singapore staycation

Hotel Review: Shangri-la Hotel Singapore Valley Wing – Most Luxurious Staycation in Singapore

December 15, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

The Shangri-la Hotel Singapore can be thought of as the ultimate hotel because of its staggering 792 rooms and 3 varying propositions, from the business-friendly Tower Wing to the resort-like Garden Wing and the exclusive Valley Wing. I have stayed at the Shangri-la Hotel Singapore a couple of times and tend to think of the property as akin to a small community with its myriad of dining options as well as perpetually busy lobby.

Some weeks back, I had the opportunity to stay at the hotel again, this time at the more opulent Valley Wing. Featuring a separate entrance and high-ceiling lobby which is iconic of Shangri-la hotels the world over, Shangri-la Hotel Singapore’s Valley Wing is carefully tucked behind the main portion of the hotel.

the separate lobby of the valley wing in shangri-la hotel singapore

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Hotel Review: InterContinental Singapore (Junior Suite)

August 29, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

It’s been a while since my last stay in InterContinental Singapore. The property located in Bugis Junction has always been one of my favorite hotels in Singapore. For a relatively modest price point where luxury hotels are concerned, the InterContinental Singapore seamlessly melds its own unique Peranakan interpretation into its upscale hotel proposition. Since my last hotel stay experience there, I also found that the property made some adjustments with the room types as well as introduced tweaks into the club lounge experience.

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Easy Guide to Park Rewards – Loyalty Programme of Park Hotel Group

August 20, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

Park Hotel Group, the chain behind the Park and Grand Park hotel brands, has launched a new rewards programme for guests. Membership is totally free – anyone can join with immediate benefits even to base-level members.

I got to to see first-hand how this relatively new loyalty programme works via a recent stay at Park Hotel Clarke Quay. The property invited me for a stay but I extended my nights there on my own accord and used my membership in the process.

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Hotel Review: Sofitel Singapore City Centre – Simply Magnifique!

July 28, 2019 by Bino 1 Comment

Sofitel Singapore City Centre is the newest jewel in Accor Hotels’ crown in Singapore – being its 13th hotel in the Lion City and the 800th Accor hotel in Asia Pacific. Looming over the historic shophouses of Tanjong Pagar, the property marks the further southern development of Singapore’s CBD. Tanjong Pagar has always been known as a commercial area but in recent years, high rises (including Singapore’s tallest), luxury hotels and some Grade A offices have been thrown into the mix.

I was fortunate to be invited for a media preview of the Sofitel Singapore City Centre two days before the hotel officially opened. An experiential media preview that includes a stay is practically unheard of in the hospitality industry as any new property is bound to have teething problems at the beginning. The fact that a preview was organized was a sign of the intense preparation the staff must have been through as well as the management’s confidence in both the hard and soft product – a conviction that turned out to be spot on.

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Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore Is Challenging the Convention of Serviced Apartments

July 22, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

Oakwood OUE Premier Singapore has been making great strides in redefining the limits of serviced accommodations. Recently, it launched the “Oops, I’ve Ginned!” staycation package which continues to blur the lines between apartment living and luxury hotel amenities. Aside from a room stay, the package includes an elaborate DIY cocktail kit and even a short excursion to Brass Lion Distillery. I very well remember my first “serviced residence” experience. Having just moved to Singapore more than a decade ago for work, I was put into this nice apartment just by the Singapore River. My unit was way larger than a typical hotel room but for most services, I had to DIY. Things have changed dramatically since then.

The inspiration for the staycation package was World Gin Day which was celebrated on the 8th of June 2019. For the case of the “Oops, I’ve Ginned!” staycation package however, it is valid every weekend until 1st December except for the weekend of the Singapore Grand Prix.

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Hotel Review: Andaz Singapore – Stylish Hyatt Hotel in Bugis

June 22, 2019 by Bino 4 Comments

The Andaz Singapore opened in October 2017 as the first Andaz-branded property in Southeast Asia and just the 17th worldwide. This upscale and unabashedly stylish brand under the Hyatt Hotels group has long attracted a set of travel-savvy and discerning clientele and I had been curious as to how the brand would be interpreted in Singapore. The Lion City has just two Hyatt hotels – the other being the Grand Hyatt Singapore which is a Category 5 Hyatt property.

I recently went for a staycation at Andaz Singapore to see how things materialized – and I must say I was impressed. 2017 was a pretty monumental year for hotel openings in Singapore, with the likes of Sofitel Singapore City Centre, InterContinental Robertson Quay and Yotel Singapore opening their doors in the span of a few months. Of the properties that opened lately, I have to say that Andaz Singapore is the clear winner in terms of design.

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Hotel Review: One Farrer Hotel Singapore – Go For the “Skyline Hotel” Rooms

May 22, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

One Farrer Hotel has piqued my interest for the longest time. Ever since it opened some 5 years ago, it has consistently ranked within the top 20 hotels in Singapore in tripadvisor. This is despite it being an independent hotel with no visible aesthetic theme. The hotel is actually part of an integrated complex along with Farrer Park Hospital, with One Farrer Hotel occupying the ground as well as the upper floors of the building. Farrer Park MRT is directly under the property which makes traversing Singapore a breeze.

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Hotel Review: Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore (One Bedroom Apartment at La Residenza Wing)

May 16, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

One of Singapore’s most recognizable hotels, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore is known for its iconic location just next to the river and a stone’s throw away from what used to be the country’s hottest nightclub – Zouk. Many Singaporeans of a certain age would have memories checking in to the hotel on a hastily planned staycation after a late night or hailing a taxi from the hotel’s lobby. While that night club is no more, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore is as relevant as ever especially after it completed a renovation of its public spaces and selected rooms in 2016.

Most folks who have stayed at the property previously are probably familiar with the hotel proposition. Not many know that the hotel also has a serviced apartment concept called La Residenza which is at a floor to itself (5th level) along with the gym. Unlike traditional serviced lodging concepts however, guests are able to book the apartments here even for stays as short as a night. During a recent weekend, I managed to check out the La Residenza Wing of the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore.

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