Hotel Recommendation
 

I have a long layover Sunday the 25th - I get in at midnight from Tokyo on UA and then don't depart until about 7PM on MH. Would the transit hotel be a good option here or should I find something in the city?

Hmm... the city is not far from the airport, say a 20 minutes cab ride? So hotel in the city is a better option than transit hotel. :)

I agree with SQ319. Given that a room at the Transit hotel is rented in 6 hr blocks, you would either be checking out early in the morning and spending a lot of time wandering the airport or you would have to pay for 2 6-hr room blocks.

Also, if you are there till the evening, you easily have time to actually go out and see the city. So a hotel in the city would make more sense.

Definitely the City, I'd go for the Marina Bay area, close enough to walk to the river with restaurants etc and China town

Hotel in town and not the transit hotel
 

If touchdown is 12 midnight, doors should open 12:10 am, immigration by 12:20-30 tops (if you're up front), bags should be waiting for you, q for taxi (5 minutes) and you should arrive in hotel in town by 1 am latest. Done it a million times - note surcharge on taxi after midnight.

You can ask for late check out or at worst, leave bags with concierge and enjoy the city. If 7 pm departure, if you leave for airport by 5 pm, you'll still have time to explore a few shops in the terminal.

For folks who have not spent time in Singapore before, I usually recommend staying near the center of Orchard Road (Marriott, Hyatt, etc..) That gives you a great area to go walk around, restaurants, shopping, etc... as well as instant MRT access.

Is the Le Meridien at 100 Orchard Rd workable? Google maps makes it look sufficiently close.

I have not stayed in that section of Orchard and am not sure what right there in that area, but as I recall there is lots of shopping and the like nearby, but it is not a glitzy as the area near the Marriot. The map I pulled it up on makes it look like it is around a mile from the intersection of Orchard and Scotts which is sort of the center of gravity for the big shopping area. e Meridien is pretty close to Fort Canning park which is worth walking around in and has a guided tour of some interesting World War II bunkers which I enjoyed.

No problem staying at Le Meridien if that is where you want to stay in any event. Taxis in Singapore are plentiful (unless it is raining) and cheap so you can move around easily if there is nothing right there that you want to walk around to see.

Some of the folks who have spent more time in Sing will be able tell you more about that particular hotel and the surrounding area.

Le Meridien is old and scruffy, and generally considered one of the worst branded hotels in Sg. The location is alright, but it's a bit of a hike to the MRT (it's pretty much halfway in-between). The shopping malls immediately around it are kinda blah, although the bright lights of Plaza Singapura, Paragon and Takashimaya are not that far away.

All in all, you could do worse (esp. if you're staying on points), but there are more interesting options if you're paying real money. Check out eg. the recent threads on the new crop of boutique hotels around Chinatown, a rather more interesting neighborhood than Orchard.

Bdesmond:

What's your budget, etc. for a 12 hr layover.

Marriott and Hyatt are more centrally located on Orchard but Grant Hyatt is quite expensive. Depending on what you want to accomplish during your short layover, there might be other alternatives to staying on Orchard Rd area.

Tell us more so that we can be of assistance...

Having stayed there a few times, I can attest its better than the branded Hotel 81s in SIN ;)

Yes, its old but its clean. Having an Old Chang Kee outlet in the same building and a hawker centre adjoining the hotel is a big plus for me. And the one way traffic flow in front of the hotel is towards the direction of ECP/airport which makes sense for the OP .....

Excellent value if using points.

I picked the Le Merdien property just because it's Starwood property. I'm not using points - just a long layover on a work trip. I could do a Mariott instead if that would be a better option.

Yes

Marriott is in a fantastic location, accessible to almost everything.

It ain't branded unless I can get miles for staying there. :p