Singapore - to Marina Sands Bay or Not?

[Lynda2475]

Hi AFF gurus,

Visiting Singpaore next year for 3 nights in June for the first time in 17 years (not counting times i never left the airport) and am contemplating where best to stay?

This is a solo leisure trip on route to London then New York, so I have no need to have office facilities, I just want to have a comfortable air conditioned room with wifi (preferably a walk in shower over a shower tub combo) in a safe central area with 24hr check-in and easy access to the subway. Ability to store my luggage after check-out is also a must as flight to LHR is late night on departure day.

I'm a foodie so want to be easily able to try the best of the hawker markets

Good friends who recently visited say I simply must stay at least 1 night at the Marina Bay Sands for early access to the roof top pool. Rates seem to be AUD $440 a night, which isnt out of the question but is it really worth it, or is there equally premium experiences to be had elsewhere for better value?

Many trip advisor reviews says apart from the awesome pool, the hotel is overrate with long lines for taxis etc.

If not Marina Bay Sands - where would you stay?

Thanks.

 

[get me outta here]

I had 23 hours in SIN recently and stayed at the Crown Plaza at Changi. I went to the MBS and 'joined' others in the lift up to the pool deck. I peeked into the pool, walked around the bar, and gazed out at the view and marvelling at the size of SIN and then left. Back down to the foyer and every check in desk in the huge lobby that felt a bit like a railway station, had a long chk in queue. That was enough of the MBS for me.

Have a look at the movie, Crazy Rich Asians. I think the SIN Tourist Board must have hand in it.

 

[Saltywings]

Me too, though I make exceptions in London (and sometimes in New York). Will definitely look into Labyrinth.

Oh, I make exceptions at almost every place I visit

It's the exceptions that keep the rule

 

[craven morehead]

Stayed here and thoroughly enjoyed it. Right across from Boon Tat Street food market and about a 15 minute walk to MBS.

Luxury Boutique & Staycation Hotel - SO Sofitel Singapore

 

[LadyC]

When ever I have visited MBS, it always seems like a zoo. Depending on pricing, the Four Seasons or St Regis are also worth a look in. If you book through a Viruoso advisor, you will also get breakfast included and a $100 credit at the hotel.

 

[jase05]

I love the MBS but yeah the romanticism comes from the pool and rooftop area. As others have said there are far nicer rooms at other hotels

 

[JCD]

I stayed at the MBS for three nights last year - one would have been enough. The pool is pretty cool but the hotel is huge, busy and impersonal. A bit like one of the huge Las Vegas casinos. I definitely wouldn't stay again.

 

[swordfish]

I stayed there recently for my inlaws birthday. It was a terrible experience (service, room cleanliness, etc) to the point where we (group of 8 of us) were meant to stay for 3 nights and ended up only staying for 1. We moved to the Mandarin Oriental which was far superior in every way.

 

[glibster]

FWIW, we find the bay-view rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia extremely pleasant, albeit pricey. And the RC is like a library in comparison to the public areas of the MBS. Looking at the MBS seems more satisfying than being inside it. On the other hand, the pool at the RC cannot even begin to compare with the MBS, but ... I don't go to SIN for the pool(s). The RC has been a favourite for years and never hesitate to stay there, when I can afford it.

 

[touki]

I stayed there for 4 nights or so not long after it first opened. I loved it! This is one of my most favourite hotels.

You have to have a room facing the city, it is a unique view.

 

[Warks]

Have a look at the movie, Crazy Rich Asians. I think the SIN Tourist Board must have hand in it.

We saw that movie the other night and I have to agree it made Singapore look like Disneyland for adults. Mrs Warks got keen to visit but we won't be staying at the MBS. Got a good friend who's an expat living there for 18 years and has a house with a spare room so it looks like we're finally going to pay a visit. The power of the movies. Mind you I think she was won over by the food rather than the glitz.

 

[Saltywings]

We saw that movie the other night and I have to agree it made Singapore look like Disneyland for adults. Mrs Warks got keen to visit but we won't be staying at the MBS. Got a good friend who's an expat living there for 18 years and has a house with a spare room so it looks like we're finally going to pay a visit. The power of the movies. Mind you I think she was won over by the food rather than the glitz.

Singapore's food is 95% of its appeal for me

 

[Annie48]

Have stayed in many hotels in Singapore, standouts for us have been The Fullerton, Parkroyal on Pickering and just recently Intercontinental at Bugis Junction (we were in Club rooms in all 3 hotels)

 

[amaroo]

The 2,500 rooms have killed it for us.... conjures up images of a beached cruise ship. The pool does look good, but once you start thinking about the other 5000+ doing their thing - no thanks.

Raffles, FBH, MO, FS, and even the Hyatt have made our list for decent SIN hotels.

 

[amp-qld]

We stayed at MBS for one night soon after it opened but we arrived early (from the airport) and left fairly late (to a different hotel). In fact, we arrived at about 6 am and were amazed that we were allowed to access our room that early so we went to the pool for sunrise - amazing. The lobby/reception area is really hectic. Check out took a while. Not sure it would be worth it unless you can stay the full hours from check in time to check out (or late check out even better). wrt access to the airport, what about the MRT? It's just 140 m walk to Bayfront station from MBS.

 

[dajop]

You can stay at **truly amazing** hotels in many cities of the world. Sure, there are such hotels (as mentioned above) in Singapore as well, but really you could be in any city. Yes, good service, good food, nice rooms, but really just another five star hotel.

The rooms at MBS are not top notch, the check-in can be a zoo (although if arriving late, probably not such an issue), service so-so, but very few hotels anywhere in the world have an infinity pool with a view like it. IMHO, definitely worth it for one night in itself, but maybe not 2 or 3 - the novelty will wear off. To maximise benefit you could ask for late checkout, or alternatively ask to use the facilities after you have checked out (I am pretty sure that is permitted).

If you are OK with using the subway system (MRT), there is nothing wrong with the location, just make sure you get a ez-link card to avoid the ridiculous queues at the ticket machines at the MRT station there at MBS. But if you want to avoid the MRT, that's when you might be faced long waits for a taxi or grab, so might consider a better location.

 

[High Miler]

We recently stayed in SIN on the way to Europe and back again for a journey break. On the way over, we stayed at my favourite SIN hotel, the Mandarin Oriental. Despite its age, it has been kept fresh and the service has not diminished. For example, the check-in employee actually left her station and personally escorted us to our room, comfortably large with a view of the Gardens by the Bay. When we left, on a usual late evening flight northbound out of SIN, we were given a low-floor room at 4:00 pm to freshen up before the flight, completely free of charge.

On the way back, Margaret, my partner wanted to experience the MBS Hotel, mainly for the rooftop infinity pool experience. We were very disappointed with our MBS experience. Our room was small, with dead plants on the balcony outside our window. The place was incredibly cold and impersonal and we got the impression that if you were not spending money at the casino or the really high-priced restaurants, the staff were not interested in you. There was not even somewhere to sit in the lobby, except for some wooden benches around a central feature, with a staff member shoo-ing people off if they dared to sit on the central feature. On check-out the next day, bound for home, again on a late evening flight southbound, we were informed that no amenities for freshening up before the flight existed and even if we wished to extend our room for half a day and pay for the privilege, the hotel did not offer such a service.

Needless to say, we will not be going back to the MBS Hotel again and will be informing anyone who asks to make sure that they don't make our mistake too.

 

[stm1sydney]

If it is authentic loca/hawker food you are after, then stay in one of the local boutique hotels in or near Ann Siang Hill and eat at Chinatown Centre, Maxwell Food Centre and a bunch of small restaurants in or around Chinatown. Also close to Burnt Ends mentioned above for high end "foreign" food and Club St.

OR: stay at Joo Chiat / Katong area - some local boutique hotels there and the food is sensational in the hawker centres and small local koptiams/restaurants in Geylang / Joo Chiat / Katong.

 

[Kristie jones]

Hi AFF gurus,

Visiting Singpaore next year for 3 nights in June for the first time in 17 years (not counting times i never left the airport) and am contemplating where best to stay?

This is a solo leisure trip on route to London then New York, so I have no need to have office facilities, I just want to have a comfortable air conditioned room with wifi (preferably a walk in shower over a shower tub combo) in a safe central area with 24hr check-in and easy access to the subway. Ability to store my luggage after check-out is also a must as flight to LHR is late night on departure day.

I'm a foodie so want to be easily able to try the best of the hawker markets

Good friends who recently visited say I simply must stay at least 1 night at the Marina Bay Sands for early access to the roof top pool. Rates seem to be AUD $440 a night, which isnt out of the question but is it really worth it, or is there equally premium experiences to be had elsewhere for better value?

Many trip advisor reviews says apart from the awesome pool, the hotel is overrate with long lines for taxis etc.

If not Marina Bay Sands - where would you stay?

Thanks.

Sorry but I’m a No No No to MBS ! I can’t comment on accommodation there or elsewhere as I have been a SG resident and now stay with friends, but I would NOT swim in that pool for love nor money. Too many kids (if you get my drift) and the times I have been to the rooftop for coughtails the pool has been crowded and looked unpleasant. Too many Instagrammers posing, too many kids, just too much of everything really. Don’t pay this much to swim in a pool ... you can get the view from the bar. Having said that, a colleague of mine stays there quite happily when she & her husband visit SG for his business - but she’s a bit pretentious, so I’m not sure if that really counts as a good review ...

The MBS complex itself is expensive generally and not conveniently located, other than for the Gardens. The restaurants are good and there is generally a deal going somewhere that makes it worthwhile - if you want to eat the same food you can eat everywhere. I mean, it’s just a Mall really, plus a magnet for Chinese tourist gamblers.

Singapore is all about the food - the LOCAL food - so perhaps consider staying more centrally to the main hawker markets and local areas.
I wouldn’t necessarily look at cost as a guide of accommodation quality, in SG or anywhere else. There are some amazing boutique hotels in SG now that are fairly reasonably priced. I expect that the rooms will be small, and there is unlikely to be a pool, but you won’t much be there. SG is safe at all hours of the day and night, so plan to wander and eat your way around.

I would have a look at the Scarlet or the New Majestic - I stayed at the Scarlet about 10 years ago, so my review would be out of date, but loved it - they are both in fantastic locations for Lau Pa Sat and its sate street, Maxwell Hawker market and the Chinatown Complex. Several train stations on different lines to get around very easily, and also bus routes. Public transport in SG is very easy, but do download the GRAB app (easy, cheap and safe). Chinatown is close to the river for the museum, more (very touristy) restaurants and a good walk. A must try for me is the 1 Michelin starred chicken at Liao Fan Hakwer Chan in the Chinatown complex (although they now have a restaurant over the road) - definitely worth the queue ! Both are boutique hotels in traditional buildings in a traditional area - you’ll have no trouble spending three great days in this area and will find some great food.

If we travel to SG for work we are put up in the Parkroyal on Pickering which gets good reviews from my colleagues, just in case you prefer a hotel over something more boutique. Might have more of the typical amenities I suspect.

I love Singapore - I hope you have a wonderful visit.

 

[laffer]

Always tend to stay at the Hyatt. Close to Orchard Rd and its transport options. Hotel facilities are quite good. The pool is decent. One drawback is that some rooms are quite poor in terms of noise insulation. Hotel says it is being addressed but I think it's structural and might require a renovation. Last time there I insisted on a quiet room. Seemed to work. But that might have just been luck as my neighbours were quiet or the room was vacant. Otherwise a good hotel with a great kitchen in the lobby.

 

[Lynda2475]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply, I certainly have a lot of hotel and restaurant suggestions to google further - glad I started my planning early.