Picking/booking a hotel in Singapore?
Discussion
Seeing as our UK trip has fallen through, due to an expired UK passport, I'm thinking of taking my 11 year old daughter to Singapore for a long weekend, probably end of the month. We live in the Philippines, so will be booking/travelling from there.
I lived in Singers many years ago but have pretty much forgotten the locales and quality of most hotels. What would be a good website for selecting and booking a middle range hotel? I'd pay up to maybe £150 a night for a double room, and we'd like somewhere reasonably central or with good MRT/bus connections. My credit cards are UK based, if that makes any difference.
I lived in Singers many years ago but have pretty much forgotten the locales and quality of most hotels. What would be a good website for selecting and booking a middle range hotel? I'd pay up to maybe £150 a night for a double room, and we'd like somewhere reasonably central or with good MRT/bus connections. My credit cards are UK based, if that makes any difference.
Thanks guys, I'll check 'em out.
Unfortunatly it looks like this trip might be sidelined too.
The wife was asking ticket prices and packages yesterday and the travel agent told her I can't legally take my daughter out of the Philippines if she travels on her Philippines passport, and me on my UK one. Not unless the mum is with us.
More regulations designed to combat 'human trafficking' no doubt, of which the Philippines is doing such a sterling job.....
Unfortunatly it looks like this trip might be sidelined too.
The wife was asking ticket prices and packages yesterday and the travel agent told her I can't legally take my daughter out of the Philippines if she travels on her Philippines passport, and me on my UK one. Not unless the mum is with us.
More regulations designed to combat 'human trafficking' no doubt, of which the Philippines is doing such a sterling job.....
From what I have seen from mates with flip girlfriends here, the hardest thing is letting the Philippines actually let them out of their own country.
For future reference (cos it can take some time) I have mates that can give me all the correct contacts etc (including direct lines / mobiles etc) for getting the necessary paperwork done should you want to do it another time!
[bluesbrothers] how much for the wife?? The children's too[/bluesbrothers]
For future reference (cos it can take some time) I have mates that can give me all the correct contacts etc (including direct lines / mobiles etc) for getting the necessary paperwork done should you want to do it another time!
[bluesbrothers] how much for the wife?? The children's too[/bluesbrothers]
No worries mate, I've asked the wife to go to Bureau of Immigration to get some facts on the situation. Maybe there is some letter she can get that will whisk us through.
If the daughter looked Filipino I could envisage a problem, but you'd not think she is anything other than English if you saw her, white as the driven snow.
However, that won't stop some overzealous immigration hero from flexing his/her ego.
If the daughter looked Filipino I could envisage a problem, but you'd not think she is anything other than English if you saw her, white as the driven snow.
However, that won't stop some overzealous immigration hero from flexing his/her ego.
for decent central hotels that I or colleagues have stayed at :
Conrad Centennial [I stayed for 6 weeks ] - good service and very handy location at Promenade MRT ... ohter hotels nearby include the Pan Pac and Marina mandarin ... I personally prefer the conrad .. would be approx 150GBP + service and tax [ so about S $350 ]..though could be worth enquiring about weekend break rates [?]
Park Royal on Beach road .. approx 130GBP ++ ... 5 minute walk from bugis MRT , close to the cafes and restaurants [and carpet shops
] on Ophir road and Arab street [ funky area]
Intercontinental on Middle Road ... also central and convenient.
A friend of mine has lived permanently in hotels here for 2 years.... and has found decent ones at about S$100 -120 / night ... though not as central as the ones above [ I will make some enquiries ...]..think he mentioned the Novotel at Clarke Quay as an alternative to the 4/5 star ones I listed above.
colleague feedback from the Ibis hotel off Bencoolen wasnt very good [tiny rooms and crap facilities ...]
Conrad Centennial [I stayed for 6 weeks ] - good service and very handy location at Promenade MRT ... ohter hotels nearby include the Pan Pac and Marina mandarin ... I personally prefer the conrad .. would be approx 150GBP + service and tax [ so about S $350 ]..though could be worth enquiring about weekend break rates [?]
Park Royal on Beach road .. approx 130GBP ++ ... 5 minute walk from bugis MRT , close to the cafes and restaurants [and carpet shops
] on Ophir road and Arab street [ funky area]Intercontinental on Middle Road ... also central and convenient.
A friend of mine has lived permanently in hotels here for 2 years.... and has found decent ones at about S$100 -120 / night ... though not as central as the ones above [ I will make some enquiries ...]..think he mentioned the Novotel at Clarke Quay as an alternative to the 4/5 star ones I listed above.
colleague feedback from the Ibis hotel off Bencoolen wasnt very good [tiny rooms and crap facilities ...]
Thanks for the info Alfaman. We're still doing battle with the immigration people about getting some sort of certificate to take the daughter out of the PI, but it shouldn't be a problem.
I'll check out the hotels you mentioned on-line, see what I can arrange.
What are the taxes and extras added to hotel bills, outside of the usual quoted price?
I'll check out the hotels you mentioned on-line, see what I can arrange.
What are the taxes and extras added to hotel bills, outside of the usual quoted price?
Sales tax here is 7% "GST" ... hotel prices are usually quoted without this.
and better hotels tend to add a service charge ... IIRC was approx 13% or so at the Conrad but not absolutely sure ...best to check.
FYI - its the same with pubs and restaurants ....although 'local' cafes, restaurants, food courts and hawker stalls tend to price inclusive of everything whereas more upscale places appealing to tourists and business travellers tend to add either GST and/or 10% service charge or both : priced as "+" or "++"
prices vary hugely ..can get a large 0.6l beer for $5.50 inclusive at a local thai restaurant/cafe just behind boat quay .. or pay $12 - $15 at a nicer bar with aircon and music overlooking the river ....
and better hotels tend to add a service charge ... IIRC was approx 13% or so at the Conrad but not absolutely sure ...best to check.
FYI - its the same with pubs and restaurants ....although 'local' cafes, restaurants, food courts and hawker stalls tend to price inclusive of everything whereas more upscale places appealing to tourists and business travellers tend to add either GST and/or 10% service charge or both : priced as "+" or "++"
prices vary hugely ..can get a large 0.6l beer for $5.50 inclusive at a local thai restaurant/cafe just behind boat quay .. or pay $12 - $15 at a nicer bar with aircon and music overlooking the river ....
alfaman said:
prices vary hugely ..can get a large 0.6l beer for $5.50 inclusive at a local thai restaurant/cafe just behind boat quay .. or pay $12 - $15 at a nicer bar with aircon and music overlooking the river ....
Thanks for the info. I remember 15 years ago one could get a large bottle of Tiger for $5 in a hawker centre. Sounds like prices haven't risen much. Probably the cheapest way to get hammered, before heading down the city and paying $12 a glass in 392 or Top 10....
XJSJohn said:
I know quite a few people that have used the Clarke Quay Novotel, supposed to be good.
I'll keep an eye out for the Novotel. I quite like Clarke Quay and Boat Quay areas for a nice night out.Daughter and wife have seen some hotel right next door to Universal Studios, that they like the idea of. I dread to think of the price....
King Herald said:
Daughter and wife have seen some hotel right next door to Universal Studios, that they like the idea of. I dread to think of the price....
Sentosa island / Universal Studios are worth a visit ... but I guess the hotel IS rather expensive there, but you can probably get cheaper accomodation elsewhere and its only a few minutes on the MRT to Harbour Front.FYI: on Singapore Monopoly board Sentosa Cove = Mayfair
..some nice seaview houses there if you have $20 - $30m+ to spend
no idea, as i understand it, it is usually 10% service and 7% gst.
it may be a CYA for the SIngapore GP where there is an extra tax levied (by the government, not the hotels)
See what HRS.com says for equiv hotels - I fin it the most straight up when it comes to fees for situations like this.
it may be a CYA for the SIngapore GP where there is an extra tax levied (by the government, not the hotels)
See what HRS.com says for equiv hotels - I fin it the most straight up when it comes to fees for situations like this.
Sentosa Resort Festive is US$350 a night, so I think we'll be giving that a miss.
Novotel Clarke looks good, fairly central, US$200 a night, that might be the one.
Or even the Holiday Inn Atrium. looks like the little 'un might like it. US$185
There was a time when I knew my way round central Singapore and could walk to most of these places without a map. I fear I can do that no more.
Novotel Clarke looks good, fairly central, US$200 a night, that might be the one.
Or even the Holiday Inn Atrium. looks like the little 'un might like it. US$185
There was a time when I knew my way round central Singapore and could walk to most of these places without a map. I fear I can do that no more.
Edited by King Herald on Tuesday 13th November 16:11
First weekend in December we'll be there, just for three nights.
I need to get a list 'of things to do' together, Sentosa, Universal Studios, Night Zoo maybe, Haw Pa Villa, hard Rock Cafe for lunch one day, Orchard Towers...or maybe not....
It'll not be a cheap weekend, so we need to make the most of it.
I need to get a list 'of things to do' together, Sentosa, Universal Studios, Night Zoo maybe, Haw Pa Villa, hard Rock Cafe for lunch one day, Orchard Towers...or maybe not....
It'll not be a cheap weekend, so we need to make the most of it.
Plenty to do here to cover a weekend !
Also consider : Gardens by the Bay [new funky gardens and structures behind MBS], MBS, Singapore Flyer [big wheel], Altitude 1 bar [views], East Coast seafood restaurants by the beach.
u can also get a cable car from Sentosa up to Mt Faber [views], and then do a walk along to Henderson wave bridge and walkways [monkeys] to Kent Ridge [or chill at Jewel Box at Mt Faber].
Also consider : Gardens by the Bay [new funky gardens and structures behind MBS], MBS, Singapore Flyer [big wheel], Altitude 1 bar [views], East Coast seafood restaurants by the beach.
u can also get a cable car from Sentosa up to Mt Faber [views], and then do a walk along to Henderson wave bridge and walkways [monkeys] to Kent Ridge [or chill at Jewel Box at Mt Faber].
King Herald said:
alfaman said:
Plenty to do here to cover a weekend !
Thanks for the tips, I'll add them to my list. Another one that may interest you (but bore the family) is the display of the future of Singapore at the URA building on Maxwell Road. It will amaze you what has changed since you were last here. It's one stop from Raffles so not too far out of the way.
Haw Par Villa has had been restored (it almost closed down a few years ago). Strangely one of the few places tat did not get the modernist it touch, so will be just how you last saw it, just the models and old stories. It's actually quite refreshingly old world after the rest of Singa!
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