Originally Posted by
747FC
We have never been to Singapore, but will be there four days in mid-March. We currently hold a reservation for Raffles, but am second-guessing based upon some iffy reviews. Would appreciate some hotel recommendations based upon the following:
Location- Don't want to be in the middle of a human zoo. That is, we want tranquility. Not interested in shopping or bar hopping. We do want to get a guide arranged by a concierge who can spend a couple of days with us showing us the sights.
Service- Would be nice to have a concierge that quickly communicated by email and went an extra step.As mentioned above, want to find a good guide.
Cost--If we were paying $1K-1.2K USD a night for a large room or small suite, that would be great.
Many thanks.
Back from our Singapore stay, with a quick report:
This was our first time in Singapore, and we thoroughly enjoyed the city (except for the oppressive heat and humidity). We ended up booking at Raffles, which on the whole pleased us.
Positives:
1. Early (9:00 AM) check in. I believe that the very early checkin was due to multiple factors: AMEX FHR, plus I booked the VERY EXPENSIVE hotel transport from the cruise ship terminal to the hotel. So, they knew the exact time of our arrival and helped coordinate it. Met at the curb by check-in agent who brought us immediately to the room.
2. Room: Palm Court Personality Suite. They claimed they upgraded us, but the reality was that the the only difference in the booked and given suite was a name plaque on the door. The room was very quiet and spacious, with unlimited complimentary use (except for alcohol) of the minibar.
3. Guide: We booked a guide with the hotel for two days. Good move! She really added value above us wandering around alone. Knowledgeable and funny.
4. Hotel Location: Very convenient to walk to a lot of interesting spots.
5. Dining: Breakfast buffet was very good, as were the two on-site restaurants we tried (Butcher's Block and the Chinese restaurant).
Negatives:
1. Butler: Mostly a big fail. They sometimes neglected to call back after a request was sent. They offer a service to escort guests to restaurants. We asked for that one night, and the Butler was perfunctory and walked far ahead of us due to the fact that he walked way faster than our bodies were moving. Very rude, in my opinion.
2. Raffles as a Tourist Location: I knew this going in, and it generally was a non-issue / not a big negative for us and somewhat added to the charm of the place. Lots of tourists not staying at the Raffles come to take pictures of the exterior and wander around the shops and stop at the Long Bar. We stayed in a location which was isolated from all that, except for needing to access the front door. The doormen try to divert tourists from the front lobby, so I made a habit of saying hello while waving my Raffles water bottle, which prevented "stop and frisk: activity.
3. Signage: They don't have enough signs directing guests to and back from the hotel to the shops and restaurants.
4. Staff: Our biggest complaint was a very rude bar staff member who refused my wife entry into the Writer's Bar because he said that she was dressed in "Gym Clothes." We were flabbergasted by this comment and reported it the front desk. My wife had on a very fashionable shirt she has worn around the world. Needless to say that the bar manager came to our room, profusely apologized and offered us complimentary use of the bar. The incident revealed to us some hiring and training issues in this hotel. (See above comments about Butler). The positive experience for us in this incident is that we ended up in the outdoor area of the bar that apparently was acceptable for those in Gym Clothes, and met two delightful ladies.