Best luxury hotel in Singapore (newer thread, started 9/23)
Oct 21, 2023, 6:46 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,145
Raffles: Which Room?
Thinking of staying at the Raffles. The Stateroom King appears to much large, yet is less expensive. The Courtyard King is smaller, but offers views of the courtyard. Anyone have a recommendation regarding these options?
Many thanks!
Many thanks!
Oct 26, 2023, 9:22 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The road less traveled
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA EXP, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Diamond, Natl EE, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 5,118
Capitol Kempinski
We had a 2 night stay at the Capitol Kempinski recently and really enjoyed it. Our prior stay was at the JW Marriott, which was good, but the CK took it to a luxury level of service and food.
How we booked
We booked via Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts for around US$360 per night. Definitely one of the more competitively priced stays vs other luxury options in town during our dates.
Location & Arrival
The hotel is centrally located by the City Hall MRT and a connected mall. It’s a block from Singapore Mgmt University and 3 blocks from the Singapore Nat’l Museum, along with the Raffles around the corner and fairly easy walk to The Esplanade and Gluttons Bay. We took a cab from the airport (about SG$20) and on the return took the MRT back (East-West Line to an easy cross-platform change at Tanah Merah), which took about 45 minutes.
The car entrance to the hotel is a bit hidden, but that adds a touch of discrete luxury. Doormen grabbed our bags and we were ushered in to sit at a desk in the intimate lobby. I appreciated how understated and warm it was, rather than trying to be grandiose. We were checked in by an intern, which felt a bit templated but she did a good job explaining our FHR benefits (the US$125 converted to SG$160, about SG$12 off exchange rates at the time). As part of check in we were offered two glasses of Prosecco.
We were famished after a long travel day, so grabbed a quiet bite at the bar before coming back to be escorted to our rooms. Our bags were already there, along with a creative charcuterie plate and fruit basket, along with a bottle of wine.
Exterior of the Capitol Kempinski Hotel
Arrival at the Capitol Kempinski
Fancy golf cart at the Capitol Kempinski
Understated and intimate lobby of the Capitol Kempinski
Welcome amenity: Charcuterie board
Welcome amenity and note: Fruit plate
Our Room
The rooms are spread out across a couple low slung buildings, so the hallways are winding and long. Thankfully our room was near the bank of elevators that deposited us in the Capitol Mall, which made our in/out easier.
We had booked a Deluxe Room and received a one category upgrade to a Heritage Room, which is the same size but has an enclosed balcony overlooking the street. At 484 sq ft it was a fine size for a city hotel, but other than a small couch, no where to lounge. There was a desk in the terrace area, which I liked as someone could be working with the door shut while someone else took a rest. The desk doubled as a makeup vanity.
Our front desk escort, gave us a brief tour, pointing out the Nespresso and inviting us to a free minibar (don’t get too excited: 2 cans of Coke, 1 San Pelligrino and 1 Sprite). The bathroom was a nice size with a separate toilet area (with Japanese toilet) and small shower room. There were two sinks and a tub. The amenities were small bottles of Convivio by Salvatore Ferragamo, which we quite liked. These were not replenished on the second day. Slippers and robes were provided. There was no ironing board in the room, but they were happy to deliver one.
The beds were delightful and cozy. One quirk was there were no USB charging slots in the walls and the sockets did not accommodate foreign plugs without an adapter. Thankfully there was a wireless charging pad on one side of the bed, which worked great. And the front desk kindly lent me an adapter.
There was a TV with a Sonos sound bar. And a wardrobe closet in the entryway, along with drawers below the suitcase shelf.
Wi-Fi in the room was great. As far as we could tell, we did not get a nightly turn down service.
Overall a great room for what it was and we were very pleased. The hotel seemed relatively empty during our stay, but our upgrade stuck firmly to the requirements, which perhaps missed an opportunity for a surprise and delight.
Winding hallways in the Capitol Kempinski
Heritage twin room at Capitol Kempinski
Bedside plugs and storage
Double vanity and tub
Bathroom amenities, I appreciate that they stocked additional items you might otherwise have to request
Small shower with three shower heads
Salvatore Ferragamo amenities
Sonos sound bar on the TV
How we booked
We booked via Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts for around US$360 per night. Definitely one of the more competitively priced stays vs other luxury options in town during our dates.
Location & Arrival
The hotel is centrally located by the City Hall MRT and a connected mall. It’s a block from Singapore Mgmt University and 3 blocks from the Singapore Nat’l Museum, along with the Raffles around the corner and fairly easy walk to The Esplanade and Gluttons Bay. We took a cab from the airport (about SG$20) and on the return took the MRT back (East-West Line to an easy cross-platform change at Tanah Merah), which took about 45 minutes.
The car entrance to the hotel is a bit hidden, but that adds a touch of discrete luxury. Doormen grabbed our bags and we were ushered in to sit at a desk in the intimate lobby. I appreciated how understated and warm it was, rather than trying to be grandiose. We were checked in by an intern, which felt a bit templated but she did a good job explaining our FHR benefits (the US$125 converted to SG$160, about SG$12 off exchange rates at the time). As part of check in we were offered two glasses of Prosecco.
We were famished after a long travel day, so grabbed a quiet bite at the bar before coming back to be escorted to our rooms. Our bags were already there, along with a creative charcuterie plate and fruit basket, along with a bottle of wine.
Exterior of the Capitol Kempinski Hotel
Arrival at the Capitol Kempinski
Fancy golf cart at the Capitol Kempinski
Understated and intimate lobby of the Capitol Kempinski
Welcome amenity: Charcuterie board
Welcome amenity and note: Fruit plate
Our Room
The rooms are spread out across a couple low slung buildings, so the hallways are winding and long. Thankfully our room was near the bank of elevators that deposited us in the Capitol Mall, which made our in/out easier.
We had booked a Deluxe Room and received a one category upgrade to a Heritage Room, which is the same size but has an enclosed balcony overlooking the street. At 484 sq ft it was a fine size for a city hotel, but other than a small couch, no where to lounge. There was a desk in the terrace area, which I liked as someone could be working with the door shut while someone else took a rest. The desk doubled as a makeup vanity.
Our front desk escort, gave us a brief tour, pointing out the Nespresso and inviting us to a free minibar (don’t get too excited: 2 cans of Coke, 1 San Pelligrino and 1 Sprite). The bathroom was a nice size with a separate toilet area (with Japanese toilet) and small shower room. There were two sinks and a tub. The amenities were small bottles of Convivio by Salvatore Ferragamo, which we quite liked. These were not replenished on the second day. Slippers and robes were provided. There was no ironing board in the room, but they were happy to deliver one.
The beds were delightful and cozy. One quirk was there were no USB charging slots in the walls and the sockets did not accommodate foreign plugs without an adapter. Thankfully there was a wireless charging pad on one side of the bed, which worked great. And the front desk kindly lent me an adapter.
There was a TV with a Sonos sound bar. And a wardrobe closet in the entryway, along with drawers below the suitcase shelf.
Wi-Fi in the room was great. As far as we could tell, we did not get a nightly turn down service.
Overall a great room for what it was and we were very pleased. The hotel seemed relatively empty during our stay, but our upgrade stuck firmly to the requirements, which perhaps missed an opportunity for a surprise and delight.
Winding hallways in the Capitol Kempinski
Heritage twin room at Capitol Kempinski
Bedside plugs and storage
Double vanity and tub
Bathroom amenities, I appreciate that they stocked additional items you might otherwise have to request
Small shower with three shower heads
Salvatore Ferragamo amenities
Sonos sound bar on the TV
Oct 26, 2023, 9:52 pm
#19
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The road less traveled
Programs: UA Gold MM, AA EXP, Delta Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Diamond, Natl EE, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 5,118
… review continued of Capitol Kempinski
Restaurants & Bars
Although the hotel had several dining outlets and room service, the FHR credit only applied at The Bar at 15 Stamford and at The 15 Stamford. This was quite frustrating as these menus were good, but quite limited. I’m not quite sure why they didn’t even let us use the credit at the Lobby Lounge or on room service.
We ate a quick bite on arrival at The Bar at 15 Stamford and again the evening before we left. The menu only had ~15 items and they were all “snacks” rather than any entrees. However the food quality was fantastic. Highly recommend the Ocean Ceviche and the Atlantic Salmon. The Fremantle Octopus was good, while I’d give the Beef Tacos a pass in the future.
We also grabbed some burgers and fries during our stay at the Lobby Lounge, which was utterly fantastic. Highly recommend The Capitol Burger if you’re seeking some comfort food!
Breakfast was also where the hotel shined, served in 15 Stamford. The restaurant was large and spread across multiple rooms, affording varying levels of privacy vs. buzziness based on where you sat.
The buffet was larger than the JW Marriott but not enormous. It included a salad bar, fruits, yogurts and mueslis, a Bloody Mary bar, Prosecco bar, breads/muffins/donuts, a honey bar with 5 different honeys, and a hot food bar with Asian, Indian and Western options, including a made-to-order egg station. The guys working there were great, but options were unfortunately somewhat limited (e.g. I asked for spinach in my eggs and they had none). The buffet also had a children’s corner with things like Mac and Cheese and some sweets. Coffee was great, which was a nice change from the machine junk at the JW.
Service was great, friendly and engaging, if not a bit efficient! We came back from serving ourselves from the buffet and they had already cleared our plates and given our table to someone else! LOL!
Eating snacks at The Bar at 15 Stamford
Rise and shine it’s breakfast time!
One of the more private seating areas at 15 Stamford
Table settings
Bar area in the morning
Prosecco bar
Juice bar
Kids buffet
Hot food options at breakfast
Salad bar at breakfast
The Lobby Lounge restaurant
The Capitol Burger: delicious!
Gym and Pool
As noted upthread the saltwater pool is very small. We intended to give it a try but never did.
We worked out at the gym a couple of times. It’s small, particularly for a hotel this size, but gratefully never more than 1-2 others at a time. In particular the free weights area can really only accommodate one person at a time. The variety of machines was fine — three treadmills, two ellipticals, one bike and a sit down pedal bike, as well as a rowing machine. There were no weight machines, but they had mounted suspension ropes on the wall for freestyle body weight exercises. Water and towels were available. This was definitely not a world class gym.
The spa is adjacent to the gym, but we did not have a chance to explore.
Gym at the Capitol Kempinski
Gym at the Capitol Kempinski
Overall Impressions
I found the service at the Capitol Kempinski to be good overall, but not great. A lot of the staff seemed younger and less experienced. In one instance, I asked the concierge to book us a private car from Johor Bahru back to Singapore one day. He quoted SG$280 “because the driver has to go there and come back” and clearly didn’t put any effort in identifying a Malaysian transport locally. Ridiculous when I could go online and book for a fraction of that. Another time, when I pressed on using my F&B credit elsewhere beyond 15 Stamford, I was granted an “exception” to use it at the Lobby Lounge (which should have been included anyway, in my opinion). Otherwise, the staff generally remembered our names and preferences. I appreciated the chef working the eggs offering to do something special with other vegetables as atonement for not having any spinach. Or the front desk accommodating a slightly later checkout past 4pm so we could use our remaining F&B credit at the bar before we left for the airport.
Overall, I would stay again. I loved the intimate sense of the hotel that made it feel more like a fancy home than a big hotel. The location was ideal. And, importantly for our family, the breakfast was spectacular!
Restaurants & Bars
Although the hotel had several dining outlets and room service, the FHR credit only applied at The Bar at 15 Stamford and at The 15 Stamford. This was quite frustrating as these menus were good, but quite limited. I’m not quite sure why they didn’t even let us use the credit at the Lobby Lounge or on room service.
We ate a quick bite on arrival at The Bar at 15 Stamford and again the evening before we left. The menu only had ~15 items and they were all “snacks” rather than any entrees. However the food quality was fantastic. Highly recommend the Ocean Ceviche and the Atlantic Salmon. The Fremantle Octopus was good, while I’d give the Beef Tacos a pass in the future.
We also grabbed some burgers and fries during our stay at the Lobby Lounge, which was utterly fantastic. Highly recommend The Capitol Burger if you’re seeking some comfort food!
Breakfast was also where the hotel shined, served in 15 Stamford. The restaurant was large and spread across multiple rooms, affording varying levels of privacy vs. buzziness based on where you sat.
The buffet was larger than the JW Marriott but not enormous. It included a salad bar, fruits, yogurts and mueslis, a Bloody Mary bar, Prosecco bar, breads/muffins/donuts, a honey bar with 5 different honeys, and a hot food bar with Asian, Indian and Western options, including a made-to-order egg station. The guys working there were great, but options were unfortunately somewhat limited (e.g. I asked for spinach in my eggs and they had none). The buffet also had a children’s corner with things like Mac and Cheese and some sweets. Coffee was great, which was a nice change from the machine junk at the JW.
Service was great, friendly and engaging, if not a bit efficient! We came back from serving ourselves from the buffet and they had already cleared our plates and given our table to someone else! LOL!
Eating snacks at The Bar at 15 Stamford
Rise and shine it’s breakfast time!
One of the more private seating areas at 15 Stamford
Table settings
Bar area in the morning
Prosecco bar
Juice bar
Kids buffet
Hot food options at breakfast
Salad bar at breakfast
The Lobby Lounge restaurant
The Capitol Burger: delicious!
Gym and Pool
As noted upthread the saltwater pool is very small. We intended to give it a try but never did.
We worked out at the gym a couple of times. It’s small, particularly for a hotel this size, but gratefully never more than 1-2 others at a time. In particular the free weights area can really only accommodate one person at a time. The variety of machines was fine — three treadmills, two ellipticals, one bike and a sit down pedal bike, as well as a rowing machine. There were no weight machines, but they had mounted suspension ropes on the wall for freestyle body weight exercises. Water and towels were available. This was definitely not a world class gym.
The spa is adjacent to the gym, but we did not have a chance to explore.
Gym at the Capitol Kempinski
Gym at the Capitol Kempinski
Overall Impressions
I found the service at the Capitol Kempinski to be good overall, but not great. A lot of the staff seemed younger and less experienced. In one instance, I asked the concierge to book us a private car from Johor Bahru back to Singapore one day. He quoted SG$280 “because the driver has to go there and come back” and clearly didn’t put any effort in identifying a Malaysian transport locally. Ridiculous when I could go online and book for a fraction of that. Another time, when I pressed on using my F&B credit elsewhere beyond 15 Stamford, I was granted an “exception” to use it at the Lobby Lounge (which should have been included anyway, in my opinion). Otherwise, the staff generally remembered our names and preferences. I appreciated the chef working the eggs offering to do something special with other vegetables as atonement for not having any spinach. Or the front desk accommodating a slightly later checkout past 4pm so we could use our remaining F&B credit at the bar before we left for the airport.
Overall, I would stay again. I loved the intimate sense of the hotel that made it feel more like a fancy home than a big hotel. The location was ideal. And, importantly for our family, the breakfast was spectacular!
Nov 5, 2023, 1:22 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: HH Gold
Posts: 48
We have finally booked flights and will be going to Singapore late April to early May 2024.
It will be 2 adults and 1 child - 1.8years old. We are looking at luxury resorts in Santosa Island to just stay there are relax - not really go anywhere.
Capella looks like a good choice from my research. We ideally want a suite so that my daughter can be in a portable cot in a separate room.
1. Any recommendations on resorts or feedback on Capella
2. Best way to book - virtuoso travel agent / direct with hotel or other programs? Would like 1 or 2 category upgrade if available
It will be 2 adults and 1 child - 1.8years old. We are looking at luxury resorts in Santosa Island to just stay there are relax - not really go anywhere.
Capella looks like a good choice from my research. We ideally want a suite so that my daughter can be in a portable cot in a separate room.
1. Any recommendations on resorts or feedback on Capella
2. Best way to book - virtuoso travel agent / direct with hotel or other programs? Would like 1 or 2 category upgrade if available
Nov 7, 2023, 7:20 am
#21
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Singapore
Posts: 175
We have finally booked flights and will be going to Singapore late April to early May 2024.
It will be 2 adults and 1 child - 1.8years old. We are looking at luxury resorts in Santosa Island to just stay there are relax - not really go anywhere.
Capella looks like a good choice from my research. We ideally want a suite so that my daughter can be in a portable cot in a separate room.
1. Any recommendations on resorts or feedback on Capella
2. Best way to book - virtuoso travel agent / direct with hotel or other programs? Would like 1 or 2 category upgrade if available
It will be 2 adults and 1 child - 1.8years old. We are looking at luxury resorts in Santosa Island to just stay there are relax - not really go anywhere.
Capella looks like a good choice from my research. We ideally want a suite so that my daughter can be in a portable cot in a separate room.
1. Any recommendations on resorts or feedback on Capella
2. Best way to book - virtuoso travel agent / direct with hotel or other programs? Would like 1 or 2 category upgrade if available
Nov 8, 2023, 2:22 am
#22
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 20
Nov 9, 2023, 7:59 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 382
We stayed at the RC next door three weeks ago and while the MO is reopened, there is still a lot of construction going on in the common areas, perhaps in some of the rooms too. I would give them a bit more time - the lobby certainly didn't feel like luxury as of mid-October. We had a nice view from our room of workers removing the giant Mandarin Oriental letters from the side of the building ... presumably they have painted and the signage is back in place by now.
Nov 16, 2023, 3:40 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: QF CL
Posts: 689
We have finally booked flights and will be going to Singapore late April to early May 2024.
It will be 2 adults and 1 child - 1.8years old. We are looking at luxury resorts in Santosa Island to just stay there are relax - not really go anywhere.
Capella looks like a good choice from my research. We ideally want a suite so that my daughter can be in a portable cot in a separate room.
1. Any recommendations on resorts or feedback on Capella
2. Best way to book - virtuoso travel agent / direct with hotel or other programs? Would like 1 or 2 category upgrade if available
It will be 2 adults and 1 child - 1.8years old. We are looking at luxury resorts in Santosa Island to just stay there are relax - not really go anywhere.
Capella looks like a good choice from my research. We ideally want a suite so that my daughter can be in a portable cot in a separate room.
1. Any recommendations on resorts or feedback on Capella
2. Best way to book - virtuoso travel agent / direct with hotel or other programs? Would like 1 or 2 category upgrade if available
I have stayed a number of times at Capella, most recently last July, and recommend it highly when travelling with children of all ages. I received an EPIC upgrade to one of the colonial mansions on my last stay (booked through David O), which was very comfortable, but I've also stayed in the residences, which offer more space for families (still with access to the hotel facilities) and a fourth pool. It's handy for Universal and other attractions on Sentosa (although Universal was looking extremely tired in July).
Nov 17, 2023, 5:13 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: HH Gold
Posts: 48
First time back here in a long time...
I have stayed a number of times at Capella, most recently last July, and recommend it highly when travelling with children of all ages. I received an EPIC upgrade to one of the colonial mansions on my last stay (booked through David O), which was very comfortable, but I've also stayed in the residences, which offer more space for families (still with access to the hotel facilities) and a fourth pool. It's handy for Universal and other attractions on Sentosa (although Universal was looking extremely tired in July).
I have stayed a number of times at Capella, most recently last July, and recommend it highly when travelling with children of all ages. I received an EPIC upgrade to one of the colonial mansions on my last stay (booked through David O), which was very comfortable, but I've also stayed in the residences, which offer more space for families (still with access to the hotel facilities) and a fourth pool. It's handy for Universal and other attractions on Sentosa (although Universal was looking extremely tired in July).
Nov 24, 2023, 8:34 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: DFW, UK ex-pat
Programs: AA PlatExec, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 84
This place opens today, as far as I can tell. Looks super interesting. Gallery | Artyzen Singapore
Singapore Edition is also in pre-opening now. In typical Marriott fashion, they have no photos yet.
Singapore Edition is also in pre-opening now. In typical Marriott fashion, they have no photos yet.
Nov 28, 2023, 7:50 am
#29
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SIN
Programs: KF, MPC, BAEC // Bonvoy, WoH, Honors
Posts: 1,464
This place opens today, as far as I can tell. Looks super interesting. Gallery | Artyzen Singapore