Accommodation in Singapore

[Accommodation Review] – Amara Sanctuary Resort (Larkhill Terrace), Sentosa, Singapore (17 – 20 May 13)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

This is my 2nd review for Amara Sanctuary Resort on Sentosa Island. This time I stayed in their Larkhill Terrace. The resort is sandwiched between the Integrated Resorts where one can find the casino and theme park and the beach area. The central location of the resort makes heading towards the beach or the integrated resorts a breeze. However as with the other hotels on Sentosa, to access mainland Singapore, one will have to take the island’s subway system out of the island and change to the transport on Singapore. It is rather far away from the main shopping district in Singapore.

The Suite

The suite felt a little small (Well at least for the air-conned part of the room) compared to suites in other hotels. However if one were to take into consideration the outdoor parts of the room, it is rather huge. As the weather was rather hot, my friend and I spent most of the time in the air-con part of the room.

Sleeping Area

Upon entering the room, a huge king-sized bed greeted patrons staying in this class of the room. The centre of attraction in this part of the room gotta be the bed. Everything in this suite looks functional, there are little deco or unnecessary stuff inside the room. The bed is very comfortable and large enough to sleep 3 comfortably. The air con inside the room is just nice, not too hot and not too cold. There is a small study table by the side of the main door. Opposite the bed is a LED TV. The downside is there isn’t any direct connection for iPods, HDMI Cables for the TV. Connection to the TV has to be made directly onto the TV, unlike some other 5 star hotels. Having said that, there are a lot of PowerPoint outlets for patrons to power up their electronic devices around the room. 2 Wardrobes are available in the room, however only one can be used to store clothing, the other one houses the Nespresso machine, mini bar, and the glasses, hot water flask. Well, hidden and interesting way of making the room less cluttered.

Bedroom of the suite

Bathroom

After the 2 wardrobes are the toilet and walk-in shower. The walk-in shower feature a rainshower a normal showerhead. The walk-in shower is rather large. Opposite the walk-in shower is the toilet, which has a small sink in it. At first, I thought this is rather weird, as my time inside the room progresses, I found to cater another sink inside the toilet does make functional sense. As the other sinks are outside, having a sink here means patrons do not need to go outdoors just to wash hands.

Walk-in shower
Toilet in the suite

Outdoor Patio

After the toilet and the walk-in shower, one would find another set of glass doors leading to the outdoor patio. Here is where one would find a huge bathtub as the centrepiece of the area. On the sides are 2 sinks, so people would not resort to fighting over the sink. Rather thoughtful design. After the bathtub is a day bed, under a retractable canvas where one can laze the day away. The day bed faces the back door, where patrons can access to a jacuzzi and an infinite pool.

Outdoor bathtub
Outdoor Bathtub
Outdoor Sink
Outdoor daybed
Outdoor Daybed

The room is designed with thoughtfulness and functionality. it is very comfortable on both the indoor bed and the day bed, perfect for one to snooze on both beds. However, as with any other outdoor rooms in this part of the world, insects would be invited at night due to the warmth from the lighting outdoors. I thought the hotel should have foreseen this and perhaps provide some electronic devices to get rid of the bugs and lizards.

Swimming Pool

The rear of the suite opens up to a swimming pool that is for the exclusive use of guests staying at the Larkhill Terrace. The lap pool is tranquil and does feel exclusive. There is a jacuzzi separated from the infinity lap pool found at the backyard of Larkhill Terrace Suite.

Swimming pool

Service

Check-in was prompt with the staff at the reception recognising me as a returning patron. Very personalised and warm service. I was taken aback despite the last time I stayed here was some 7 months back in their 2 bedroom villa. Check-in was very fast and we were finding our way in a very short time.

I stayed at this property during my birthday. My friend arranged for a birthday surprise prior to our arrival at the hotel. At around 7 pm on the day of our check-in, a caked was delivered to our room. The cake arrived 2 days before my birthday. Puzzled, my friend told the staff that the cake was delivered 2 days early. The staff called his manager and returned to us 5 mins later, insisting that we accept the cake. We understood that he is probably acting on his manager’s instructions. Later in the evening, we raise this issue at the reception while en route to dinner. The staff at the reception told us there was some mistake on the system and the date was keyed in wrongly. There wasn’t any mention by the receptionist to have another cake delivered on the actual day, and the response we have gotten from her is there is nothing much she can do about it. My friend called the customer service manager the next day to register our displeasure. The manager arranged for another cake to be delivered on the actual day.

Other than that the service provided by the staff were excellent, from the staff at shutters restaurant, where we had rather sumptuous breakfasts, to the gardener watering the plants near the terrace. The housekeeping staff, Noor, was exceptionally good. On the first day, we requested for housekeeping at 1 pm and returned at 4 pm to see that our room had not been tidied. When we were about to call housekeeping to get them to have our room made up, Noor rang on our doorbell and apologised for being late. As we had bought food back and told her that we planned to dine in our room, she offered to come back later after we had our food. However, we told her to proceed with our room and we will walk around and return at a later timing. We spent around 45 mins walking around and thought that our room might not be ready. To our pleasant surprised our room was perfect. Despite the short timing, Noor did not cut corners and kept our room clean! We called up housekeeping to request for extra bathing amenities, Noor came with the amount we requested. The next day when she made up our room, we found additional bathing amenities as we requested the day before! Such thoughtfulness and attention in detail were displayed by Noor! Well done Noor!

Overall

Overall the stay was pleasant, though some areas in terms of service could be done better. The hotel did deliver tranquility and exclusivity regarding the pool at the Larkhill Terrace, and the star throughout our stay gotta be Noor! The rest of the staff should look up to her and display the same attention to detail and thoughtfulness as she had.

 

[Accommodation Review] – Siloso Beach Resort (Deluxe Room), Sentosa, Singapore (5 – 8 Apr 13)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Located along the Silosa beach on Sentosa Island, this hotel is close to the beach actions. There are several eateries and pubs along the beach, making this hotel a good spot for actions close by. It is however far from Resorts World Sentosa and the theme parks on the island.

The Room

I checked into the hotel for a 4-day 3-night stay.  This is my 3rd time coming here, due to positive past experiences, I came back here for a relaxing staycation over the weekend. I am deeply disappointed with the condition of this hotel. It is heaven and earth from my previous stays.

Bathroom

The room was rather small with ageing and decapitated furniture. Upon entering the room, the corridor opens up to the bedroom. By the side of the corridor from the main door is the bathroom. The bathroom is small but has both a walk-in shower and a bathtub. There is a window that looks into the room from the bathtub. There used to be a curtain that allows more privacy or for guests to watch TV from. However, this curtain is now replaced with tinted glass, defeats the purpose of placing the window there in the first place. Beside the bathtub are a standard and small sink that does not allow many toiletries to be placed. Stains are found in the sink, signalling poor maintenance in Siloso Beach Resort. The walk-in shower is located next to the sink. The showerhead is in very bad condition as the water pressure is very low, making showering a chore. The toilet bowl is located next to the walk-in shower.

Small Bathtub
Walk-in shower and the toilet bowl
Small sink

Wardrobe

Opposite the entrance of the bathroom is the wardrobe. The wardrobe is rather small and there are hardly sufficient storage for clothing. The door to the wardrobe is defective as well as it is difficult to close. The in-room safe is tucked in the wardrobe.

Entrance and wardrobe
View of the entrance from the bedroom

Sleeping Area

There is a queen-size bed in the sleeping area, which is placed in front of the TV. The sleep quality on the bed is not great. The TV is placed on a table, which extends from the minibar next to the wardrobe. The minibar is pathetic with nothing placed in it. I guess most of the patrons find the drinks to be expensive, hence there is no point in stocking up the minibar. There used to be an in-room couch for relaxation, by the huge window that faces the beach but has been removed. Facilities in the room and around the hotel seemed to lack maintenance. It is very different from the last time I stayed here. Deteriorating wallpapers are found in the room. The hotel also strip the carpet away, replaced by wooden floorings. However, the floorings have a lot of scratches and drag marks on it. The only saving grace inside the room is the stunning sea view.

Queen Size bed
Small TV in front of the bed
Degrading furniture
Scratches on the floor
Peeling wallpaper

The only place that is great in this property is the swimming pool, it is wonderful with a tall waterfall and the pool is huge. During our stay, there is this loud music that blasts from the beach club opposite, the loudness of the music did not stop until 4 am! When I checked with one of the staff, they gave the very standard answer of “the hotel is working with the owners of the club to keep the decibels down at night”. Soundproofing could have been better if they seriously think that the club will affect the stay of the guests.

Service

Breakfast was horrible throughout the 4 days. There was only minor variation to the menu. Service is almost non-existence around the hotel. The staffs at the restaurant were seen talking amongst themselves when their supervisor was not looking instead of clearing plates.  The check-in staffs looked angry and unapproachable. They kept interaction with guests to a minimal giving me a feeling that they just wanted to get rid of the guests and continue with whatever they are doing. The hotel boasts itself to be eco-friendly, which felt more like a false front they use to conceal the cheapness of the owners. Everywhere seemed to be falling apart, from the fixtures in the room to the areas around the hotel. It seemed like the hotel is very poorly maintained.

Overall

This so-called 4 star hotel that gives me the feel of a 2 star service and quality. The only thing good about this hotel is the pool and the view. If that is important to you, then by all means stay here. if not, go elsewhere, where one can find more value.

[Accommodation Review] – Moevenpick Heritage Hotel (Heritage Suite), Sentosa, Singapore (23 – 24 Mar 13)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

The hotel is located in central Sentosa. It is within reach to most of the attractions on the island. The nearest Subway station on the island is a mere 5 mins walk. Despite the central location, guests would have to walk for at least 10 mins to the eateries and other attractions. There is bus service plying the island, however, the nearest bus stop is also a good 5 mins walk away. To get to elsewhere in Singapore, one would have to take the subway out of the island to mainland Singapore and venture from there. The location of the hotel is only good for those who wanted to just stay on Sentosa.

The Suite

Living Room

As I entered the suite, I was welcomed by the living room. The living room has a minimalist concept with a 2 seater couch, a cushioned stool and a small side table facing the LED TV. The lighting in the living room was rather cozy. The deco here is simple yet functional. There is access to the bathroom from both the living room as well as the bedroom.

Main door and the living area of the suite
2 seater couch in the living area of the suite
TV in the living area

Bathroom

The bathroom is large and has 3 sections to it. From the living room entrance to the bathroom, one can expect a walk-in shower by the door. There are rain shower head and a regular shower head in the glass cladded walk-in shower cubicle. Toilet cubicle, in half frosted glass, is located next to the walk-in shower. By the side of the toilet, the cubicle is a huge bathtub. An oversized sink with no lack of counter-top space is found opposite the bathtub. The hotel provides the essential amenities that one would find in any other hotels, however, I do find some degradation to the amenities provided. During my previous experience staying in a deluxe room in Moevenpick Heritage Hotel, Ferragamo bath amenities were given. This time around, despite being in a Suite, standard house brand bath amenities were provided. What I find ridiculous is the lack of facial towels. Unlike other hotels (even the 3-star ones), one would expect 2 face towels and 2 handkerchiefs, on top of the bath towels to be standard issue in the room. I found only 1 handkerchief in the bathroom. When queried, the answer I have gotten is that the hotel ran out of face towel. I also found a lack of racks to hang towels on in the bathroom. 

Walk-in rain shower
Sink area
Huge Bathtub
Entrance to the bedroom from the bathroom
Love the bathtub

Wardrobe

Between the bathroom and the bedroom is a walkthrough wardrobe. The fixtures are simple yet functional. There are 2 types (in total 4) bathrobes in the room. The thinner more Japanese style ones and the thicker and more comfortable bathrobes. There is also sufficient space to stow away luggage in the wardrobe.

Walk-in wardrobe between the bathroom and the bedroom

Bedroom

The bedroom in the Heritage Suite is huge. In this part of the suite, the king-sized bed is placed by the entrance to the bathroom, and the TV cum refreshment area is at the other end of the room, by the door to the living room. The bedroom can be accessed via the bathroom or the living room. The size of the room is rather spacious and again the theme in the room is minimalistic, where the entire bedroom does not look or feel too clattered. The king bed is large and very comfortable to sleep in. There are 2 side tables by the bed where one can find the controls for the lightings and the blinds and curtains. The refreshment table has a Nespresso machine and a kettle for guests to boil water for the TWG teas that were provided in the suite. The mini bar fridge is hidden, yet accessible on the shelf where the Nespresso machine is stowed. beside this shelf is the working desk. Like most 5 star hotels, there are various connection ports for one to plug in their computer to the TV in the bedroom. When we checked in, we found some ants crawling on the work desk. not too sure if the hotel has upkeep the room properly, however we were lucky that there wasn’t a massive ant invasion in the room.

King-size bed in the bedroom
Complimentary minibar in the bedroom
Nespresso Machine in the bedroom
Complimentary Minibar

Crystal Lounge

I headed for the Crystal lounge to chill out a bit before hitting the pool. The lounge itself is small. There is only 1 staff at any time in the lounge multitasking, taking care of guests, making and serving drinks, cleaning up. Unlike some of the hotel lounges we have been to, this one is very small and feels unwelcoming by the decor. I was there for the evening cocktail, and the selection of food is pathetic. Maybe it is constrained by the space that does not allow the hotel to put more in the lounge. Perhaps the hotel can consider either allocating a bigger space for the lounge or remove the lounge.

Gym

There is also a small 24-hour gym just by the lounge. The gym has the standard weights, weight machines and treadmills. This underutilised gym feels like a waste of space, as we have not seen anyone using the gym during our stay there.

Swimming Pool

The pool is a great hang out place for one to soak up in the sun. The infinite pool is not too large nor too small. the size is just right for one to tan and take a dip. The unique thing about the pool is the see-through the glass at one end of the pool.

The decor of Crystal Lounge
Hotel Swimming pool
Breakfast

Breakfast was served at the Tablescale restaurant. the selection in the restaurant is rather limited, with the usual egg station, cold cuts, salad bar, fruits, bread and hot sections. I saw 2 guests asking about the price of the breakfast and they were told costs $40++. I thought at this rate vis-a-vis the amount and the quality of the food being offered, the breakfast is severely overpriced.

Service

This is the second time I have been here, both times I am not impressed with the service with the hotel. I read upon checking in, Moevenpick Ice-cream will be served to guests to welcome them. However both times I was at the hotel, there was no ice-cream served. This time round I thought that they do not do that anymore. However, when I checked out, I noticed that ice-cream was served to the guests checking in. Such inconsistent treatment for guests is seriously frowned upon. How can this happen to a 5-star hotel?

The check-in experience was equally bad. I had to wait for the staff to answer the phone while she was checking us in. I thought that is rather disrespectful to the guests in front of her when checking us in. I had requested for a pool facing corner room and was told that the room assigned was a pool facing corner room. To my horror, I was assigned a room right opposite the lift and was in the middle of the corridor. I wonder did the staff who checked us in understood what I meant by corner room. What a huge disappointment. The view of the room that I was assigned did not face the pool, rather it was facing the check-in lobby.

This is not the only time I had a rather shocking service. I asked the housekeeping staff for some more shower gels, as the gels they gave is a rather small quantity, he gave us a shocked look and passed some to us, looking irritated after arguing that there are already some in the suite. After settling my stuff in the room, I headed to the Crystal lounge to check things out. Upon entering, the staff there gave me a rude look and told us to wait by the door while she checked with the lobby staff I saw her talking over the phone, guessing she might be checking if I am eligible for access to the lounge. This is rather rude of her to treat guests this way and she does not seem to know the rules of the hotel well, as I understand all heritage suite guests do have access to the lounge. The hotel should wake up and see how they can improve their service.

Other then these bunch of somewhat rude staffs, the rest of the staffs are rather welcoming and warm in their service. From the desk at the heritage wing to the other staff in the lounge to those at the Tablescale restaurant.

Overall

Overall the stay in the room was good but not great, due to the various negative encounters with the staffs. The hotel ought to relook into its customer service and offer a more consistent service. sleep quality is excellent and the soundproofing in the room was good. The other flaw is the view of the room, which is rather depressing to look at and privacy inside the room is only achieved with the curtain closed.

[Accommodation Review] – Hotel InterContinental (Shophouse Suite), Singapore (28 – 30 Dec 12)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

InterContinental is located in one corner of Bugis Junction Shopping Mall. The shopping mall is linked to the hotel by a door. The shopping mall can be very crowded especially weekends, however passing through the door to the hotel, the atmosphere changed from buzzing to tranquillity.  There is no shortage of dining options in and around the hotel. The hotel is also near the subway system in Singapore, providing guests with the convenience of moving around in the country.

The Suite

The room we checked in was the Shophouse Suite. Situated in the 2nd and 3rd level of the hotel, it is just above the shopping mall. Despite the proximity to the busy shopping mall, soundproofing in the room is fantastic. We were not disturbed by any of the noise below the suite.

Wardrobe Area

The Suite is rustic yet modern with a touch of a Peranakan theme running throughout the suite. The suite has 3 distinct areas to it. Upon entering the room, a chandelier greeted us at the lobby of the room. There is a mirror opposite the main door and a small wardrobe by the side of the mirror. The storage space in the suite for clothing is rather miserable.

Entrance to the suite

Wardrobe Area that serves as powder area as well

Bathroom

The bathroom feels a little cramped. It has the standard Bathtub large enough for one person, placed at the far end of the room, in front of the window that can barely open (there isn’t much of a view from this room anyways). Next to the bathtub is the single sink, where one can also find quality bath amenities from The White Company placed for room guests to use.  The toilet is placed next to the sink, and the walk-in shower, featuring a rain shower,  is located at the other end of the bathroom. The contemporary bathroom, painted in white with soft yellow light, gives one a relaxing feel. There are hints of Peranakan decors in the bathroom, however, these are limited to useless displays of vase and jars on the sink.

Quality bath amenities
View of the bathtub and the sink
Toilet bowl alongside the walk-in Shower

Living Room

Further into the suite is where one would enter the living room. There seems to be too much clutter in the living area of the suite with too much furniture in the living area. There is the study table placed next to the entrance of the living area, at one corner of the suite, behind the 3 seater couch. The study table is rather large and has connection points for one to plug in their laptop to the TV via HDMI port. Here is where one can find PowerPoint to charge one’s gadgets. The comfortable 3 seater couch is placed right in front of the study table, facing one of the two TVs in the suite. A small coffee table is placed in front of the couch, where I found a plate of welcome fruits. There is a Peranakan themed shelf by the window of the living area, where one can find the mini bar fridge. The shelf looks more ornamental rather than functional.

Living area with study desk behind the couch
View of the living area with the TV from the study desk

Bedroom

The bedroom is separated from the living room by a wall with 2 doors on either side of the wall. The design of the bedroom of the suite is simple, yet cozy. This area of the room has a King-Sized bed with 2 side tables, where one can find more power points to charge their gadgets. The bed is extremely comfortable to sleep in, with a very comfortable set of quilt. The air conditioning in the bedroom is rather weak. I left the doors open to allow more cool air from the living area into the bedroom for better night sleep. In front of the bed is the other TV. However, there are no HDMI connections to this TV. The HDMI connection found on the study desk connects only to the TV in the living area. To plug into this TV, one would have to pull out the TV and connect directly to the rear of the TV.

View of the bedroom from the bed
Comfortable bed in the bedroom

Lounge

The suite comes with lounge access for guests which admits up to 2 pax. The lounge is where one can find more Peranakan theme shouting throughout the lounge. The lounge is huge and there is sufficient seating for guests. My friend and I hang out at the lounge most of the time and it is a great place for guests to recharge their energy after a day’s walk around Singapore. There are several timings where finger food is being served. Their afternoon tea time served mostly Peranakan finger food. The food is delicious and the lounge served quality drinks such as TWG tea and barista styled coffee. They also served limited food during breakfast, which is a great way to avoid the breakfast crowd at the main restaurant.

Food available for lounge guests

Breakfast at the lounge

Lounge deco

Tea time at the lounge

Lounge deco

Service

The service in this hotel is nothing short of 5-star. Their excellent service started with the front desk when I was checking in. The staff immediately put down whatever they were busy with and processed my checking in when they saw me standing at the reception. Another of the staff, upon seeing his colleague was busy, approached to help out without being asked to.  The checking-in process was a breeze. When all the necessary paperwork was done, one of the staff (Shawn) escorted me to my room through the maze of the confusing corridor. Shawn even pointed out a shortcut, which is an inconspicuous staircase, leading to the club lounge and the shopping mall next to the hotel. Such information is very valuable to guests.

The staffs in the club lounge are simply fantastic. They are not only welcoming but also sociable and friendly. There is always a big smile on the faces of the staffs. The staffs are always offering advises on the location, the history of the hotel and when we should pay the lounge a visit for the food.  One of the staff even suggested for us to head for the lounge for breakfast to avoid the crowd.

On the 2nd, I chose to visit the Olive Tree Restaurant for breakfast and it was full. I went to the lounge for breakfast to avoid the crowd, it felt exclusive and managed to grab breakfast almost instantly. The spread for breakfast, though was not as much as that in the main restaurant, however, it has a decent amount of selection to fill one’s stomach. I visited the Olive Tree Restaurant the following day for breakfast and had a rude shock on the treatment that was accorded. I approached one of the staff at the entrance to “register” for breakfast, she gave me a shocked look as though I am asking for the moon in the sky. She hasted a while before showing us to a table in the lobby. There are some breakfast stations at the lobby lounge and I got my breakfast there. The breakfast variety on offer was the same as that in the lounge. I hasten to finish up my food and wanted to retreat to the lounge to avoid the crowd for breakfast. One of the staff came by to clear up the plates and I casually told her that the food here is the same as that in the lounge. The staff was shocked that I wasn’t properly informed that there is more food inside the restaurant. I heeded her recommendation that headed into the restaurant and here is where there is more variety of food on offer. There seems to be a lot of empty tables and I questioned why it wasn’t offered to me? As I was walking out to my table after grabbing some food, I saw the staff who gave me a shocked look at being very friendly to Caucasian guests over their Asian counterparts. That is a level of racism that was being displayed by this staff that is disgusting. I immediately left the place and headed back to my suite to register my observation.

Almost immediately after registering my displeasure, I received a call from the restaurant manager – Mr Khoo. Mr Khoo was not defensive and listened to my displeasure. Instead of making up excuses, he kept apologising on behalf of his staff. Mr Khoo handled the feedback very positively and professionally. As I was heading towards the lounge after my conversation with Mr Khoo, he came up to me and apologised in person, this was not necessary but Mr Khoo took the initiative and the matter in his own hands. As we were about to check out, Mr Khoo somehow knew about this, he approached our room, offering a box of chocolate as a gesture of apology and escorted me to the lounge to process my check out. The service recovery displayed by Mr Khoo is excellent and certainly turned a grouchy guest around.

Overall

On the whole, the hotel gives one a feeling of being treated as a guest. Though the suite is cluttered and felt small, the sleep quality on the bed is excellent. More importantly, the staffs in the hotel treated every one, regardless of skin colour as guests. I would love to stay in Hotel InterContinental again as the services rendered is nothing short of 5-star.

[Accommodation Review] – The Ritz-Carlton Millennia (Deluxe Room), Singapore (24 – 25 Dec 12)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

The Ritz-Carlton Millennia is located in one corner of Marina Centre. It is a short walk to the Marina Square Shopping Mall and the Millennia Walk Shopping Mall where one will be able to find food, shopping as well as entertainment. It is also a stone’s throw away from the Suntec City Shopping Mall and the Marina Bay Sands. The location is convenient and yet tucked away from the crowded nearby shopping malls.

The Room

Sleeping Area

Upon entering the wooden based room, the size of the room just took my breath away. The decor of the room feels contemporary. The King-sized bed tucked in one part of the room, which is both accessible and not in the way of guests staying in the room. Seldom does one get a room that is so well designed when it comes to facilities and the placing of the furniture. The sleep quality on the bed was excellent and provided me with a very good night’s rest.

The huge comfortable King-size bed

Beside the King-sized bed in the sleeping area of the room, there is also an entertainment area in the room. Tucked in one corner is a 3-seater sofa coupled with a matching coffee table for guests to relax on without messing the bed while watching TV.

3 seater sofa in the room

The study table is opposite the main entrance to the room and next to the entrance of the bathroom. Despite the positioning of the study table, it does not obstruct one’s access to the bathroom. The facilities are well thought off on this table, as this is where one can find ports that connect to the TV such as HDMI port and some power points. Speaking of power points, the room has no lack of power points, with 2 on each side of the bedside table.

Stunning view from the room in front of the desk and the bed

Next to the main entrance is the walk-in wardrobe, which is large enough to fit a good 5 days clothing for 2 persons. There is also a safe inside the wardrobe, pretty much standard in all hotels these days. There is a cabinet just next to the wardrobe, below the TV. Here is where one will find the minibar and the utensils such as a teapot, glasses.

Large walk-in wardrobe
Minibar nicely tucked into the furniture of the room

Bathroom

What I like about the room is the huge marble bathroom. The bathroom has a fantastic view of the city, where one can look out the hexagon-shaped window while taking a relaxing soak in the bathtub. The separate walk-in shower has both the rain shower and the regular shower head. The sink area is huge, allowing guests to put tons of items by the sink for convenience. In the far corner of the bathroom is where one will find the toilet bowl.

Bathtub with a view
Walk-in Shower
Huge sink area
Quality bath amenities
Quality bath amenities
Toilet bowl

Gym and Swimming Pool

The hotel also has a full gym for guests to work out and one can loan a pair of sneakers should one forgets pack a pair for their stay in the Ritz. The pool is stunning, featuring a large pool and a small pool by the side. There is also an outdoor jacuzzi with heated waters. The pool, despite on the ground floor, provides fantastic privacy for guests with the clever usage of landscaping giving guests a feel of a world of its own.

Full gym
Full gym
Swimming pool
Swimming pool

Service

Service in this hotel is a mix. Service at the front desk as exceptional. The staffs made guests feel welcome and greeted guests with the biggest smile ever. Staffs were efficient in checking guests in and served guests drinks while they awaited their turn for checking in. We were accorded the requests we made and assigned a high floor room as per our request.

However, the good service seems to stop at the front desk. As it was Christmas eve, feeling in the mood to celebrate Christmas with some Christmas cake, I headed to the hotel retail shop to see if I could get some cakes for the festive mood. As I was there, while looking at what cakes are available, the staffs ignored my presence and started to keep the cakes that were on display and cleaning up for the night. This was done when I was browsing at the cakes. There were no apologies offered nor anyone that acknowledged my presence, the staffs seemed to be in a world of their own, seeming eager to go home for the night. I spotted 1 staff busy counting the cash in the register, while 2 other chatting. Seeing the unwelcoming behaviour, I had to head to the nearby shopping mall to get a cake for Christmas.

During breakfast service, perhaps due to the high occupancy rate, we were hosted at the ballroom at level 1 instead of the Greenhouse Restaurant for breakfast. Service at breakfast was horrible. We were not offered coffee or tea upon seated and it was tough trying to get the attention of any staffs for our coffee. It took us a good 20 mins before we were able to spot someone with 2 pots and got his attention for coffee. As I used brown sugar with my coffee, the amount of brown sugar they put on each table is miserable. It felt as though the hotel was stinging on the brown sugar!  I asked for more brown sugar, it took the hotel 10 mins to bring us more brown sugar. By the time the sugar arrived, my coffee had turned cold. I immediately asked my coffee to be changed and it took the staff another 10 mins to bring me a cup of hot coffee.

Overall

The hotel certainly has the hardware and staying in the room provides guests with great quality of sleep and the decor of the room is just amazing. The service in the hotel needs improvement.

[Accommodation Review] – Amara Sanctuary Resort (2 Bedroom Villa), Sentosa Island, Singapore (8 – 10 Oct 12)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Amara Sanctuary Resort is located on Sentosa Island, a southern island in Singapore popular with tourists and locals alike. The resort is sandwiched between the Integrated Resorts where one can find the casino and theme park and the beach area. The central location of the resort makes heading towards the beach or the integrated resorts a breeze.

The Villa

Outdoor Patio

Upon entering the villa we were welcomed by a pavement that leads to the outdoor patio with dining table and chairs.

Private Plunge Pool

Further ahead the patio, occupying the centre, is the private plunge pool. The size of the pool is just nice for 2 persons, but since this is a 2 bedroom villa, it seemed a tad small for a party of 4. The condition of this pool is kept clean and certainly very well maintained. There is also a jacuzzi function at the side of the pool. At the far end of the pool is where one can find places for suntanning. Due to the pool location, this area makes it quite hard to get a good tanning spot

Private in-villa plunge pool

Second Bedroom

2 separate buildings greeted guests on either side of the pool. On the left of the pool, one can find a room with 2 single beds. There is a mosquito net hung from the ceiling and the 2 beds are being pushed to form 1 bed, tucked under the net. As we did not sleep in this room, merely used it to stow our baggage,  I can’t comment on the sleep quality on the beds in this room. In the bedroom area, one can also find a small study desk tucked neatly at one corner. There is a corridor that leads to the outside area of the villa before that one can find a small bathroom and toilet on one side and a minibar area on the other side. This room has all it needs to be self-sufficient.

Interior of the room with 2 single beds

Master Bedroom

The other building on the right of the pool is where one can find the master bedroom. This room features a queen-size bed. Sleep quality is decent on this bed. There is no study table in this room as the bed took up a large portion of the property. There is a TV tucked on one of the corners of the room and a small armchair.

Bathroom

Further ahead the bedroom is a room for the toilet. After the toilet one can find the outdoor portion of the room. There are 2 sinks at the outdoor area and a bathtub tucked at the end of the outdoor area. To the right of the tub is where one will find an outdoor shower area. There is a door between the bathtub and the swimming pool to provide privacy.

The facilities in the villa need more attention to maintenance. The signal for wifi is weak in the villa and the “Do Not Disturb” and “Makeup Room” lights do not work. There are chippings on the dining chairs and table. As the central theme of this villa is outdoor, there are inevitably insects, cockroaches and lizards crawling around. If this bothers you, do choose a none outdoorish room.

Service

Service is a mix in this resort. While the service at the check-in is fantastic, it seemed to stop there.  Checking in was a breeze and the staff at the check-in counters always makes one feel welcome. They are always spotted with smiles on their face and are very knowledgeable with Sentosa and Singapore.  However, we had to wait for 1 hour before we were being checked in. This is where staffs can pay more attention to waiting customers and perhaps be more proactive to suggest activities for waiting guests. After checking in, staffs failed to advise us where the villa is located and we were left hunting for the villa. In my previous experience of staying in this resort, we were being carried on a buggy to our room. But not this time around. The least the staffs can do is to advise guests where their accommodation is being located.

Local snacks displayed in the lobby for guests to enjoy

Overall

Overall stay in this resort is decent and nothing quite fantastic. The only drawing point is this is perhaps the only villa with a private plunge pool in Singapore and the only thing fantastic about this villa is its swimming pool. While the villa with private pool offers maximum privacy, however infrastructure seemed needed more attention on maintenance. The Air conditioning in the master bedroom is rather weak and took a long time to cool the room down. Staffs can pay more attention to details when rendering their service to guests.

[Accommodation Review] – Fullerton Hotel (Courtyard Room), Singapore (19 – 20 May 12)

/ kktong76 / Leave a comment

Location

Located at the fringe of the central business district and next to Singapore River, Fullerton Hotel is a tad far from the main shopping district. Even the closest shopping mall, Marina Square area is a good 10 mins walk from the hotel. However, the location of the hotel is a great spot to immerse one with the history of Singapore, after all this hotel used to be the general post office of Singapore. It is also close to the iconic Merlion statue that many tourists come to visit. The area is rather quiet during weekends but can busy during weekdays. There are several museums around the vicinity of the hotel.

The Room

I stayed in the Courtyard room. The naming of this room can be misleading. One might form the impression that the room comes with an outdoor patio for one to relax and just watch the life goes by, however, the definition of “Courtyard” according to the hotel means the room is facing the interior of the hotel. The ceiling to floor window allows guests to see what is happening inside the hotel. There are no views exterior of the hotel.

Sleeping Area

The layout of the room is pretty standard as with most of the other hotels. To the right of the main entrance of the room is the bathroom. Pasting the bathroom, one would find the main bedroom. The decor of the room feels classy and cozy. The King-sized bed in the room provided me with a very good night’s sleep. Coupled with the comfortable linen and duvet makes sleeping in this hotel heavenly. The powerful air con cooled down the room pretty quick given the hot weather in Singapore at this time of the year.  There is also a single-seater armchair in the room for guests to rest should the do not wish to rest on the bed.Viewing the TV from the arm-chair is rather weird due to the angle it is placed relative to the TV.

Bed in the room

Opposite the bed, directly facing the main entrance is a small work desk and the TV.  The study desk is a tad small which only allows a laptop to be placed. However, there is a side table next to the study desk, which provides additional space. I find the orientation of the table odd as it is facing the main door and not the window. The TV is also almost immediately next to the study table, which makes viewing of the TV only possible from the bed or the armchair. This area is where one would find the minibar and complimentary coffee and tea. The hotel provides very good quality coffee and tea. The hotel provides guests with premium TWG tea. 

Study and TV area

Bathroom

As mentioned previously the bathroom is next to the main entrance of the room. The bathroom is rather large for the category of the room. The large mirror at the sink, opposite the bathtub, gives guests the feeling of spaciousness in the bathroom. What I love about the bathroom is the huge bathtub, which allows one to soak in a relaxing bath without feeling squeeze. There are some storage shelving next to the sink. The walk-in shower features a rain shower, providing guests with great showering quality. There is also a small room with a toilet bowl inside.

Vanity area with sink in the bathroom
Shelving allowing guests to store their toiletries
Sink area in the bathroom
Toilet
Huge bathtub

Service

As a 5-star hotel, one would certainly expect exemplary service from Fullerton. The great service only stops at the check-in counter. As I booked this room for my birthday, the attentive clerk at the reception saw that it was my birthday on the day of checking in and wished me a happy birthday. The first impression of the hotel is the staff paid attention to details. However, great service stops there.

My friend arranged with the hotel for a surprise birthday cake for me to be delivered in the room by 5 pm but the cake did not come until almost midnight when my birthday is almost over. My friend was puzzled and called the reception a few times enquiring about the cake, which certainly spoils the surprise that was installed for me. The reception kept mentioning that they will deliver it shortly. But it never came. We thought they will place the cake in the room during the turndown service. We left the hotel for dinner elsewhere. Upon returning, there is still no cake. My friend was truly embarrassed. My friend called the reception asking about the cake, this time round the reception claim ignorance of the arrangement of the cake. When questioned as to the reason the staff previously we spoke to acknowledged about the cake, the staff was dumbfounded and finally deliver the cake at around 11 pm. This incident proved to us there is no sincerity in the service rendered by the hotel, certainly no befitting of 5-star.

The horrendous service does not end there. The next day we headed for breakfast at the Town Restaurant. The first impression, there is inconsistency in the layout of the table. I saw some tables stocked with 4 small jars of jam while some have none, some have less than 4. This proves to show that the hotel does not pay attention to details. What pissed me off is the racial discriminatory service and I have experienced. I was at the egg station and the staff at the egg station gave me a very unfriendly look and asked very rudely “What you want??!!”. I was a little offended by the tone, but thinking she might be tired after a long morning’s work cooking eggs. We ordered what we wanted. As we were about to leave the egg station, the same staff, upon seeing a Caucasian approaching her, greeted the guests with a million dollar smile and warmth, asking him “Good Morning Sir, How can I serve you the egg of your preference?” At this point, I was very pissed off with such discriminatory service. To make matters worst, the staff at the egg station was discriminating against her fellow countrymen. I brought this up to the hotel subsequently and nothing was heard from them since.

Overall

In terms of the hardware, the hotel got it. It provides good night rest for guests and the bathroom is impressive. However the service feels fake and insincere, when brought up to the management, nothing was done about it and no response heard from them. To make matters worst, it seem the hotel condoles discriminatory service and racism. Given the amount spent on the one-night stay, one will find somewhere better at a more convenient location, unless one do not mind being discriminated upon.