Thursday, May 03, 2007 Hotels in review: Singapore
I AM hoping to compile a series of hotel reviews in the future and Singapore will be my first in this collection. I can't say I have slept in all of them, but I was given an overview of the rooms during ocular inspections given to travel agents.
These are based on first hand experiences and personal opinions. Some reviews were also collected from friends who stayed there. I hope that this can help tourists decide which hotel to choose from.
The prices are averages and may vary depending on season or availability.
Phoenix Hotel: 277 Orchard Road Singapore 238858 Tel: (65) 6737 8666 Fax: (65) 6732 2024 E-mail: rsvp@phoenix.com.sg
Rooms: Their super deluxe rooms are equipped with a personal massage chair, a computer with Internet access, TV, airconditioning, an exercise stepper. The rooms are modern with a pricey feel.
Beds and Bath: A queen bed and a single bed can fit three comfortably and probably 4 persons reasonably. The linens are luxurious, pillows are soft and the mattress is just right.
Location: Situated in Orchard Road, the shopping district of Singapore, the place is convenient for shopping. It is even connected to a small mall. Taxis stop by every few minutes.
Quirks: Enjoy your daily dose of Singapore's news delivered at your room in the morning free of charge. Your hotel key card can double as a credit card for local taxis. The amount will just be charged to your hotel bill. They do not have a gym but your key card means free access to a local Gym nearby.
Price: $130-$225 room per night (195 sgd to 358 sgd) or $182 per person for 3days/2nights with transfers (twin sharing)
My pick! I made reservations through email which is fast, efficient and courteous. We were also provided a free wheelchair upon request. And bottomline: the massage chairs won me over.
Furama Hotel 60 Eu Tong Sen Street or 405 Havelock Road Singapore (Chinatown or Clarke Quay Area) reservations.citycentre@furama.com
Rooms: Their rooms are equipped with a TV, a mini bar, air conditioning and radio. The rooms I visited look spacious and clean. Furnishings seem new.
Beds and Bath: Unfortunately, I was not able to try sleeping in Furama so I could not comment. It looks clean and comfortable though.
Location: It is in the Chinatown area, also a well know tourist spot in Singapore. You can go shopping for Oriental buys. They provide a free shuttle service that stops on specific points around the city which is a good way to cut down costs on travel.
Quirks: We were treated to a buffet lunch at their coffeeshop and it was a delicious mix of Singaporean, Indian and Perenakan dishes
Price: $142-$149 per person for 3days/2nights with transfers ( twin sharing )
* TIP: Location is a factor for price. Hotels in Orchard Road are 30 percent more expensive than those outside Orchard of the same star/class.
Elizabeth Hotel: 24 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228518
Rooms: Their superior/deluxe rooms are equipped with a TV (CNN, ESPN, NHK and Star Movies), a mini bar, airconditioning, hairdryer and a safe. Styled with English interiors, the furnishings are a little old but the rooms are clean. The lighting is dim and our rooms smelled slightly of cigarettes.
Beds and Bath: Their twin beds are small. The linens are thin but clean. The spring in the mattress is not orthopedic friendly since we had a hard time sleeping.
Location: Although the hotel itself is in a residential district, it is just a 5 minute walk to Orchard Road. It is better to call a cab from Orchard since the hotel is not frequented by taxis.
Price: $174 per person for 3days/2nights with transfers (twin sharing)
Rooms: Their standard rooms are equipped with a TV, airconditioning. The furnishings and the bed are a little worn down. It is quite small but good enough for someone who is just concerned with a place to crash.
Beds and Bath: Their matrimonial bed can fit two petite people comfortably. The spring in the mattress is okay. The linens are washed but you can notice stains and holes here and there. The bathroom is cramped and has broken tiles. Toilet paper is the cheap kind which lasts for one night only. They will provide only one bath towel and will charge you for extra requests
Location: 5-10 minutes walk to the Paya Lebar MTR. You can call a cab within 5-10 minutes since a few cabs pass by now and then. I tried walking around the area past midnight and found it relatively safe. In front of the hotel is a 7-11 grocery store.
Price: I could not remember the price I paid for when I stayed two years ago. It is however for budget travelers and the price is competitive with Fragrance and Hotel 81 chains. They are not offered by travel agents and we just walked over the counter to book a room.
Hotel 81: http://www.hotel81.com.sg/
* as reviewed by Rhett Barrios
Rooms: standard commodities are TV, aircon, kettle, Hairdryer, Hot and cold water, and phone. For deluxe rooms comes with a small ref and bathtub. Room size is spacious but no windows though.
Beds and Bath: Bed itself is soft and comfortable for anyone to sleep on. Bed linens are always clean (no stains or holes) same goes with the pillows. Bathrooms are a bit small, but it will do. For deluxe rooms, bathtub are included.
Location: Bencoolen, Joo Chiat, Orchid, Geylang, Chinatown, Changi, Bugis
Quirks: All rooms comes with free Chocolate drink (milo), milk, mineral water, and instant noodles
Price: $114 per person for 3days/2nights with transfers (twinsharing) or 59- $120 room per night (Prices changes per location)
* in choosing branches of H81, choose areas that not near the red-light district
* as reviewed by Kenrich Lee
Rooms: The standard rooms have internet access, TV, equally comfy chairs and even an ironing board.
Beds and Bath: Bed was very comfortable! Their standard bed can fit one comfortably and might be a tight squeeze for two petite persons. They have very soft pillows and a spacious bathroom which comes with a bathtub.
Location: Right smack in Orchard Road, in between two mass transit stations (LRT/MRT) and there’s a bus stop in front of the hotel, all of which makes going around Singapore amazingly easy. The problem however is that the entrance and driveway of the hotel is at the rear and getting to your room requires two different elevator rides. So basically its inconvenient getting to your room but quite easy getting around Singapore once you have stepped out of the hotel.
Special Quirks: The buffet breakfast is good. They also have a gym and a swimming pool. Hotel staff is quite attentive and friendly.
Price: $ 179 per person for 3days/2nights with transfers (twinsharing) (Email the author at wandergirl28@yahoo.com.ph If you have hotel reviews around Asia or the Philippines that you wish to share. Please feel free to email me)
