hockeyinsider

As long as you don't want to go swimming or sunbathe, it's a nice property.

Hipplewm

Going from Cat 6 to Cat 7 for award stays

Westin is looking better and better, although i don't care for the location and having to go outside to get to the subway.

Hard to pass up the cheaper points redemption and the beautiful pool deck

Kacee

Not in same class as St. Regis at Cat 7, though obviously a very different location.

Hipplewm

Agreed

I personally don't like the whole Orchard road scene, i would much rather hang out down by the Marina Bay area, but that is a personal preference. The other is the availability of the train station, which the ST R doesn't have either, it is actually much worse than the Westin.

cfischer

saw that as well and I agree it is not a cat. 7 hotel. Very nice though, just finished a 3-night stay last week. Lounge is still very good, but it still hurts they got rid of the champagne.

hockeyinsider

I don't know who would redeem points for Singapore. I mean, the city-state is a cool place for 24 or 36 hours, but it is so expensive and, frankly, so small that I don't know why anyone would think of spending 5 nights in Singapore over 5 nights in Malaysia or Indonesia, where Marriott has more affordable (both cash and points) properties.

shevboyz

You are pretty much correct.
Shopping you get in orchard road, you can get everywhere else in Singapore.
the nicer sights are in the Marina Bay area or nearby anyway. Orchard road these days are just overrated shopping.
​​​

Kacee

What, like the MBS casino? Gardens by the Bay? No thank you.

Orchard Road is at least close to the Botanic Garden.

The fact is, Singapore is a 24-48 hour city from a tourist perspective (except, possibly, for the food), and IMO one area is not definitively "better" than the other, it's just a matter of where one prefers to stay.

Hipplewm

OK, so I brought my wife here and we stayed a week (6 nights in the hotel) and we still didn't get to see Chinatown or little india, nor the botonical gardens or the aviary. We could have easily stayed 4-5 more days. I mean we were up and out of the hotel by 8am and didn't return until 5-6pm each day.
Zoo, Marina Bay Gardens, biodomes, national museum, did the duck boat tour, raffles hotel etc. Nothing planned, we just had a list of about 20 things to do and did what we felt like doing that day. Granted - it was December and mild weather, if it was July - we would have done much less due to the heat.

I get it, but to each his own, my wife could tourist a place to death, but we had a blast, we will be going back, probably on a trip to Thailand or SV - once UA fixes their awards

Food - yeah, I would move to SIN strictly for the food

As far as redeeming points - again perspective - no way can I realistically spend all the points I accumulate, so I use them. RT business on EVA cost me a whopping $68 in taxes per person, and 6 nights in the JW south beach was free. I am sorry, but points are made to be spent.

hockeyinsider

I'm sorry, but 6 days in Singapore is absurd. Maybe three days, but the Gardens-by-the-Bay (amazing!) are open both late and early. Outside of a half-dozen colonial-era edifices there isn't even that much historic architecture in Singapore. Six days is absurd. At least do the 4 nights get the 5th free on points. But 6? Stupid.

SkiAdcock

While you wouldn't stay in SIN more than a few days, Hipplewm just explained how he & his wife found 6 days to be fine/they enjoyed it. It's definitely a to each their own. Some FTers might prefer the shorter timeframe; others might prefer the longer timeframe. That's why all viewpoints & trip reports are appreciated.

Cheers.

joakgarp

Sentosa, Universal Studios, Gardens by the bay, Orchard road, shopping malls, Marina bay, China town, that zoo w/e it's called. There are plenty to do and visit in Singapore for a tourist. For a first timer I can recommend 5-6 days. Back in 2017 we stayed (first time) for 5 days. I can't wait to go back to Singapore and do it all over again and visit what we missed. Singapore is one of my favourite cities.

iluvdoco

I agree, to each his own. I would go back for the food alone. Liked it better than Hong Kong.

kaizen7

Went to Singapore almost every month and still have things that I want to see

joakgarp

I'm going to HK for the first time in two months. Can't wait to compare Singapore and HK and decide which will be my favourite of the two.