Singapore - Conrad or Ritz for Honeymoon stopover?

I am heading to Singapore for a 2 day stop over at St. Regis then to Maldives then arrive back in Singapore at around 8am for one more day. I am deciding on which hotel to stay at for the 1 night stay:

Conrad: I would use cash ($90) and points and I am a gold member so we would make use of the lounge.

Ritz: Book the Club level so we would make use of the lounge and champagne.

As you can see we are paying 90 dollars or close to 500 for the Ritz. The only thing is we arrive at 8am so who would be more willing to let us check in early?

Thanks for the help!

Well, you do have gold status with the Conrad... is early check-in one of the status privileges, perhaps?

Apart from that tough call on getting a room early and which hotel to book with regards to just that. I'd pick whichever one you feel will be best and just go with your choice. I do recall the Conrad being rated as the top hotel here or something like that. Then again the Ritz would be nice if you can get the bay view.

Is it just these you're looking at? No Fullerton, Shangri-La? Looking to spend a lot of time at the hotel or mostly outside of it?

Thanks for the input. Just checked out the Hilton page and they don't state early check in as a benefit..We are staying at the St. Regis for two nights over by Orchard road which will allow us to shop and eat at the hawker centers. I did consider the Fullerton Bay hotel but it's the same price as the Ritz but without the club package. As for the Shangri-La not considering that hotel. We arrive back in SIN around 7am it's a bit hard to tell if we would have enough energy to be up..but given all the rest we would have in the Maldives I would assume we would be out and about. So having typed this it seems Conrad would be the best bet. I guess I can e-mail the hotel prior to request an early check in if possible.


Well, you do have gold status with the Conrad... is early check-in one of the status privileges, perhaps?

Apart from that tough call on getting a room early and which hotel to book with regards to just that. I'd pick whichever one you feel will be best and just go with your choice. I do recall the Conrad being rated as the top hotel here or something like that. Then again the Ritz would be nice if you can get the bay view.

Is it just these you're looking at? No Fullerton, Shangri-La? Looking to spend a lot of time at the hotel or mostly outside of it?

I guess I can e-mail the hotel prior to request an early check in if possible.While I've not stayed at the Conrad (I have stayed at the RC though), I suspect most of the hotels in Singapore are used to dealing with people arriving early. I've stayed at a few different hotels over the years in Singapore and my flights usually seemed to always get me there early in the morning. I don't remember any of them giving me problems with an early check-in (and I wasn't even an elite with all of them. :eek: )

So your chances are probably good at either, assuming they have a room ready for you of course.

Thanks for the input! Looks promising then.


While I've not stayed at the Conrad (I have stayed at the RC though), I suspect most of the hotels in Singapore are used to dealing with people arriving early. I've stayed at a few different hotels over the years in Singapore and my flights usually seemed to always get me there early in the morning. I don't remember any of them giving me problems with an early check-in (and I wasn't even an elite with all of them. :eek: )

So your chances are probably good at either, assuming they have a room ready for you of course.

We are staying at the St. Regis for two nights over by Orchard road which will allow us to shop and eat at the hawker centers.
Ehh... Honestly you're better going to Lau Pa Sat by Raffles Place or Maxwell Food Center next to Chinatown. Anything at Orchard Rd will be very expensive and not too 'authentic', catering to tourists. Lau Pa Sat also caters to tourists, but gives you a much more authentic feeling. Maxwell is your best bet, but it's a bit of a hike from the MRT stop unless you planned to fight the crowds in Chinatown anyway.

Staying at the Conrad/RC there will be some nice places to go out to, as well as food courts nearby. Actually my favourite one is in Marina Square called "The Gallerie." You cannot beat the view there. :)

Plus my fav restaurant is only a few minutes walk from the Conrad/RC as well: Crystal Jade Kitchen (Suntec City, by the fountain. Make sure it's the CJK one as there is another CJ La Mian something like 20 yards further down).

St Regis should be fine, though I do prefer the location of the Mandarin Orchard hotel.

The whole reason we are staying at the St. Regis is I am a SPG member and used cash and points which is a great deal. So we are not paying full price..if I was I would have booked the ritz haha.

To update this thread I booked Conrad and I am blown away by the fact that Conrad e-mailed us a couple of hours later requesting flight arrival information. I replied with the information and she responded:

Dear westcoastbmx ,

Greetings from the Conrad Centennial Singapore.

Thank you for your prompt response, we have noted your expected arrival time on 13th July 2012 as well your early check in request (subject to availability)


Should you want to guarantee the early check in on 13th July, we suggest to preblock the room on 12th July 2012 at full day charge of our Best availabe rate at SGD350++ per night.


Thank you once again and looking forward to welcoming you to the Conrad Centennial Singapore.


Best Regards


So I talked with the fiancee and she suggests that we probably will have enough energy to walk around waste time prior to check in.

I am going to take note of this restaurant! Thanks-

Staying at the Conrad/RC there will be some nice places to go out to, as well as food courts nearby. Actually my favourite one is in Marina Square called "The Gallerie." You cannot beat the view there. :)

Plus my fav restaurant is only a few minutes walk from the Conrad/RC as well: Crystal Jade Kitchen (Suntec City, by the fountain. Make sure it's the CJK one as there is another CJ La Mian something like 20 yards further down).

St Regis should be fine, though I do prefer the location of the Mandarin Orchard hotel.

Ehh... Honestly you're better going to Lau Pa Sat by Raffles Place or Maxwell Food Center next to Chinatown. Anything at Orchard Rd will be very expensive and not too 'authentic', catering to tourists. Lau Pa Sat also caters to tourists, but gives you a much more authentic feeling. Maxwell is your best bet, but it's a bit of a hike from the MRT stop unless you planned to fight the crowds in Chinatown anyway.

Sorry what?

If you recommend something authentic and not catering to tourists you should probably go into the neighbourhoods. Yes, Lau Pa Sat gives an unique (not authentic) feeling due to the historic structure it is located in. While at lunch time the crowds are mainly coming from the neighbouring Office towers, in the evening the surrounding is "dead" like any CBD in the world and Lau Pa Sat is catering only to tourists. Competion is fierce in the evening and hawkers are touting to order from their stall. Locals disappeared more and more as you hardly can sit there without being bothered by some of the hawkers. IMHO, the quality of food was also deteriorating over the years.

Maxwell is different in that sense, but it is frequently recommended by travellers so there you wont be alone as well.

The Orchard Area is popular among tourists and locals a like and there are a lot food options meeting every budget. The statement that Orchard Road is "very expensive" its too general and doesnt refelct the reality. Just because some of the most expensive Fashion Labels having their flagship stores on Orchard doesnt make Orchard generally expensive. You can also buy a T-Shirts for less than 10 SGD on Orchard Rd.

Sorry what?

If you recommend something authentic and not catering to tourists you should probably go into the neighbourhoods. Yes, Lau Pa Sat gives an unique (not authentic) feeling due to the historic structure it is located in. While at lunch time the crowds are mainly coming from the neighbouring Office towers, in the evening the surrounding is "dead" like any CBD in the world and Lau Pa Sat is catering only to tourists. Competion is fierce in the evening and hawkers are touting to order from their stall. Locals disappeared more and more as you hardly can sit there without being bothered by some of the hawkers. IMHO, the quality of food was also deteriorating over the years.

Maxwell is different in that sense, but it is frequently recommended by travellers so there you wont be alone as well.

The Orchard Area is popular among tourists and locals a like and there are a lot food options meeting every budget. The statement that Orchard Road is "very expensive" its too general and doesnt refelct the reality. Just because some of the most expensive Fashion Labels having their flagship stores on Orchard doesnt make Orchard generally expensive. You can also buy a T-Shirts for less than 10 SGD on Orchard Rd.

I know where to go for "authentic" food. I was making tourist friendly suggestions (easy to get to, etc) outside of food options near Orchard Rd, that's all. The stalls at LPS or Maxwell are similar (if pricier, not not terribly so) to what he'd find in a heartland hawker center.

And the 'very expensive' comment is because tourists looking near Orchard Rd for hawker centers often get directed to places like Newton Circus. That *is* expensive for a hawker center.

You can also buy a T-Shirts for less than 10 SGD on Orchard Rd.
Oh, and those shirts for less than S$10 on Orchard are probably $3 in Bugis or Chinatown :P

Oh, and those shirts for less than S$10 on Orchard are probably $3 in Bugis or Chinatown :P

If Iam talking about Orchard Iam not refering to Bugis or Chinatown. Seems like you arent knowing the Orchard area to well. Ever been to Lucky Plaza?
The "Orchard Rd is expensive" statement comes along with the "go to Maxwell and Lau Pa Sat" in each and every forum if the question arises where to go for good hawker food. I sometimes wonder if that people advising such things have ever been to Singapore, just open the Lonely Planet above advise can be found in there.

If you know where to go for good food why you dont share it? A taxi ride in Singapore isnt that expensive, right? And if you tell a Cabby bring me to OldAirportRoad Hawker Centre, iam pretty sure he might even know it.

If Iam talking about Orchard Iam not refering to Bugis or Chinatown. Seems like you arent knowing the Orchard area to well. Ever been to Lucky Plaza?
The "Orchard Rd is expensive" statement comes along with the "go to Maxwell and Lau Pa Sat" in each and every forum if the question arises where to go for good hawker food. I sometimes wonder if that people advising such things have ever been to Singapore, just open the Lonely Planet above advise can be found in there.

If you know where to go for good food why you dont share it? A taxi ride in Singapore isnt that expensive, right? And if you tell a Cabby bring me to OldAirportRoad Hawker Centre, iam pretty sure he might even know it.

Oh boy, I love Internet p!ssing contests. :rolleyes: I've been to Singapore. I live here. Thanks.

Yes, I've been to Lucky plaza. If that is your benchmark of Orchard Rd being "affordable", then great. It's a run-down crap hole that caters to Filipino migrant workers and domestic helpers. We also have Golden Mile for Thais, Peninsula Plaza for Burmese, and City Plaza for the 'working girls' of all three and more. So if your tourist friends want to visit ethnic conclaves, now you know some of the locales. :)

I prefer to recommend the best options in an area to people visiting, not the worst. For Orchard Rd, it is the high-end shopping malls. Since they're so many and 80% the same, I prefer to recommend the ones that are at least 'interesting' design wise if they don't have a specific store they need to visit. I suggest visitors to Orchard iON, 313@Somerset, and Orchard Central partially for the previous reason. There are plenty more in between though, so feel free to stop and shop at any.

If you want to eat "local" food on Orchard, your options will be something like the "Food Republics", which are corporate run hawk centers. Cleaner, the food is decent, but the environment is a bit bland. And it is pricey compared to outside. You'll be paying an average of $5-7 per meal, and drinks will be $3+. (Compared to $2-4 and $1 elsewhere). You'll find these places in almost every mall. Orchard iON on B4 has one.

If you want to adventure out on a taxi ride for food, then as mentioned previously, I recommend Old Airport Rd Hawker Center. It has about 200 stalls and a number of them are tops in Singapore. If you have no idea where to go, look the the longest queues. If you still need recommendation, try Lao ban Sweet Beancurd (dou hua). It's a sweet tofu. Very good. Don't bother with the other 10+ immitation stalls there. Toa Payoh Rojak directly next to it is some of the best Rojak in Singapore IMO. There are numerous other hawker centers and places to try. I'd suggest checking a site like "Hungry Go Where" or "ieatoshootipost" for reviews and recommendations. Both have iPhone apps. The problem you'll run into as a tourist that most hawker centers and other places to go to eat have *nothing* at all around them for you to do otherwise (Welcome to Singapore). Which is why I recommend Lau Pa Sat and Maxwell Hawker Center.

Lau Pa Sat is in the middle of CBD, just south of Raffles Place. It is loaded with Touts in the evening, but it is "historic" and gives you a good idea of what hawker food is like. Just ignore the Wendy's ;) The area is dead in the evening, but it is a very short walk then to Boat Quay (just north of Raffles Place, less than 10 min walk from Lau Pa Sat). Or, you can go to the bar on top of the tower at Raffles Place. It's pricey (I think ~$35 cover but that includes a drink), but outdoors, and gives better views of Singapore than the top of Marina Bay Sands IMO.

Maxwell Hawker center actually has some of the top rated stands in Singapore, similar to Old Airport Rd. It is popular with tourists due to it's proximity to Chinatown Night Market and Club St (think Lan Kwai Fong in HK), but it's still legit.

If you want cheap touristy trinkets, buy them in the Chinatown Night Market, or at Bugis. You'll have a better variety than Lucky Plaza and the area is much more interesting. Each area has its own character, where as the character of a place like Lucky Plaza is just being run down and the "cheap place" on Orchard.

Oh boy, I love Internet p!ssing contests. Me too. :D

If that is your benchmark of Orchard Rd being "affordable", then great.

It isnt a benchmark, but an example. If you walk on Orchard Rd and pass by Lucky Plaza at Road level you find the usual local fashion chains, which are very affordable.
Orchard Rd is offering the same fare as anywhere in the heartland malls, from ION to 313@Somerset you find that budget options everywhere. Orchard Rd isnt just Top-Designer Brands, you can find everything here. Thats why the Orchard Area is popular with locals and tourists alike. So calling Orchard "expensive" is a bit too simple.

The problem you'll run into as a tourist that most hawker centers and other places to go to eat have *nothing* at all around them for you to do otherwise (Welcome to Singapore). Which is why I recommend Lau Pa Sat and Maxwell Hawker Center.

I've passed by Lau Pa Sat numerous times but never felt compelled to eat there, it looks quite run-down (yes, I know it's old-school) and in need of a facelift.

Location-wise it's in the CBD which can be boring except for Far East Square and that one street filled with drinking holes and eateries.

Maxwell will at least bring you through Chinatown, and to top it off if you are there during the day then you absolutely have to see this place which is right next door:

http://www.singaporecitygallery.sg/

I've stayed at the Conrad Centennial.. it sure doesn't feel like a great honeymoon destination to tell you the truth.

Its close right in the millennia walk and beside suntec city malls. They both aren't very romantic.

I have been going to Singapore once every two months for the past year now.

I've stayed at the St Regis, Sheraton Towers, Conrad Centennial, Hyatt and Hilton.

I would choose the St Regis over the Conrad anyday.

I agree. I liked the Conrad a lot, as a business hotel.

The Mandarin Oriental is pretty nice, lovely pool and spa.

I agree. I liked the Conrad a lot, as a business hotel.

The Mandarin Oriental is pretty nice, lovely pool and spa.

I picture the conrad for the middle aged balding business man :).

I like the Conrad because its close to an organic vegetarian restaurant in Singapore called the loving hut :). As well as being really close to the MRT station.

I did a search top romantic hotels singapore and for some reason I seen the Conrad Centennial listed as a top romantic hotel in Singapore. Most likely paid articles :).

http://www.fivestaralliance.com/best/hotels/870/the-most-romantic-hotels-in-singapore

>>> Conrad is listed second.

http://www.hotels.com/articles/ar000124/top-10-hotels-in-singapore/

>>> Here too the Conrad is listed as top romantic hotel.

Go figure :).

I agree with that assessment of who the Conrad *should* appeal to, although I was blown away by my stay at the Hong Kong property - absolutely top notch!

Anyway, what would be the most romantic hotel in Singapore?

Raffles?
Goodwood Park?
Fullerton?

???

For what its worth my stay at the Conrad was great and the Breakfast INCREDIBLE.

You could not go wrong with either. However, I do prefer the ritz, but for the price you would pay for the Conrad I would prefer the Conrad.

I picture the conrad for the middle aged balding business man :).

I like the Conrad because its close to an organic vegetarian restaurant in Singapore called the loving hut :). As well as being really close to the MRT station.

I did a search top romantic hotels singapore and for some reason I seen the Conrad Centennial listed as a top romantic hotel in Singapore. Most likely paid articles :).

http://www.fivestaralliance.com/best/hotels/870/the-most-romantic-hotels-in-singapore

>>> Conrad is listed second.

http://www.hotels.com/articles/ar000124/top-10-hotels-in-singapore/

>>> Here too the Conrad is listed as top romantic hotel.

Go figure :).


Stayed at the St. Regis and the Conrad. I must say "I picture the conrad for the middle aged balding business man ." is the perfect description. It felt more of a business hotel which kinda put us out of place but it was only one night.

We arrived at about 9am and we couldn't check in until 3 so they gave us a breakfast which was great and after that we used the last bit of energy we had to tour the Sands which was fantastic. They also delivered a nice honeymoon cake!!

At night we walked around the Bay and had drinks & appetizers on top of the Fullerton Bay Hotel which is a must in my opinion.

We also checked out the MO and the pool seemed to be the best thing about it, but other than that I wasn't impressed.

The St. Regis was by far the best hotel I have stayed at other than the Conrad Maldives. The only issue would be the pool with no view but it was sufficient to swim some laps.