This appears to be the unofficial Shangri-La thread ?
I've been booking accommodation for a short RTW holiday/SQ PPS run (17 days; 19 flights; stopovers in ZRH, SIN, SGN, PEK, PVG, KIX, BKK, NRT and YVR) starting next Saturday. I'll be in Singapore at least one night (Mon 14 Aug) and possibly also the previous night if I clear the waitlist for FRA-SIN. I've been to Singapore many times before. I've always stayed with a friend in the past but this is not possible this time so I've booked a night at the Shangri-La and will try to extend it if I arrive in Singapore a day earlier.
I've been to the hotel before for dinner in the Japanese restaurant but otherwise, I'm only going by the good things I've read about it. What is important for me is not the size of the room or the facilities but rather the service - hopefully not getting a feeling of being just another guest amongst the many thousands which pass through each year (which probably explains my preference for SQ) - and I'm happy to pay a bit more for this.
I have a few questions and would be grateful for any advice:
1 Assuming I end up staying for only one night, I will arrive in SIN at 16:25 and my next flight will be at 8:55 the next morning. I've currently booked a room in the Garden Wing and if I had a longer time in Singapore, I would definitely try to change it to the Valley Wing (extra S$200/night) from what I've read on here. However, given my limited time and that I will go out for dinner with a friend (rather than sit there drinking champagne all evening!), do people think it's still worth it ? Or should I stay in a Garden Wing room or try to change it to either a Tower Wing Deluxe (extra S$40/night) or Tower Wing Premiere (extra S$130/night) room ?
2 I'll also be visiting Bangkok for the first time. I currently have a flexible reservation with the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel and see that there's also a Shangri-La in Bangkok for about the same price. I realise that people reading in this thread are going to be a bit bias
but if you have stayed in either, do you think the Shangri-La is better ? From what I read, the Sheraton seems to have the edge but I'd be interested if anyone thinks otherwise.
3 Similarly, I also note that there are Shangri-La hotels in Beijing, Shanghai and Vancouver, all of which I'll be passing through, but I'm currently intending to stay in, respectively, the Sino-Swiss Hotel (very near the airport given my late arrival in PEK and early departure), the Westin (the Shangri-La is in Pudong which I understand is fine if you have business there but best avoided if you don't given traffic congestion in Shanghai) and the Opus Hotel (3 nights in this boutique hotel in a hip and happening part of Vancouver as recommended to me!). Perhaps I'll try a Shangri-La next time if I'm bowled over by my experience this time! However, if anyone has any strong views, I'd be happy to read them.
4 Finally, as I understand it, I can only be invited to join the Golden Circle programme if I stay more than once in THAT particular hotel, i.e. I can't stay in Singapore once and then use a stay in Bangkok to be invited to join. Is this correct ? As I'm solely a leisure traveller, I don't think I'll ever reach a higher tier but nevertheless, it seems that even with classic membership, there are a few benefits which may be worthwhile.
Many thanks in advance!