Picking a hotel
 

There seem to be about a million hotels in Singapore. That is leading to me having a hard time choosing.

I stayed at the Parkroyal on Pickering last year for several days. It was fine but not really worth the amount of money I paid.

I like the Chinatown/Clarke Quay/Marina Bay part of town. FWIW I am Hyatt and IHG plat (thanks to Chase). I was looking hard at the new HIX Clarke Quay until I read a review of it over in the IHG forum.

I don't want to go too much over US$200 per night. The Peninsula Excelsior pops up a lot at reasonable rates on the big booking sites. I also like the look of the new-ish Carlton City Hotel which also appears to be available for under $200. And the AMOY by Far Eastern Hospotality looks fascinating as it is only 36 rooms and incorporates an old temple and museum but it comes in around $250.

Thoughts?

If you're an IHG member, have you looked into the InterContinental?
It's a great property - great service, rooms, location
Are you an Ambassador? With the weekend BOGO certificate, that can also help pricing

Thanks. I am IHG platinum thanks to my Chase Visa (soon to be MC) but that is it. I do have a free night from my credit card. I'd have to check the T&Cs to see if it applies to the IC.

Note the IC is in the Bugis area, quite a bit different from the Marina Bay/Clarke Quay area, but not a long walk, or a only couple MRT stops away. Though I haven't seen the rooms, the lobby of the IC is far from spectacular.

You could also check out the Amara - the hotel itself could use a refresh but it is right in the middle of a vibrant part of Chinatown.

There's also the Copthorne Waterfront which is right on Robertson Quay - a pleasant 10 minute walk to Clarke Quay along the river. And Robertson Quay is better than Clarke Quay for dining/nightlife anyway, it's where the locals go. Be aware the megaclub Zouk is next door so it might be a bit loud on weekends if noise is an issue for you.

No nearby MRT, though I'm sure they have some sort of shuttle bus.

If you are looking at the IC, take the Shophouse rooms as those are newly refurbished. The rooms in the Tower are not yet refurbished.

To the OP, what kind of hotel do you want? What is most important to you? Location, Room Size, Amenities, Price? Do you want to stay in a very design focused quirky hotel, or do u just want something to crash in at the end of each day?

You mentioned also Parkroyal Pickering is not worth the $$ you paid, so is there something you don't like about it, or it's just too expensive? Bear in mind that Singapore is generally an expensive city compared to other cities in the region.

Amara is not in Chinatown. It's in Tanjong Pagar, the business district.

Imo, it's at the edge of the business district, facing one of the earlier built housing estate in the foreground and behind it, in the background, one of the newest and most imposing housing estates, Other than the interesting market and hawker centre and the Singapore daily life located just opposite the Amara, the neighbourhood is just... meh.

Btw, it's located next to Carlton City Centre, so the neighbourhood is similar.

Thanks for the questions.

I think most important is location. Relatively close (within a few blocks) of MRT. I liked being able to walk from the Parkroyal to the river area and Marina Bay area.

I tend to like more modern design, so I prefer that to a more stuffy, colonial style.

I like having a bit of space but I will be solo so that's not a huge deal, as long as whatever space I do have is well-designed and thought out.

I don't use fitness centers and that sort of thing so those kinds of amenities are not important to me. I do like a breakfast though.

For the Parkroyal, I just didn't think it lived up to its aspirations. Service was haphazard. The room was nice and big. The club breakfast was good though. I was paying US$300+ per night which was too much for what it is.

Here's my thoughts....

- You won't like Peninsula Excelsior, because it's somewhat dated.
- You won't like the IC either because it is decorated in ethnic Peranakan style (not modern)
- Anything more modern and closer to City Hall after the Singapore River would be out of your budget.
- Anything in the Marina Bay area is out of your budget.
- AMOY is built in old shop houses, I don't think the rooms would be very big.

The Chinatown area would be your best bet, imo...

I think you still can consider HIX CQ. It's actually not a bad location and with the current opening specials, you might be able to snag a good rate. There's free breakfast too and while it's not a full spread, you do get a pretty decent selection.

Other hotels off the top of my head at that area - Park Regis, Park Hotel Clarke Quay (further from the MRT than HIX CQ), HIX CQ

A brand new mall just opened next door and there are a ton of new cafes, bars, and restaurants in the vicinity especially on Keong Saik St. I live nearby and find myself in that area all the time.

+1

Also Friends and Family rate. I am nervous about posting how little we are paying for suite with club access ....... ;)

A lovely hotel with extraordinary people in an area great for mooching around and with direct under cover MRT access including the short bit of the new line getting you straight to Marina Bay and Chinatown plus a few stops on the bus to Clark Quay.

This hotel is wonderful.

:)

I know the mall and I am in the area all the time too, because of my work and my after work activities. It's nice with a lot of good amenities, but is it a place I will recommend to a tourist? Not really.

I still don't consider it part of Chinatown, because it is still a good 10 minutes walk away from the actual hustle and bustle that is Chinatown.

It could be just the way we are defining Chinatown as an area. For me Chinatown is where the Smith Street hawker centre is, all the way till Chinatown Point and Hong Lim Park, whereas your definition of CHinatown seems to be much wider to include Outram MRT station, Cantonment Rd as well.

Apparently the latter is the official boundary:
http://www.chinatown.sg/index.php?fx=overview-chinatown

Personally I wasn't sure that the OP was a tourist which is why I suggested that area. When on business I actually prefer not to be in the center of the tourist areas - I'd rather be somewhere quieter and closer to nice restaurants to spend my expense account dollars ;)

OP here, tourist all the way. :-)

Ok, point taken. :) Tanjong Pagar is part of Greater Chinatown. My definition of Chinatown refers to the Kreta Ayer district.

I'm just wary of calling Tanjong Pagar part of Chinatown, because if you are asking for directions and say this to a local or to a taxi driver, they prob will give you weird looks and direct you to somewhere else all together.

What is known to the locals may not be the official definition.