Singapore Hotel Suggestions?

[carls888]

We like the IC and the newly renovated Ritz Carlton in Singapore.

 

[wandering_fred]

Alas the tenor of the thread suggests that my comments on the 2 and 3 star hotels in Little India would be of little interest (except perhaps to JohnK). Though I would not hesitate to recommend a couple (eg Perak Lodge) to anyone.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[jsoprano]

Alas the tenor of the thread suggests that my comments on the 2 and 3 star hotels in Little India would be of little interest (except perhaps to JohnK). Though I would not hesitate to recommend a couple (eg Perak Lodge) to anyone.

Not for me this time, but thanks anyway. I am already flying JQ ($361 from MEL rtn) so at least the stay needs be a splurge. I've booked the Conrad now for 3 nights. It better be good for what they charge! Still working on the other 2 nights.

 

[ajca]

Checked into the Conrad last night. I have to say it has been one of the worst and most frustrating hotel experiences I've ever had. It might as well be a Holiday Inn.

Firstly - it is not at all modern. The design of both the lobby and rooms is hideous early 90s style and I'd guess it hasn't been updated since. Everything is frayed and worn and the rooms are an eyesore of teal, teak and lime green.

The Intercontinental Singapore is actually FAR more modern than the Conrad, despite the colonial-era architecture. And the Ritz Carlton is extremely modern despite its 90s era architecture.

The Conrad lobby is like Grand Central Station with hordes of mainland Chinese tourists wearing bumbags and backpacks. It was a total zoo when I checked in last night and it was just as bad when I went down there this morning. Not exactly serene.

The lifts are excruciatingly slow. I reckon I have wasted an entire hour this morning just waiting for the lifts. It doesn't help that their ancient access-cards keep losing their data and having to be reset by the EL front-desk (three times so far today). To make matters worse there is no aircon in the lift lobbies or the lifts so it gets bloody hot while you're waiting ten minutes for a lift to arrive.

The view is ok but not great. You can see the city skyline but the rest of the Conrad is surrounded by other tall buildings. Nowhere NEAR as good as the view from the Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental or Marina Bay Sands.

I got upgraded to a Chancellor Suite which is big but old, tasteless and run-down. No rain shower but instead one of those stupid water saving high pressure things.

I couldn't find a single power point in the bedroom (surely a reflection of the age of the hotel). But that didn't really matter because there's no wifi reception in the bedroom anyway, or in the gym or lift lobbies.

I managed to find the one power point in the living room, where the wifi does seem to work ok.

Breakfast at the Executive Lounge is disappointing. No station to cook fresh eggs. Bacon, hashbrowns etc things were completely empty and no staff showed any interest in replenishing them. They have one of those stupid Nespresso machines that makes hot caffeine flavoured water masquerading as coffee.

The breakfast downstairs at Oscar's is much better - proper coffee, good fresh eggs, but screaming kids everywhere.

The gym is ok but pretty old-school. The touchscreen on the treadmill I used was barely functioning and the staff didn't seem surprised, or even to care.

I asked to for late checkout to 4pm (as a Diamond member) and was refused, until I told them to send the duty manager to my room and I started to talk him through the list of things that suck about his hotel.

I got a decent rate on the "Great Getaway" offer but I cannot imagine how the Conrad Singapore manages to get away with charging its usual rates, given the alternatives nearby.

Bottom line: there are MUCH better hotels in Singapore and I think the Conrad is only surviving on its name and HH relationship. But I wouldn't come back here even if they offered me a free stay... and I'm very happy to be heading back to the Intercontinental tonight.

Wow I feel better now I've gotten that out of my system...

UPDATE: it has now taken them five attempts to try to bring a cable that can plug my iPhone into the speakers. Maybe I just become unreasonably fussy? Or I have been spoiled by hotels with good / competent service

 

[Cynicor]

I didn't find the Conrad great, relative to nearby similarly priced hotels, but some of your specific issues must relate to new/short term problems. I was there 1 month ago and the lifts were not that slow (are all of them operational?) and the lobby was definitely air conditioned. There were plugs in the desk and from memory they were international adaptor plugs. Try breakfast at the pool if you can. The lobby wasn't that crowded either, so maybe you hit tour-group o'clock.

 

[ajca]

I didn't find the Conrad great, relative to nearby similarly priced hotels, but some of your specific issues must relate to new/short term problems. I was there 1 month ago and the lifts were not that slow (are all of them operational?) and the lobby was definitely air conditioned. There were plugs in the desk and from memory they were international adaptor plugs. Try breakfast at the pool if you can. The lobby wasn't that crowded either, so maybe you hit tour-group o'clock.

The main lobby is airconditioned, but the lift lobbies in each floor are not. After you've been waiting there for 15 minutes this becomes quite annoying...

 

[Major]

Based on the posts in this thread I will probably book The Intercontinental for late Oct.

Can anyone suggest the best site to book this accommodation ? I was going to use SINGAPORE Hotels - InterContinental Hotels & Resorts SINGAPORE Hotel in SINGAPORE | Best Price Guarantee or First Night Free but is there a better option ?

 

[markis10]

Based on the posts in this thread I will probably book The Intercontinental for late Oct.

Can anyone suggest the best site to book this accommodation ? I was going to use SINGAPORE Hotels - InterContinental Hotels & Resorts SINGAPORE Hotel in SINGAPORE | Best Price Guarantee or First Night Free but is there a better option ?

Everybody is a friend of Steve Sickel when it comes to good hotel discounts in Singapore at IHG!

Friends and Family Discount Rate | IHG

 

[Cynicor]

Everybody is a friend of Steve Sickel when it comes to good hotel discounts in Singapore at IHG!

Friends and Family Discount Rate | IHG

For those worried about using the rates, Steve Sickel is a vp of marketing with IHG who posted the original link, iirc.

 

[markis10]

Copy the URL, then go to MrRebates or EBates, click on their HI link, when you get to the HI pages from their page, paste the URL you have saved, then you can book at the F&F rates and get up to 15% cash back as well (depending on what the % is for the sites which varies each week). MrRebates is 15% at present but won't last Holiday Inn Cash Back (15%) - Mr. Rebates

 

[sinophile888]

Thanks for the links to book Family and Friends rates. I hope to make good use of the tips for a stay at the IC Hotel in Singapore in January.

 

[k3nnis]

It's a nice hotel in a pretty good location