way back when!
Sure @SamG can give more up-to-date advice.
We’ll be in the new Hilton flagship in a few weeks – will report back!
We thoroughly enjoyed time for tiffin while staying at the IC down the road a few years ago. Not sure I’d stay at Raffles with the hoi Paloi traipsing through
The best for families is Shangri la. No other hotel within the city comes close.
Not sure this applies for teenagers though. Agree 100% for younger kids but given what the OP was looking for – which was a pool and a view – I think there will be better choices. The issue is that a lot of the taller hotels are the more expensive ones and we have no idea of budget. I’d be thinking the buzz of Orchard Road or Suntec City might provide a focal point?
Shame @NLE that you missed the IHG promo. We paid $175 per room per night at the IC, taxes included.
Hi
We have a 3 day stop on our way back home.
Looking for something luxurious but not pretentious! Have been to Singapore many moons ago
I can buy Ambassador if that helps for either IC’s
We have IHG points (Mrs is Plat-Me Gold)I have Hilton Honours points but am only Gold.
I have saved some Amex hotel offeres, not sure if they apply though.
Always fancied the Maina Bay sands pool!
@Blindman67 We really rate the Conrad Singapore Orchard (email ahead of time to negotiate lounge access) and COMO Metropolitan (have stayed twice) – Luxury Escapes often have good deals.
It’s widely said that at Marina Bay Sands you are basically paying a lot for the pool and not a lot else is special (so perhaps on the pretentious scale), and my two suggestions are about a third of the cost.
@Blindman67 Saying that, does your username imply you are blind? If so my reccs would perhaps not be the same@Blindman67 We had 3 days in Singers a few years ago, did one day at MBS and two at the IC. I’m assuming you have a late flight, if that’s the case then IC Ambassador may be worth it for the late checkout? Having stayed, one night at the MBS is more than enough, arrive early, leave your bags and use the facilities then move to somewhere else the next day.
@Blindman67 We really rate the Conrad Singapore Orchard (email ahead of time to negotiate lounge access) and COMO Metropolitan (have stayed twice) – Luxury Escapes often have good deals.
It’s widely said that at Marina Bay Sands you are basically paying a lot for the pool and not a lot else is special (so perhaps on the pretentious scale), and my two suggestions are about a third of the cost.
@Blindman67 Saying that, does your username imply you are blind? If so my reccs would perhaps not be the sameHi
Thanks for the replies.
No I am not Visually Impaired, though thanks for taking this into consideration. I used to work for a Blind Charity.
@Blindman67 We had 3 days in Singers a few years ago, did one day at MBS and two at the IC. I’m assuming you have a late flight, if that’s the case then IC Ambassador may be worth it for the late checkout? Having stayed, one night at the MBS is more than enough, arrive early, leave your bags and use the facilities then move to somewhere else the next day.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I was leaning that way myself, though £500 to use the pool still seems a bit much!
Which IC did you stay at?
Thanks
I stayed at the Fullerton Hotel which is the converted post office building. Great location with tunnel under Collyer Quay to the promenade with the Merlion and where you have a great view of the Marina Bay Sands. It has a small pool on the city side of the building but nowhere near the size or views of the MBS pool. Easy to walk to Boat Quay and also Chinatown. And metro and Raffles Place is a 5 minute walk away.
I would also consider its sister hotel The Fullerton Bay Hotel across the road on the promenade side of Collyer Quay which has a roof top pool but obviously not the same cachet as MBS. More expensive than Fullerton.
The other hotel I’d consider is the Mandarin Oriental.
We had a great stay at the fullerton, excellent location and lounge – booked through Emyr, which included a free night (4 for 3) and club access for any room category booked. Also stayed at the conrad marina bay through a great deal with Amex FHR.
We have stayed at many of the Singapore hotels mentioned above over the years. Our hotel of choice is still the IC Middle road especially in a Club Room(we weren’t impressed by the one at Robertson Quay). We have Ambassador membership which gives us a nice upgrade and usually a very generous late checkout to 6pm (it was actually later than that last time as we couldn’t get a taxi back due to a downpour)
We also like the Fullerton – we had a suite overlooking the river with club access. The gardens at the Shangri-La are lovely but I’m not a fan of the location at Orchard Rd. Similarity the FS is good but again close to Orchard Rd. Of the hotels at Marina Bay we enjoyed our stays at the RC and the MO especially if you have a Seaview room. The only hotel we didn’t like there was the Conrad – we thought the rooms were dull and needed updating and the club was crowded and had very limited low quality offerings.
We haven’t stayed at the MBS but we have been up for a drink to enjoy the view and look at the pool! We haven’t stayed at Raffles but the last stay was 36 years ago just before it closed for a major renovation. It was £75 for the Somerset Maugham Suite which was 3 times as much as we paid the first time we stayed whilst backpacking in 1980!
I suggest you check with Emyr to see what deal he can offer you for your chosen hotel.
We had a great stay at the fullerton, excellent location and lounge – booked through Emyr, which included a free night (4 for 3) and club access for any room category booked. Also stayed at the conrad marina bay through a great deal with Amex FHR.
That was the deal we had at the Fullerton booked through Emyr.
IC Middle Road for me. Always get great service as Diamond Ambassador.
Hi
We have a 3 day stop on our way back home.
Looking for something luxurious but not pretentious! Have been to Singapore many moons ago
I can buy Ambassador if that helps for either IC’s
We have IHG points (Mrs is Plat-Me Gold)I have Hilton Honours points but am only Gold.
I have saved some Amex hotel offeres, not sure if they apply though.
Always fancied the Maina Bay sands pool!
https://milelion.com/hotels/singapore-staycation-guide/
This blogger reviewed most hotels and though they’re a bit old now, it can give you a sense of how the hotels are.
MBS is poor except for the Instagram pool view.
FS there is sometimes rated the most dated in the chain.
Shanghai la is perfect if you have kids. Location is not bad, 5-10 min taxi to most places. Only valley wing is good though.
My preference would be the IC Bugis middle road. Central location, lots of heritage elements, unique architecture.
Fullerton and Raffles are highly rated, but I haven’t stayed there.
+1 for the IC in Bugis. I can also recommend the JW Marriott (opposite Raffles and adjacent to Esplanade CC3 MRT). Rooftop pool/bar with great views plus a very large club lounge serving some pretty decent food.
Fullerton Bay will tick the boxes if you want understated luxury without pretence, the rooftop pool is a nice place, I’d book with Emyr. A better option than MBS in my opinion.
Kempinski is smaller and good but more business oriented, the pool is poor.
Bugis is super busy but the IC is very good as others have stated.
Thanks for all the advice, trul appreciate it.
Last Dumb Q.
IC Bugis:-
As I am staying Saturday-Tuesday If I buy Ambassador will the weekend end certificate come into play here to my advantage?
Thanks
Yes, you should be able to book Sat/Sun with the certificate and then Mon separately. You can book before you have the certificate.
Yes, you should be able to book Sat/Sun with the certificate and then Mon separately. You can book before you have the certificate.
Thanks
Have stayed at the MO since it’s been refurb , very nice indeed but expensive.
Ritz Carlton pretty much next door,rooms bigger but older hotel, they have a good buffet there.
Both Fullerton Bay and the Fullerton are also good choices (most rooms have not that long ago had a refurb at the Fullerton ) and in great locations too.Bay is more expensive but defo worth it , they have rooms with balcony facing MBS , some with jacuzzi (think premier room type from memory)
My tuppence-worth:
-Fullerton Bay is indeed lovely: an evening swim overlooking MBS with the bar next to the pool playing some nice tunes as the sun sets…
-Ritz: possibly the best lounge? Great MBS-view rooms
-Hilton Orchard: we’ve found this decent as a family wanting to be right in the middle of Orchard with the buzz, shops, cinema, etc. Nice breakfast although smallish rooms
-JEN Tanglin: VFM choice. Can get a Club room for a very decent price, and I like the location for Botanic Garden morning strolls. Mall and MRT next door
-Indigo Katong: haven’t been (no family rooms)! But would really like to, to stay in a different part of the city. Style is new Peranakan
-Conrad Orchard: formerly the Regent – thinking of trying this in July, so will report back
If you like colonial style buildings, Capella at Sentosa will your best bet. That’s where Trump and Kim Jong Un met at Singapore.
Btw, Trump stayed at Shangri-La while Kim was at St Regis. Ironically the US president stayed at a Chinese managed property while the North Korean leader at an American one.My tuppence-worth:
-Fullerton Bay is indeed lovely: an evening swim overlooking MBS with the bar next to the pool playing some nice tunes as the sun sets…
-Ritz: possibly the best lounge? Great MBS-view rooms
-Hilton Orchard: we’ve found this decent as a family wanting to be right in the middle of Orchard with the buzz, shops, cinema, etc. Nice breakfast although smallish rooms
-JEN Tanglin: VFM choice. Can get a Club room for a very decent price, and I like the location for Botanic Garden morning strolls. Mall and MRT next door
-Indigo Katong: haven’t been (no family rooms)! But would really like to, to stay in a different part of the city. Style is new Peranakan
-Conrad Orchard: formerly the Regent – thinking of trying this in July, so will report back
We wanted to stay at the Indigo Katong on our first visit back to Singapore just as they opened after COVID but it was closed to bookings as it was being used for quarantine. Katong is a lovely area with heritage houses, some quirky shops and interesting food venues so worth a quick visit in any case.
I have an 8 night stay booked at the Ritz Carlton in Singapore this month, but I’ve just learned the hotel does not participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program! So no elite night credits, no points and no spend towards renewing Ambassador status. So I’m now looking to cancel and rebook elsewhere. I would have booked the MO originally if I’d known, what swung my decision in favour of the RC was earning the night credits and spend towards hitting the $23k to renew Ambassador.
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