Originally Posted by
chinmoylad
A few of the hotels in Singapore have upgrade at the time of booking via Virtuoso...Fullerton Bay and Ritz-Carlton Millenia for starters.
Thanks for the tip! I am booking with points, however, so I don't think it's possible to book via Virtuoso. That said, I am only vaguely familiar with Virtuoso, so I could be mistaken. I'll look into it.
Originally Posted by
ajca
I have lived in Singapore for a long time and I would really strongly discourage even trying this at hotels in Singapore, especially luxury hotels. Singapore has spent the past half century working very hard to eliminate corruption from all levels of its society and this has been very successful. This is in stark contrast to its neighbours.
In Singapore, by sliding cash across the check-in counter and asking wink wink if any better rooms / suites are available, you are putting the front desk agent in a very uncomfortable position. In their eyes - and I'm sure in the eyes of Singapore law - you are effectively trying to bribe them to give you something that is of value to their employer.
I have also lived in Singapore for a little over four years in the past, and share the same reservations you do (though probably to a less extreme extent). This is part of what makes me ask whether it's even worth trying!
Originally Posted by
ajca
I believe that if you're going to travel to places, you will do well to make some effort to understand and respect their cultures.
This is what I'm trying to do by asking my question! I've lived on three different continents in some of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, so I'm well aware of the need to respect other people's cultures.
In any case, thanks for the input.