singapore staycation

Hotel Review: Andaz Singapore – Stylish Hyatt Hotel in Bugis

June 22, 2019 by Bino 3 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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Hotel Review: Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore – Serviced Apartment With Luxury Hotel Elements

April 6, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore is a serviced apartment and (now) hotel located in Singapore’s CBD – just a few minutes walk from both Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar which together make up the bulk of the city’s top office addresses. The property opened some two years ago as a pure serviced apartment by the Oakwood brand. The “premier” in its name signifies how the positioning is at the top-end of this global serviced apartment chain’s offerings. Having stayed at other serviced apartments myself, I did notice the differences here – the most important of which is that the services were more in keeping with a hotel rather than a serviced apartment. Just a month ago, the Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore also obtained a hotel license, which means that guests can stay here for as short as a day if they so wish.

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Hotel Review: Hotel Fort Canning – Relaxing Getaway in the Middle of Singapore’s CBD

January 21, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

Hotel Fort Canning is one of the most atmospheric boutique hotels in Singapore. Sitting prettily on a hill right in the middle of the city’s bustling CBD, the property has all the trappings of a heritage hotel even though its history as a place for lodging is fairly recent. The building housing it dates from 1926. It used to be the administration building of the British Far East Command HQ but was later occupied by the Japanese during World War II. The area surrounding the hotel, Fort Canning Park, is also known as the place where Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese in 1942.

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Hotel Review: Orchard Rendezvous Hotel – Family Rooms & Free Minibar

October 19, 2018 by Bino Leave a Comment

Orchard Rendezvous Hotel was officially launched in September 2018 as part of a rebranding exercise of the former Orchard Parade Hotel that underwent phases of renovations between 2015 to 2018. As one of the more recognizable landmarks in the Orchard Road stretch, the newly refurbished hotel now carries a palpable botanic theme, taking inspiration from the site’s past as a pepper plantation. The hotel even had an orchid specially bred for its launch – the Vanda Orchard Rendezvous.

I was invited by the hotel to experience the revamped rooms and facilities. If you are looking for an affordable hotel in Orchard Road, this is probably one of your best bets. Depending on the day, the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel can rival the Yotel Singapore as the cheapest hotel along Singapore’s main shopping stretch, with more spacious rooms to boot!

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Hotel Review: JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach – Trendy Club Rooms & Compelling Dining Concepts

September 9, 2018 by Bino 1 Comment

JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach probably stands as somewhat of an oddity when pitted against the other JW Marriott properties around the world. The rooms carry a highly trendy look, with an immaculately white shade interspersed by the shine of stainless steel. Indeed, the thought that this is not your usual JW Marriott is palpable even from the time one steps foot into the lobby, with its semi-industrial finish juxtaposed against Peranakan elements while the loud colors emanating from the giant LCD screen serve to arrest the senses.

It was not long ago when the property stood as the independent South Beach Hotel. With no affiliation to any major chain, it was not doing as well and as such the management was handed to Marriott Hotels, where it subsequently became the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach. Business has been brisk since then. During the weekend I stayed at the hotel, the property was running at full capacity. I had deliberated extending for another night but could not get any available room out of the booking portals.

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Hotel Review: Conrad Centennial Singapore – Newly Renovated Rooms & Two Types of Executive Lounges

June 17, 2018 by Bino Leave a Comment

Conrad Centennial Singapore recently underwent a progressive refurbishment that encompassed the guest rooms, executive lounge plus a couple of new facilities by the swimming pool. I have personally stayed in this property quite a few times and always found the deliberately high beds one of the most comfortable among hotels in Singapore. Last week, the hotel invited me over – this time to experience what the newly renovated rooms and executive lounge have to offer.

Centennial Suite

centennial suite at conrad singapore

For this particular stay, I was billeted in one of the hotel’s popular Centennial Suites. Measuring 63 square meters, think of it as a luxury one-bedroom condominium unit. Unlike some of the suites in newer hotels, this particular one comes with genuine partitions between bedroom, living area and bath. Most of these suites are also situated as corner rooms at either ends of the building so chances are, your bedroom will directly face the Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City.

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