Sofitel Singapore City Centre
I also mentioned that the last time I had major issues with a stay was in 2011 at Sofitel Macau and they invited me back on a complimentary basis with club access and 6 pm check out. I even quoted the email. I’ve been returning there ever since booking the Mansion rooms, suites etc and inviting friends too. I didn’t like how Sofitel Singapore used the word “discount” rather than “refund”.
Thanks for all your advice. We’ll see what happens.
I also mentioned that the last time I had major issues with a stay was in 2011 at Sofitel Macau and they invited me back on a complimentary basis with club access and 6 pm check out. I even quoted the email. I’ve been returning there ever since booking the Mansion rooms, suites etc and inviting friends too. I didn’t like how Sofitel Singapore used the word “discount” rather than “refund”.
Thanks for all your advice. We’ll see what happens.
glad its a positive outcome! They seem to always be striving to improve.
Sofitel Singapore City Centre
9 Wallich Street Singapore, SG 078885
Not wowed (13 Photos)
Sofitel Singapore City Centre
My stay at the Sofitel Singapore City Centre was just okay. Nothing really wowed me. I expected more for the hotel, considering the good amount of money I paid and it being a flagship Sofitel.
Check In
We arrived in the afternoon and were escorted to the lounge for check-in. A cold towel and undrinkable sweet juice were offered. I had booked a luxury club room and we received just that. All five suites were taken.
I know that the upgrade benefit depends on availability but I was of course disappointed. Nothing about the upgrade – or the lack of it – was, however, mentioned before I asked about it. A humble and proactive apology for not being able to offer the upgrade for the obvious reasons would have been appreciated.
The amount of suites was also surprisingly small. I learned that the hotel still have five top floors under construction even though it has opened its doors almost half an year ago.
Room
A guest experience manager led us to our room. We got a corner room far away from lifts as is my preference. However, the room wasn’t on a high floor even thought it was sold us as a high-floor room. This is because all high floors has some electricity issues. Thus, the club rooms shouldn’t be advertised and sold as a high-floor rooms when they in fact are located on the middle floors.
The room itself was nice and spacious. In addition to comfortable king size bed and writing desk, it had armchair and large bathroom with both tub and shower but one sink only. Toiletries were Lanvin. I would have expected Hermes for a flagship hotel.
Other amenities included Nespresso machine, TWG teas, Bose audio system, complimentary snacks such as juices, chips, olives, and cereal bar, for example. The hotel also provided with a complimentary mobile phone with free calls and wifi which is common in Singaporean hotels so nothing really new here.
The modest welcome amenity was a few chocolates and a tiny bottle of that super sweet juice that was also served in the lounge a moment before.
Service
Some staff was kind and helpful, some just indifferent. Lets take the turn down service as an example. It wasn’t done properly: wet towels not changed, amenities not filled, and bed prepared for one person only despite us being two.
When I called to housekeeping and introduced myself the agent on the phone ended the call by calling me by my partner’s name. Newspaper wasn’t delivered to the room despite it being a standard benefit at Sofitel. Small details are important.
I requested late check-out at 2pm and it was refused at first because the hotel was running ”very high occupancy”. When I checked Accor’s website, all rooms were for sale, including the club rooms where we were staying and at a reasonable price for the same day booking. Again, I had to express my disappointment before the request was approved and the two extra hours were given.
Also, the hotel felt very empty, almost deserted at times, especially at breakfast.
The club rooms includes free laundry for two items daily. However, I was told that this benefit starts from the second day only. Only after I reminded them that I’m staying for three nights and I can’t send my dirty clothes to the laundry the day I’m checking out, they let me send four clothes in one day but not two the first day…
No pre-arrival email correspondence, no one asked at any point how is our stay, and no guest satisfaction survey received after the stay.
Dining
We only had breakfast at the Racines restaurant so can’t comment on dinner or lunch. All in-house guests receives a coupon that entitles for 15% discount on dinner. Breakfast was excellent, both quality and variety.
The lounge was cosy but the food selection very limited and similar every day. It consisted of cold cuts and cheese mainly, plus tiny warm bites. I would have been fine with that if I had received the lounge access as a benefit but now I paid for it, lots of money. At least they had champagne, drinkable Duval-Leroy.
Afternoon tea was slightly better.
The lounge, the restaurant and the bar all closes early: between 10pm and 10:30pm. After that, the hotel is dead. When we wanted to use our welcome drink vouchers near the closing time, bartender refused to take our order. We were advised to come back the next day which we did and used the vouchers for lychee martini that was recommended by the bartender.
We found it weird that the hotel only serves Nespresso capsule coffee, everywhere. I’m fine with it in my room but not in the lounge or the restaurant. I missed strong French press coffee.
Overall
The hotel is centrally located and conveniently connected to MRT station. The pool area is relaxing with direct access to the lounge but no sauna or steam room.
I find the hotel not so good value for money. I stayed for three nights and paid almost 300 euros per night with the super sales rate! I might give it another chance but I’m not rushing back.
Pits a shame then that you didn’t go into the Virgin Active Health Club next door as you would have had access to their steam room, salt room and amazing gym. I loved this aspect of the hotel.
The location is sensational - right on top of the MRT and it's the same MRT that connects straight to the airport - although you do have to change trains when you get out to the airport to do the airport link.
Our checkin was easy, we were upgraded however not to a suite as there aren't many available as I believe the majority of the suites are on the floors that are yet to be completed.
The lounge was nice - very quiet and on a couple of days we were staying there were only 1 or 2 other couples in the lounge. For breakfast and evening cocktails, they had a chef in the lounge to cook something fresh for you - that was a really nice touch, and I imagine that when the hotel is completely open and a bit busier this will increase a bit. The wines were quite nice, and service great.
I absolutely loved the Virgin Active Gym next door. It is a fantastic gym, full service, and had everything from classes, to weights and a salt room and steam room you can use. You can also use their clothes and towels - so you don't need to come prepared, except for maybe some shoes.
The only let downs I found was that there was no welcome amenity given, housekeeping was very poor - didn't clean the room properly and turndown service was non-existent. They could improve on these things I thought.
We were also given a MRT card with $5 credit on it. Shame they didn't give us 2, as that would have been easier, as we still had to go and buy another card from the MRT station. But the card was embossed with the hotels logo etc on it.
Staff were very attentive and friendly. And we loved the atmosphere of the restaurant. The morning we first went in just wowed us - so well designed and presented and the food was amazing. I'm a bit over hotel breakfasts, but this was fantastic. One morning they cooked prawns, the next duck and there were other options. We also had dinner there as well and that was fantastic.
I will definitely stay here again. It's not perfect, but it's very good. Can't wait to see what it's like when it's fully open.
Stayed in the same suite and again perfect room. Got a small welcome platter of local sweets and that luohan drink. I agree housekeeping needs to be improved - but I can tell you that it was worse.
They do a turndown, but it is nothing fantastic. They will set up a special evening TWG tea pack for you and place slippers at the side of the bed. That's it. When they know you're in the room, they take it easy and just hand you the tea bags. From what I have come across, only the housekeeping staff are mainland Chinese. Most other frontline staff (and I like them a lot) are local.
I have in all my stays not had breakfast in the lounge. I always have it in the main restaurant (which I normally don't if theres a lounge) as the team there, led by Chef Dubois, can basically whip you up whatever you want. Wife always goes for a avocado toast. This personalized service I only came across in the late 1990s at the Hilton in Adelaide when the kitchen was headed by Cheong Liew.
The hotel isn't 100% perfect, but to me that is ok. But it works better than many other Sofitel properties IMO and it can only get better. The last 4 floors will be done by Q2, and then bit more work will also come around the pool area.
What is great too is that they listen to feedback and act on it. Remember that odd table I spoke about in the earlier post that was in the bedroom? It's gone. Room looks great now.
I say give the property till end of the year to complete their ramp-up and you will have a top 10 property in Singapore.
His experience corresponds to mine even thought I was way more disappointed to my stay.
Even a double upgrade isn't a real upgrade at Sofitel Singapore City Centre IMO unless one get a suite since all rooms are basically identical. Luxury, luxury premium and luxury club rooms has same size. The only difference I'm aware between the luxury and luxury premium is complimentary non-alcoholic minibar and laundry and the difference between luxury premium and luxury club is the lounge access.
I got a feeling that the hotel isn't really interested in customer satisfaction. No one asked during the stay how it was, and I didn't receive a guest satisfaction survey after my stay was completed. I gave feedback to a guest experience manager and his response was nothing but dismissive and declaratory, a kind of we know very well what we are doing but thanks for the feedback anyway.
For comparison: on this same trip, I also stayed at Conrad and Shangri-La. Both hotels sent me a guest satisfaction survey immediately after the stay. From Shangri-La (where I even don't have any status) I also received a separate email from a guest relation manager. She proactively encouraged me to give feedback to her and on TripAdvisor. To Conrad I gave positive feedback but rated check-out experience as a score of 8. That's not bad at all. Yet the guest relations manager was very concerned what happened, asked me to give more details and offered to be our contact person in my future bookings. Exemplary.
His experience corresponds to mine even thought I was way more disappointed to my stay.
Even a double upgrade isn't a real upgrade at Sofitel Singapore City Centre IMO unless one get a suite since all rooms are basically identical. Luxury, luxury premium and luxury club rooms has same size. The only difference I'm aware between the luxury and luxury premium is complimentary non-alcoholic minibar and laundry and the difference between luxury premium and luxury club is the lounge access.
I got a feeling that the hotel isn't really interested in customer satisfaction. No one asked during the stay how it was, and I didn't receive a guest satisfaction survey after my stay was completed. I gave feedback to a guest experience manager and his response was nothing but dismissive and declaratory, a kind of we know very well what we are doing but thanks for the feedback anyway.
For comparison: on this same trip, I also stayed at Conrad and Shangri-La. Both hotels sent me a guest satisfaction survey immediately after the stay. From Shangri-La (where I even don't have any status) I also received a separate email from a guest relation manager. She proactively encouraged me to give feedback to her and on TripAdvisor. To Conrad I gave positive feedback but rated check-out experience as a score of 8. That's not bad at all. Yet the guest relations manager was very concerned what happened, asked me to give more details and offered to be our contact person in my future bookings. Exemplary.
First, I just checked out yesterday and the points are in, however they posted in the wrong points as I booked via the New Hotels x4 bonus points. Don't get me wrong, they credited the x4 bonus points. However I was assured by the hotel that expenditure would be taken into account for the x4 bonus too. Thus, I did spend quite alot on dining at the hotel during dinner. Thus, I called the hotel to check on this. The gentleman over the phone gave me his assurances that he will investigate and therefore, I will most probably give them a few more days to settle it. Honestly, I am not very angry, more of annoyed as this usually happens whenever they give bonus points and usually does't correspond with what I should actually get. But I am pleased by the fact the hotel said they will call be back with an update and they did, however they still need to investigate.
Secondly, I have yet to receive any surveys or emails from the hotel yet since check out. But, while checking out at the Lounge, the staff did ask how my stay was and I gave him my positive and negative notes and he did take note of them. Furthermore, prior to my stay, a gentleman from the hotel email me and introduce himself and stated that should we need to make any arrangements or special request, we should contact him and he will help us with it. With regards to the survey, some hotels email the satisfaction survey within a day while other hotels take a week. Thus, I will wait and will report everything in the full review that should come within a week or two. Considering its CNY soon and I have to wait until the points issue gets settled.
Third, with regards to yorkboy24 stay. HAHA, I got the feather poking me too. But I was about to check out and thus, I just gave them feedback and the lounge staff noted my feedback and assured that he will raise it to the housekeeping team.
Other than that, does anyone have the email of the Guest Experience Manager? Would love to drop him/her an email to give feedback and mention some staff who deserve recognition for their excellent service!
Last edited by ContinentalVoyager7; Feb 12, 2018 at 12:18 am