Hotel Review: Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park

Nestled in the atmospheric Balestier Road, Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park is a refreshing respite from the concrete and steel of downtown Singapore. Although a mere 4 kilometers away from the city center, the Balestier area harkens back to Singapore’s quieter and more laidback past with old-style bakeries, historical sites as well as eateries that have been around for decades. The low-rise environment is also a plus for those seeking something less dense.

I had the pleasure of checking out Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park over Christmas weekend via a staycation. The property’s part of a complex of Wyndham properties, with the Days Hotel next door separated by, you guessed it, Zhongshan Park – a zen-like recreation area for the public. There are a couple of attractions within walking distance including a Burmese temple and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall which guests of the hotel can enter free of charge.

Room

Despite checking in during Christmas day, I had no problems getting to my room. After the usual formalities, I was there in no time. The front desk was thoughtful enough to inform me of the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service with hourly departures to Orchard Road and half-hourly departures to Novena MRT station.

Having stayed at the Days Hotel next door previously, I could see similarities between the two properties, room-wise. The layout for instance is quite uniform even though the rooms at Ramada are obviously much more spacious and more well-appointed. I checked online and the room area is advertised at 23 square meters though it definitely felt more like 25 to 28 square meters to me.

A key feature of the rooms at Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park are the distinctive floral prints on the pillows and bedding. Add to that a painting of traditional Singaporean shophouses or of bamoo by the wall and the ambiance seems to reflect the surrounding area very well.

What I particularly love about the rooms across the Wyndham properties in Singapore are the expansive sitting areas right by the window. It’s a great place to relax after an excruciating day at work or after a long day exploring the city. With the complimentary teabags and Nescafe coffee, I enjoyed just lounging around in this part of the room with the oversized pillows sheltering my back from the wall.

As with the bedroom, the bathroom follows a similar layout to the neighboring Days property but is obviously larger. While there is no bathtub, I found the rainshower to be more than sufficient. A complete set of amenities such as razor, cotton buds, shower cap, dental kit, etc were also available.

Facilities – Gym & Pool

Facilities-wise, the hotel has an integrated wellness area located in one floor. There’s a gym which impressively had a punching bag as well as more than enough equipment for a holistic workout.

The pool is located just outside, and beside it is a garden which doubles as an event area for weddings and other celebratory occasions.

At the ground level, there is a business center which can be accessed by guests. Simple printing and facsimile services are available here as well as 4 desktop computers for surfing.

Breakfast

My stay came with breakfast which is held at Flavours @ Zhongshan Park. If you do opt to stay here, it is best to pre-book breakfast as it’s cheaper than booking it on the spot. Given the hotel’s park-side setting, the all-day dining restaurant is strategically placed allowing diners with wonderful views of the zen gardens while having breakfast – a great way to start the day if I may say so!

The breakfast buffet is evenly split between local and western dishes including bacon, scrambled eggs, an omelette counter, a selection of salads and pastries as well as Chinese-style porridge.

As you can see above, the local selection is quite extensive with three hot dishes aside from the porridge.

Verdict

A great alternative to staying at the city center, the hotel offers guests the hourly connectivity to Orchard Road while locating itself in a quieter but charming neighborhood with a lot of character. Those who have “seen it all” in Singapore may very well do themselves a favor by staying here. Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park is the most highly-rated property in the area with rates that are also pretty competitive when compared to the city center. I did a random check online and found rates as low as SGD 160++ per night which is reasonable for a 4-star property in Singapore.

Ramada Singapore Zhongshan Park
16 Ah Hood Road
Singapore 329982

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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