Hotel Review: The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

When it comes to hotels in Singapore, there are great ones and there are popular ones. And there are those which are in themselves a major and indelible, character-adding part of a city. Only a handful of properties fit the bill for all three and one classic example is the majestic Fullerton Hotel Singapore which to many is probably the benchmark where luxury hotels in the country are concerned.

The hotel has served as a backdrop for many of my Singapore skyline photos and I’m sure that it has for millions of other visitors as well. I remember coming to the hotel during my first ever visit to Singapore nine years ago and being awed by the massive atrium. Having worked in the Raffles Place area for a number of years since, I have returned several times – mostly for meet-ups, conferences, weddings or for dinners at Town Restaurant. I was never able to see the rooms or the facilities upstairs until I finally had the opportunity to stay at the hotel through a weekend staycation.

lobby of fullerton hotel

To start off my stay, I chose to avail of the one-way transfer in getting to the hotel. My limousine pick-up was right on time as it whisked me to the hotel. The Fullerton experience was palpable right from the pick-up as complimentary mineral water bottles and magazines for reading during the short trip were available inside the car.

stepping out of fullerton hotel’s complimentary limo transfer

Upon my arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to find a guest relations executive already waiting for me by the entrance. I did not have to do the traditional check-in as she led me straight to my room for registration formalities.

The Room

the bed

My room for the night was a Quay Room located the hotel’s executive (4th) floor. The room looked deceptively simple, yet was one of the most hard-wired hotel rooms I have encountered in a while. It essentially retained the same overall color scheme of the property, with yellow walls and light brown drawers and cabinets. It carried a distinctly heritage vibe while being timeless at the same time.

A pillow menu was set at the bedside with an exotic array of pillows and bolsters. I availed of Tempur pillows which were delivered to me in no time.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a complimentary loaned phone on my desk. It came with unlimited free internet data, complimentary local calls and text messages as well as free long-distance calls to fifteen countries.

Those looking for solutions to late night hunger pangs won’t be disappointed by the fully-stocked minibar. There are also complimentary teabags from TWG as well as coffee capsules and coffeemaker.

The bathroom was extremely spacious and I was immediately taken aback by the size of it as I’m only used to seeing bathrooms of such magnitude in suite rooms. It came with a bathtub and separate enclosures for the toilet and shower.

Toiletries were from Bulgari and I could see that the hotel was being generous by providing two sets of toiletries at the onset – one by the sink and another inside the shower enclosure.

The Straits Club at Fullerton Hotel

plenty of sockets from which to plug electronic devices

As mentioned previously, my stay came with access to The Straits Club which is Fullerton Hotel’s version of the executive lounge. After staying in back-to-back hotels in Singapore, I have come to realize that executive lounges serving afternoon tea are actually a rarity so it was great to know that it was available here.

I particularly liked the style of the property’s lounge. It was mostly colonial with oriental touches, lavish carpeting as well as multi-seating options.

Afternoon tea’s from 2:30 to 4PM and there was a modest array of tidbits and canapes on display.

having a singapore sling in one of singapore’s most iconic hotels

I came back at around 5:30PM which was when evening cocktails started. Free-flow champagne and cocktails were served during this period by the very helpful and chatty executive lounge staff.

goodies during evening cocktails

The buffet spread was also wider during evening cocktails, with a good balance of canapes as well as hot dishes. I particularly loved the desserts they served during this time – the chocolate tarts were heavenly!

I came back to my room to find turndown service done. Bottles of mineral water were left at the bedside while bookmarks graced my bed. I took a shower that afternoon and my partly used Bulgari toiletries were also replenished.

I took a walk to some of the property’s fitness facilities. The swimming pool here is particularly scenic. On one side, the hotel’s iconic floodlit doric columns added a unique atmosphere to an evening swim while the infinity pool extended towards the Singapore river on the other, with sweeping views of Boat Quay and the Asian Civilizations Museum.

There’s also a modest fitness center beside the spa with good all-around equipment for quick workouts. The staff members here were very proactive and handed me a towel as soon as I walked in.

Ultimate Aromatherapy Experience at Fullerton Spa

I dropped by the Fullerton spa once more the next day for the 60-minute Ultimate Aromatherapy Experience. I was first led to the waiting area where the therapist assessed my questionnaire and asked which aching parts of the body I wanted her to focus on. She also had me choose from twelve types of oils formulated with natural plant and flower extracts from the brand Aromatherapy Associates for the one that appealed to me the most.

waiting area at fullerton spa where the therapist assessed my situation before the actual treatment

Afterwards I was led to the treatment room where my therapist worked her way from my head to toe, utilizing both Swedish and neuromuscular massaging techniques to put me at east and relieve muscular tension. I left the room feeling all relaxed. How I wish it were longer!

Champagne Breakfast at The Straits Club

As my stay came with club perks, I could opt to have my breakfast at Town Restaurant downstairs or at The Straits Club. As with other hotels, the selection is wider at the all-day dining restaurant but I made an exception here by having my breakfast at the executive lounge. While the spread was admittedly not as large as in Town Restaurant, this was the preferable option for me as the morning meal here came with free-flow of champagne and all the major food stations were still represented, albeit in a slightly understated manner.

Another thing to note is that if you’re staying during the weekend, the all-day dining restaurant may be a lot more crowded. This has been my experience in any popular hotel all over the world whenever I stay during a weekend so if you prefer to dine in relative serenity, The Straits Club would be a good option.

Verdict

I have had back-to-back hotel stays for the past weeks but clearly my stay at Fullerton Hotel stands out. Both the soft and hard product were excellent. I was constantly greeted while walking in the hallways – even by housekeeping staff! Food was well-prepared and I could see that a lot of effort was spent on the details. The room was also exceptional. If you’re looking for a heritage hotel to stay in Singapore without losing out on any of the plushness or technological features, the Fullerton would be a great choice.

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
1 Fullerton Square
Singapore 049178
+65 6733 8388

Reservations: Compare for best prices HERE

Bino

Hi, my name is Bino and I started I Wander around 15 years ago with the aim of sharing about some of my personal journeys and experiences, hoping that the information may benefit readers like yourselves. Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Alternatively, you can also email me at b i n o (at) iwandered.net. You can follow I Wander on Facebook, Telegram, or Instagram. Also, if you liked this article, please feel free to SHARE or RETWEET

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