SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Nov 20th 2007, 11:30 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 18,840
SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Need a mid range priced hotel in singapore for a few nights,be good if it had a gym,sauna,central location etc.We will be returning to uk from Brisbane following our wedding so maybe somewhere quietish to get our heads together after what will def be a few weeks of running around and mayhem,cheers
Nov 20th 2007, 11:41 am
#2
locked in the attic
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,657
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Need a mid range priced hotel in singapore for a few nights,be good if it had a gym,sauna,central location etc.We will be returning to uk from Brisbane following our wedding so maybe somewhere quietish to get our heads together after what will def be a few weeks of running around and mayhem,cheers
from our family.
Nov 20th 2007, 12:05 pm
#3
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
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Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Cheers for that,it would seem no other posters on here have ever stayed somewhere nice in singapore,cheapskates
Nov 20th 2007, 12:34 pm
#4
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Tell me what you class as mid-range price, Bernieboy, and I'll try to advise. (And say which currency you're talking.)
A word of warning - 3 sets of friends lately have had real problems finding ANY hotel rooms in Singapore. Not sure WTF's going on but book as soon as you can.
www.asiarooms.com and www.asiatravel.com are good sites.
A word of warning - 3 sets of friends lately have had real problems finding ANY hotel rooms in Singapore. Not sure WTF's going on but book as soon as you can.
www.asiarooms.com and www.asiatravel.com are good sites.
Nov 20th 2007, 12:53 pm
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 18,840
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Tell me what you class as mid-range price, Bernieboy, and I'll try to advise. (And say which currency you're talking.)
A word of warning - 3 sets of friends lately have had real problems finding ANY hotel rooms in Singapore. Not sure WTF's going on but book as soon as you can.
www.asiarooms.com and www.asiatravel.com are good sites.
A word of warning - 3 sets of friends lately have had real problems finding ANY hotel rooms in Singapore. Not sure WTF's going on but book as soon as you can.
www.asiarooms.com and www.asiatravel.com are good sites.
Nov 20th 2007, 1:29 pm
#6
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
I know it has a fantastic Indian restaurant 
and it's an ok location but I'm sorry, I've never seen a room or the recreation facilities.
For around that price and a similar location you could look at the Swissotel Stamford or Raffles the Plaza, which share facilities and are at Raffles City Shopping Centre, which is very handy for tourist attractions, shops, and access via the MRT (underground) to other things. I'm a member of the Plaza gym & spa which are very good. If you stay in the Stamford I think you have to pay a nominal fee to use them, but the shared pools are available to all guests. They're just opposite THE Raffles Hotel.
Over Orchard Road way (main shopping area) you could look at the Orchard Hotel, the Orchard Parade Hotel, Hilton...
Alternatively you could stay on Sentosa Island. It's got beaches (manmade!) but there are good transport links to the main island, which is basically 2 minutes over a bridge. The Sentosa Resort & Spa would be my recommendation and not too much over 100 quid. The spa is supposed to be lovely. The Shangri La there has better views of the beach (and tankers!) but IMHO has seen better days.
There are a couple of good chill out places on two of the Sentosa beaches - Cafe del Mar opened about a year ago and further afield there is a similar place called KM8, both have swimming pools and loungers and are really nice places to spend an afternoon.
100 quid = S$300 which is definitely an ok budget for Singapore.
Let me know if you need any more info - not sure if you know Singapore or not.
and it's an ok location but I'm sorry, I've never seen a room or the recreation facilities.For around that price and a similar location you could look at the Swissotel Stamford or Raffles the Plaza, which share facilities and are at Raffles City Shopping Centre, which is very handy for tourist attractions, shops, and access via the MRT (underground) to other things. I'm a member of the Plaza gym & spa which are very good. If you stay in the Stamford I think you have to pay a nominal fee to use them, but the shared pools are available to all guests. They're just opposite THE Raffles Hotel.
Over Orchard Road way (main shopping area) you could look at the Orchard Hotel, the Orchard Parade Hotel, Hilton...
Alternatively you could stay on Sentosa Island. It's got beaches (manmade!) but there are good transport links to the main island, which is basically 2 minutes over a bridge. The Sentosa Resort & Spa would be my recommendation and not too much over 100 quid. The spa is supposed to be lovely. The Shangri La there has better views of the beach (and tankers!) but IMHO has seen better days.
There are a couple of good chill out places on two of the Sentosa beaches - Cafe del Mar opened about a year ago and further afield there is a similar place called KM8, both have swimming pools and loungers and are really nice places to spend an afternoon.
100 quid = S$300 which is definitely an ok budget for Singapore.
Let me know if you need any more info - not sure if you know Singapore or not.
Nov 20th 2007, 1:40 pm
#7
Registered madwife!
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: mornington peninsula
Posts: 194
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Hi Seasider,
we are staying in Singapore for 3 nights 26-29th December on way to Melbourne, staying at orchard hotel. It will be our first time there.
What would you recommend we do/visit whilst we are there?
We are two adults over 40 with no kids!
we are staying in Singapore for 3 nights 26-29th December on way to Melbourne, staying at orchard hotel. It will be our first time there.
What would you recommend we do/visit whilst we are there?
We are two adults over 40 with no kids!
Nov 20th 2007, 2:33 pm
#8
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 18,840
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
I know it has a fantastic Indian restaurant and it's an ok location but I'm sorry, I've never seen a room or the recreation facilities.
For around that price and a similar location you could look at the Swissotel Stamford or Raffles the Plaza, which share facilities and are at Raffles City Shopping Centre, which is very handy for tourist attractions, shops, and access via the MRT (underground) to other things. I'm a member of the Plaza gym & spa which are very good. If you stay in the Stamford I think you have to pay a nominal fee to use them, but the shared pools are available to all guests. They're just opposite THE Raffles Hotel.
Over Orchard Road way (main shopping area) you could look at the Orchard Hotel, the Orchard Parade Hotel, Hilton...
Alternatively you could stay on Sentosa Island. It's got beaches (manmade!) but there are good transport links to the main island, which is basically 2 minutes over a bridge. The Sentosa Resort & Spa would be my recommendation and not too much over 100 quid. The spa is supposed to be lovely. The Shangri La there has better views of the beach (and tankers!) but IMHO has seen better days.
There are a couple of good chill out places on two of the Sentosa beaches - Cafe del Mar opened about a year ago and further afield there is a similar place called KM8, both have swimming pools and loungers and are really nice places to spend an afternoon.
100 quid = S$300 which is definitely an ok budget for Singapore.
Let me know if you need any more info - not sure if you know Singapore or not.
and it's an ok location but I'm sorry, I've never seen a room or the recreation facilities.For around that price and a similar location you could look at the Swissotel Stamford or Raffles the Plaza, which share facilities and are at Raffles City Shopping Centre, which is very handy for tourist attractions, shops, and access via the MRT (underground) to other things. I'm a member of the Plaza gym & spa which are very good. If you stay in the Stamford I think you have to pay a nominal fee to use them, but the shared pools are available to all guests. They're just opposite THE Raffles Hotel.
Over Orchard Road way (main shopping area) you could look at the Orchard Hotel, the Orchard Parade Hotel, Hilton...
Alternatively you could stay on Sentosa Island. It's got beaches (manmade!) but there are good transport links to the main island, which is basically 2 minutes over a bridge. The Sentosa Resort & Spa would be my recommendation and not too much over 100 quid. The spa is supposed to be lovely. The Shangri La there has better views of the beach (and tankers!) but IMHO has seen better days.
There are a couple of good chill out places on two of the Sentosa beaches - Cafe del Mar opened about a year ago and further afield there is a similar place called KM8, both have swimming pools and loungers and are really nice places to spend an afternoon.
100 quid = S$300 which is definitely an ok budget for Singapore.
Let me know if you need any more info - not sure if you know Singapore or not.
Nov 20th 2007, 2:33 pm
#9
Auntie Fa
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle
Posts: 7,344
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Oh, man, so much to do! The good news is, there's no Boxing Day, it's back to work and business as usual in Singapore, so everything will be open. The bad news is, you'll be a bit jetlagged, it will be damn hot, and it's the rainy season (basically for half the year it's bloody hot and humid and rains often, for the other half it's damn hot and humid and rains nearly every day, sometimes for a week at a time). So I wouldn't try to cram too much into your time here as you will probably need to chill a little.
Things I always do with my guests...thinks...:
- The zoo is world class, humane, and well worth a look even without kids. The Night Safari also - it's next door to the zoo and I would say, if you only do one, do the Night Safari as it's unique (I think it still is, anyway). There is also the Jurong Bird Park, although I haven't been there. They're all out of town but nothing's that far away in Singapore.
- Go to Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling in the courtyard. Of course, has to be done! I can't stand them but it's an institution, after all. TIP - ask them to make it fresh for you, don't accept it pre-mixed out of a bottle. You'll piss off the barman but get a better drink.
- Have sundowner cocktails at the top of the Swissotel Stamford for a great view of the city. Happy hour in the funky New Asia Bar is much cheaper than drinks in the more grown up City space jazz lounge next door, but the view is better in the latter. Men have to wear trousers and covered shoes to get past the door nazis (don't let the fact that they're size zero chicks fool you).
- Eat seafood! Chilli Crab is a national dish although much more is available. You can go to the East Coast Seafood Centre (Red House is my favourite there) or virtually anywhere else. I live in Geylang which is the red light district but also a foodie paradise; there's a place on Geylang Road called "No Signboard" that serves great food, basically in a car park by the main road, and you can watch the "action" as you eat. Great fun.
- Wander round Chinatown. You'll get sick of being offered custom-made suits or cheongsams and massages (some of them with Happy Endings) but it's a great place to soak up a bit of atmosphere, away from the airconned malls that could be anywhere. Eat street food (eating is a national hobby); go to a department store called Yue Hwa for a look at strange foods and medicines.
- Little India. Well worth a visit just for a wander round, or a great curry, and a trip to Mustafa, the 24 hour Indian department store that sells everything.
- Arab Street. Worth a wander, buy fabrics, smoke apple peel (etc., but not THAT kind of etc.) then head towards Kampong Glam and eat Malay Muslim food.
(Life really does revolve around eating and shopping!)
- Sentosa - take the cable car over from Mount Faber or Harbourfront and pretend you're in Ibiza at Cafe del Mar.
- Clarke Quay - now the main drinking and clubbing area. Go on the reverse bungy. It's only snapped once, honest.
- Singapore Flyer. Our own London Eye. I think it will be open by then.
- Shopping. I've been here 5.5 years and I still haven't been in every mall.
- Museums and galleries galore.
- Wander round the Esplanade and the Fullerton Hotel. The former is our version of the Sydney Opera house; I like it. The latter used to be the main post office and it's a great hotel conversion. Walk from the Esplanade across the bridge, take your photo with the Merlion, walk half way along One Fullerton and then take the escalator down and under the road to the Fullerton. You're going the same way the mail used to be moved to and from the ships. Have a drink, afternoon tea or lunch and then carry on walking round Boat Quay, but beware restaurant touts, they're a pain.
- Orchard Towers. aka Four Floors of Whores. Go on, it has to be done. It's not quite Bangkok but a lot of the girls there will be Thai. A lot of them will be Chicks with D**** too.
What not to do:
- go to Newton Circus for food, unless you want to be ripped off.
- buy electronics from Lucky Plaza or Sim Lim Square, for similar reasons. They're really not a bargain here anyway.
- assume there is no crime. It's low crime, but it's there, and tourists are targeted. Just because locals put their bags on seats/tables to reserve them, don't you follow suit.
What to look out for:
- "choping tables". Infuriates me but people reserve tables in ANY eatery with packs of tissues. Ignore them if you dare.
Erm, got carried away there, will that do for now?
edit:
You can walk down one street and see buddhist temples, hindu temples, mosques, churches...it's worth visiting some. There is a big monastery in the middle of the island, Toa Payoh I think.
Also Changi Prison Museum, Kranji War Cemetery, and the Battle Box at Fort Canning if you are into history/war stories.
If you want to know about nice restaurants and bars, let me know what kind and I'll try to advise. You can eat well for a quid, or 200 quid.
Things I always do with my guests...thinks...:
- The zoo is world class, humane, and well worth a look even without kids. The Night Safari also - it's next door to the zoo and I would say, if you only do one, do the Night Safari as it's unique (I think it still is, anyway). There is also the Jurong Bird Park, although I haven't been there. They're all out of town but nothing's that far away in Singapore.
- Go to Raffles Hotel for a Singapore Sling in the courtyard. Of course, has to be done! I can't stand them but it's an institution, after all. TIP - ask them to make it fresh for you, don't accept it pre-mixed out of a bottle. You'll piss off the barman but get a better drink.
- Have sundowner cocktails at the top of the Swissotel Stamford for a great view of the city. Happy hour in the funky New Asia Bar is much cheaper than drinks in the more grown up City space jazz lounge next door, but the view is better in the latter. Men have to wear trousers and covered shoes to get past the door nazis (don't let the fact that they're size zero chicks fool you).
- Eat seafood! Chilli Crab is a national dish although much more is available. You can go to the East Coast Seafood Centre (Red House is my favourite there) or virtually anywhere else. I live in Geylang which is the red light district but also a foodie paradise; there's a place on Geylang Road called "No Signboard" that serves great food, basically in a car park by the main road, and you can watch the "action" as you eat. Great fun.
- Wander round Chinatown. You'll get sick of being offered custom-made suits or cheongsams and massages (some of them with Happy Endings) but it's a great place to soak up a bit of atmosphere, away from the airconned malls that could be anywhere. Eat street food (eating is a national hobby); go to a department store called Yue Hwa for a look at strange foods and medicines.
- Little India. Well worth a visit just for a wander round, or a great curry, and a trip to Mustafa, the 24 hour Indian department store that sells everything.
- Arab Street. Worth a wander, buy fabrics, smoke apple peel (etc., but not THAT kind of etc.) then head towards Kampong Glam and eat Malay Muslim food.
(Life really does revolve around eating and shopping!)
- Sentosa - take the cable car over from Mount Faber or Harbourfront and pretend you're in Ibiza at Cafe del Mar.
- Clarke Quay - now the main drinking and clubbing area. Go on the reverse bungy. It's only snapped once, honest.
- Singapore Flyer. Our own London Eye. I think it will be open by then.
- Shopping. I've been here 5.5 years and I still haven't been in every mall.
- Museums and galleries galore.
- Wander round the Esplanade and the Fullerton Hotel. The former is our version of the Sydney Opera house; I like it. The latter used to be the main post office and it's a great hotel conversion. Walk from the Esplanade across the bridge, take your photo with the Merlion, walk half way along One Fullerton and then take the escalator down and under the road to the Fullerton. You're going the same way the mail used to be moved to and from the ships. Have a drink, afternoon tea or lunch and then carry on walking round Boat Quay, but beware restaurant touts, they're a pain.
- Orchard Towers. aka Four Floors of Whores. Go on, it has to be done. It's not quite Bangkok but a lot of the girls there will be Thai. A lot of them will be Chicks with D**** too.
What not to do:
- go to Newton Circus for food, unless you want to be ripped off.
- buy electronics from Lucky Plaza or Sim Lim Square, for similar reasons. They're really not a bargain here anyway.
- assume there is no crime. It's low crime, but it's there, and tourists are targeted. Just because locals put their bags on seats/tables to reserve them, don't you follow suit.
What to look out for:
- "choping tables". Infuriates me but people reserve tables in ANY eatery with packs of tissues. Ignore them if you dare.
Erm, got carried away there, will that do for now?
edit:
You can walk down one street and see buddhist temples, hindu temples, mosques, churches...it's worth visiting some. There is a big monastery in the middle of the island, Toa Payoh I think.
Also Changi Prison Museum, Kranji War Cemetery, and the Battle Box at Fort Canning if you are into history/war stories.
If you want to know about nice restaurants and bars, let me know what kind and I'll try to advise. You can eat well for a quid, or 200 quid.
Last edited by Kooky.; Nov 20th 2007 at 2:50 pm. Reason: had another thought
Nov 20th 2007, 3:10 pm
#10
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
If you are flying with Singapore airlines then your best best is the Singaore stop ove scheme.
You get Subsidised hotels, free transfers, free tour bus and discount vouchers.
Details from SIA.
G
You get Subsidised hotels, free transfers, free tour bus and discount vouchers.
Details from SIA.
G
Nov 20th 2007, 3:12 pm
#11
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
G
Nov 20th 2007, 3:50 pm
#15
Registered madwife!
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: mornington peninsula
Posts: 194
Re: SINGAPORE HOTEL.
Thanks for the info seasider.
What a lot! I think we need an itinery!!
Are the handmade suits all they are cracked up to be? My husband is very interested in having one made to measure. How much approx?
We would appreciate your knowledge and recommendations re restaurants. Only there for 3 nights so would like to sample some typical singaporean cuisine and perhaps a good indian. As regards price, between £15-40 per head.
What a lot! I think we need an itinery!!
Are the handmade suits all they are cracked up to be? My husband is very interested in having one made to measure. How much approx?
We would appreciate your knowledge and recommendations re restaurants. Only there for 3 nights so would like to sample some typical singaporean cuisine and perhaps a good indian. As regards price, between £15-40 per head.