1k-all-the-way

I will be spending one night in Singapore (a first visit) following a trip to India in November. Can anybody recommend a place considering the following:

Post India I will look forward to a pool/gym
First visit so decent location for sites/food stalls
I arrive at 7 am and leave the next day for an 8 am flight so decent airport access.
I'm flying Singapore Air - are their hotel discounts offers worth it?

Where would you stay?

MANY THANKS

*

uastarflyer

Conrad Singapore for sure is a can't miss. i've used that hotel exactly as you are looking to - to relax after a trip to India and before the long journey home.

There's a nice pool, many restaurants within walking distance, cabs are cheap. If you're already missing India right after leaving, little India is a 5 SGD fare away too!

Biggest plus is it's a very nice room at their price level. Also, I've always been able to get into my room there right away even though I'm trying to check in at 8AM/9AM (other hotels have made me wait until noon).

demue

Many hotels come to mind that would fit your description, but can you give us a hint regarding the budget you are allocating for this? Also, do you want to enjoy a club lounge, are looking for a room with a nice view etc? SIN is a great place for upscale hotel experiences at still decent prices (compared to US/Europe).

The Conrad is always a good tip (though they have raised prices quite a bit over the last months) as is the Inter-Continental. More upscale would be RC, FS, Shangri-La, Oriental, Raffles, Fullerton. On Orchard/Scotts Rd you got the Grand Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton (needs a make over).

Cheers ...

essxjay

I'm also a big fan of The Conrad. The pool is very nice, The Raffles Hotel and shops are an easy 10 minute stroll away, and the Conrad's lobby is a lovely place for afternoon tea.

Check out the Longbar Steakhouse for lunch (noon-2 p.m.). The fixe prix lunch is a steal. FTer extraordinare, PremEx, turned me on to it.

The Conrad is in the CBD, but there is a halfway decent mall, Suntec City, where I go to select a few cigars to take home and smoke after lunch in the Long Bar, next door to the Steakhouse. There's also an A/C'ed hawker center there. It's not fantastic, but is good and cheap. The better option is to take a short cab ride to La Pau Sat hawker center (outdoors, 24 hrs.) or a slightly longer cab ride to Newton. Those are they only ones I've been to, and hawker afficianados all have an opinion. They may be better ones. The East Coast Seafood Center is also a blast for dining. Just amazing.

Sorry, I'm getting a little carried away.

At street level across the driveway from the hotel is a nice German brauhaus which is open late.

SQ319

Hello, you can find some hotel recommendations on the following thread

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...1&page=1&pp=15

As Demue has mentioned, most hotels come into mind based on your criteria. Perhaps you can let us know more, like your budget, style of hotel (contemporary, traditional), shopping (cheap, souvenirs, departmental stores, high end) then we would be able to recommend something closer to your needs.

Unfortunately, Newton Hawker Centre would be closed for a while for some refurbishment. Your best bet close to town would be Lau Pa Sat and Glutton Square at the Esplanade.

1k-all-the-way

Thanks for the tips so far. budget wise i'd prefer to pay $100- 175 US. I'm not much of a shopper, would like to eat, see older parts of town - china town, little india style, etc. hotel wise i'm flexible - but since a pool/gym is important it puts me into a certain catagory, no?

SQ319

Hey 1k-all-the-way, noticed that you started another thread on the same topic in the Asia forum too, but i'll consolidate everything for you...

This rate can get you pretty much anywhere in Singapore, including the Oriental, Conrad, Ritz Carlton, u name it (not sure if it would get you the grand dame, Raffles Hotel though).

With the rate you are willing to pay, most hotels that fit into this category have decent fitness facilities. RC has an olympic sized pool, Oriental, Conrad have lap pools, not very sure about Raffles, but they offer private tennis lessons to guests, so that says something.

But if you are looking to stay in the newly refurbished and reopened Marina Mandarin (MM), their pool is still under refurbishment.

The most central location for that is actually City Hall, which is where Raffles the Plaza, Swissotel the Stamford, and Raffles Hotel are. However, having said that, the hotels based in Marina Centre (ie. RC, Conrad, MM, Oriental) are all within 10 minutes walk from City Hall station which would bring you directly to both Chinatown and Little India. Cabs are plenty and there are also direct buses.
As for the zoo (mentioned in the other thread started in the Asia forum), the zoo is located in Northern part of Singapore, there are no hotels near it, hence your best way there is via cab. I think most people would recommend the Night Safari over the zoo, but I have not been there for eons, so I'm sure someone else in this forum would be able to tell you more.

(mentioned in the other thread)
The Oriental juz reopened, hence everything is very new. So far, I have only heard good things about it, some have even said that it is better than the RC nearby. Location wise, like I mentioned above, it's 10 minutes walk to the subway, and is within easy access of the highway to and from the airport.

A Review of the Oriental Singapore (after refurbishment):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442223

We all do!!! But considering that Newton Food Centre would be closed from October, Lau Pa Sat and Glutton Square are your best bets (though i like Chomp Chomp, but that's too far out). Lau Pa Sat is a short bus ride away and Glutton Squre is at the Esplanade, opposite Marina Centre. However, they are also more touristy than the hawker centres locals go to. I personally like Maxwell Food Centre, not too far from Chinatown. Loads of "critically acclaimed" hawker stalls here.

Hope this helps!!! 1 day is too short to eat all the food there is, and see all the sights there are!!!

1k-all-the-way

SQ 319 you're a treasure trove. many thanks. thinking of the oriental, swissotel, or conrad right now.....Best rates from web sites like asia travel?

demue

Hmm, can be but not necessarily. Often I have received the best offers from the hotel directly. If you find something that beats their online rates, give them a call and ask them to match that rate or guarantee you a better room than you would book. Also, if you are e.g. a Hilton HHonors Diamond then staying at the Conrad would get you some nice goodies like room upgrade to exec floor, free bkfst and lounge access.

1k-all-the-way

So I picked the Conrad but they are very full and rooms are 390 S. Too much. Maybe the Oriental?

McCoy

The Holiday inn parkside near orchard road has good deals on asiabesthotel... anyone stayed there?

ether

390S is expensive, IMHO. The RC can be had for S$265 on their weekend rate (assuming you will be on a weekend). The RC weekday rate is around S$350.
For a more intimate feel, the FS is also a good bet in my book (I'm typing this from their 20th floor pool deck on WiFi ).

1k-all-the-way

Thanks. I booked the Oriental at $125 US. I've heard good things about the renovation. opinions?

1k-all-the-way

Thanks to all who offered all the hotel advice in my other post.

Before I stay over in SIN, I'll have a 6 or 7 hour layover on my way to India and plan to come to town for a little lunch someplace (suggestions welcome). But I'm also a dedicated lap swimmer and wonder if anybody knows a public or hotel pool where i can pay to swim? I know there's a pool at the airport , but it seems small for real swimming. Anybody have thoughts or experiences on this?

SQ319

Not sure about hotel pools, but there are plenty of public swimming pools dotted around Singapore. The closest ones to Changi Airport are at Tampines and at Bedok, both of which are accessible by subway (change at Tanah Merah interchange), or by taxi (for less than $10). The entrance fees are around S$1.50 (slightly more than USD$0.80), i think. All public swimming complexes have a competition pool for laps and it shouldn't be too croweded, especially if it's before 5 on a weekday.

Tampines Swimming Complex
http://www.ssc.gov.sg/SportsWeb/sw_c...244&artID=3612
Bedok Swimming Complex
http://www.ssc.gov.sg/SportsWeb/sw_c...244&artID=3538

One tip though, wear some sunblock if you're swimming around midday... You don't wanna get sun-burnt!!