Centurion

Am off to Singapore in January with Mrs C for 6 nights. Principally to get away from my friends and neighbours for my 40th birthday who will only do something horrid like a surprise party.

I've only transited Singapore before and looking forward to a city break of dining, drink and so on. Any suggestions as to hotel from you seasoned Singaporean travellers ?

After something at the upper end of the market and within easy reach of shopping, bars and so on. Raffles does not appeal.

Suggestions most welcome with any top tips of things which are a must do, outside the obligatory zoo visit.

Sandra

Singapore is great for this length of short break. What about splitting the trip and also having a couple of days on Sentosa Island.

For hotels I have stayed in a few for business and holiday - I liked The Swisshotel Merchant Court for the location near Clarke Quay. For this area and a bit more pricey consider the Fullerton.

For Orchard Road I liked a few of the hotels, mostly stayed in Orchard Hotel which was nice but as only stayed during busy periods of work saw little of the extras except rather large numbers of men at night with young girls! Also rated the Shangri-La chain for both Singapore and Manila.

I was a complete tourist and stayed at Raffles and can say it has been a highlight in my holiday life. But incredibly pricey and possibly a little OTT there can be nicer hotels but it depends want you want I have just stayed in a couple of very old hotels in Saigon and I know I enjoy these more than the shiny new splendour of others.

For Sentosa I am not so upto date as they have opened the new resort hotels there, when we stayed it was a very laid back hotel and we enjoyed the beach bar and pool for a couple of days - Rasa Sentosa. I hear great things about the The Sentoa Resort and Spa hotel there.

As for things to do, I do not shop if I can help it so we did a couple of historic trips and eating and kicking back the rest of the time.

Hope you have a fantastic trip

Amazulu

The Marriott on the corner of Orchard and Scott is very nice - and central.

Famous 5

I would also recommend the Fullerton.

www.fullertonhotel.com

Kooky.

I had a long-standing thread on this topic re-opened the other day, intention being to update it, but obviously wasn't quick enough as it was closed by the time I got back to it

You can look at the link in my sig, but there are tons of new places. It's all gone a bit crazy since Marina Sands cropped up. This article looked useful:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/trav...-1225906681507

A friend also recommended this link: http://www.cnngo.com/singapore

The Fullerton now looks over the mega-structure that is Marina Sands. Not sure if that's to be recommended or not, TBH, although the building itself is very impressive.

Centurion

Why thank you all, especially for the great link to the old post. I remember it now, together with it's great things to do list.

I was looking at the Mandarin Oriental but the Fullerton looks nice also, as does the Four Seasons, Marina, everything lol. Gosh so many choices.

I wouldn't normally bother to think about booking this far ahead but its the first week of January so have to get a reservation in place.

Amazulu

I've stayed at the Mandarin Oriental in KL and if that is anyhting to go by, the one in Singapore will be awesome.

Trip Advisor have it as their No.1 in Singapore:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g2...re-Hotels.html

koalakim

Hi there

I've stayed in a few places in Singapore so here's my take!

Raffles - absolutely awesome! Just a nice level of service without being overly OTT for an upmarket hotel, fantastic roof top pool. Have stayed there twice in the days when I had a proper job! Last time was for my 40th and they gave me a bottle of champers and cake.

Mandarin Oriental - stayed there two years ago for our 25th anniversary treat in a club room. It was only for 2 nights but again fantastic place, great service.

Pan Pacific - stayed there last year on our way back and got a great deal which they've cut back on this year. We arrived first thing in the morning and the girl went out of her way to get us a room straight away, no muttering like they usually do! Good service!

Swissotel Stamford - this is the tall tower so if you can get a high up room you get fantastic views. Nice pool area and one of the few places you can breakfast by the pool. Reasonable service and they did mutter when we arrived early.

Swissotel Merchant Court - this used to be our favourite mid-range hotel but is starting to look a bit tired now. Great resort style pool area and again you can have brekki by the pool. Since we were last there they've built offices and a shopping center around 3 side of the hotel so looks a bit hemmed in now. Good for wild nightlife in Clarkes Quay.

Naumi Hotel - this is a boutique hotel next door to Raffles , they do breakfast but no other meals. Very trendy rooms and there is an amazing infinity roof top pool over looking the city. They also moaned at us when we arrived early!

On the whole Singapore hotels have shot up in price over the last couple of years and the S$ is stronger against the A$. Watch out for internet costs but if you have a dongle then you can buy pay-as-you-go broadband at the M2 counter in Arrivals which is much cheaper.

Most of the time we look for a hotel with a good pool area, having been so many times we don't do as much sight seeing now so we go for some R&R after dashing around the UK and of course some shoe shopping.....

Look at booking direct with the hotel for their latest deals, sometimes they work out better than the hotel booking companies. Watch out for the extra taxes which basically adds 18% to any hotel prices and you don't find out the extra until you get to the paying page.

Taxis are cheap for getting around but watch out for the white Mercs as these cost a lot more for the same journey.

If you want to eat hawker then we tried out Newton Circus this time as it has been rebuilt but we weren't that impressed. Go for La Pau Sat or there is another good one in the east coast park.

Go for a wander around Marina Bay Sands and up to the top of the new building, I think it costs about $40 but you can spend all day up there. Unfortunately it kept raining on the days we wanted to go so we didn't get to do it this time.

Yes, you must do the zoo! You can also combine it with the night safari although I have to say we were a little disappointed with that this time. We did it when it first opened and thought it was amazing but there just didn't seem to be the number of animals there this time. Plus it was heaving and a really, really humid night so we just kept walking as standing still made us sweat even more - so take plenty of water around with you!

Another good place although I've not been for a while is Jurong Bird Park.
There is also the new Universal Studios place on Sentosa.

We just like wandering around areas like Chinatown and all the back streets as you get to see a little bit of the old Singapore. If you have time then take a trip over to one of the little outlying islands such as Pulau Ubin, we keep meaning to do this but are never long enough these days. One day I just want to go and spend some proper time over there to discover the rest of the island.

Hope this helps!

KK

Kooky.

I lived there six years and I can still spend a whole day in Chinatown when I'm passing through. When I'm not getting my teeth fixed, of course

Great post, koalakim. I haven't stayed in many hotels - lived in the Mercant Court when we first got there (nice pool and spa), stayed in the Goodwood Park on the way out after we'd packed up (hot and cold running cockroaches, at $400 a night), and now we go budget, as all we do is shower and sleep there. (Hangout Hotel, free wireless too!)

EvannTel

I was there last week on business as stayed in Orchard Hotel and was fine but nowt special compared to others. Personally I'd stay more toward the marina end than Orchard Rd
Heard some poor reports about the new Sands but it is a must visit. $10 apparently to go "up top".

Regarding have a nice drink for your birthday, please bear in mind alcohol in Sin is eye wateringly expensive - 5X the prices here!

spalen

Marina Mandarin is a bit dated and tired but looks like something out of a 70's bond movie inside with a 20 story atrium.

Swissotel stamford plaza is ok, central location but has noisy aircon and is a bit tired in the rooms. Great bar on the top though :-) fantastic views. Really convenient because its connected to the Raffles plaza shopping with marks+spencers.

Crowne Plaza at the airport is bloody miles from anywhere , *superb* rooms, fabulous pool, but 30m taxi ride to anywhere useful unless you are a plane spotter/terrorist. Oh and its a little noisy outside the rooms on account of it being 2 feet from runway 3 of Changi airport.

Hilton is ok on the main shopping drag but is opposite a place called orchard towers which is also known as "four floors of wh-res" (apparently). So gets a bit interesting at the witching hour.

Fullerton is pretty stuffy but very posh. Like a colonial club in the bar which is the only place Ive been allowed to go on my expenses.

Wol

I stayed years ago at the Goodwood - wasn't bad then (no 'roaches) and later at the Apollo (I don't think that's extant any more.) Both are a bit out of the centre.

I usually lob into the Stamford, which used to be the Westin and is now part of Swissotel. The other half of the old Westin is now the Fairmont: they share a good pool and are to of the highest blocks in Singapore.

If you get the exec upgrade in the Stamford you get a nice breakfast, free internet and unlimited drinks and nibbles in the evening: heartily recommend!

Kooky.

We were gym/spa members at what became the Fairmont - ridiculous prices they charge these days but the therapists are fabulous. We go for treatments whenever we stop over.

JackTheLad

Nearly all the top hotels have been named. Just one more to add to the list - the Ritz Carlton Millenia. Very modern, fantastic view if you don't have fear of height, great service, oh, and, price to match.

Mrs JTL

koalakim

With the Ritz Carlton - just make sure you don't take a bath with the light on!

They have huge windows so you can sit in the tub and look at the view, if your room is on the Suntec side then all the people in the office blocks can see you too! A friend works in one of the towers and said it was "entertaining"!

Centurion, if you are there on a Sunday then go and have a champagne Sunday brunch at one of the hotels, I think the Four Seasons is supposed to be the best. We did one at the Hilton a few years ago and came out very tiddly as it was just non-stop flow of champers!