I chanced upon an offer from Fairmont Singapore, where a night’s stay at its Signature Suite was going for approximately S$300+. I did a quick research and found that it was located on the North Tower, and was the largest room available for booking then, as the South Tower was currently providing SHN services. I snapped it up and stayed at Fairmont Singapore within that week!
TL:DR
Great views
The room has a nice layout
Inadequate breakfast
Proximity to many eateries and restaurants
Check out our Facebook page here for more pictures taken during our stay at this hotel!
Service:
The service by Fairmont Singapore was good, which is quite similar to most hotels in the vicinity. A day before I was supposed to arrive, the hotel actually gave me a call to confirm my stay and mentioned I could check in earlier if I wanted to. I asked if I could check in at 1 pm, and the lady on the phone said that I could check in at 12 pm if I wished to. That was a nice gesture, although I said 1 pm would be all right for me. Funnily enough, I arrived only at 1 plus in the afternoon and did not really make use of the early check-in.
Check-in was a breeze, as I had already done so online before my stay. That included filling in my credit card details and other preferences. At the counter, I really only needed to collect my room key. The staff was friendly and always had a smile, which made the interactions nice and positive. This seemingly small act is actually very helpful for guests, as we would naturally feel happier when we receive positive interactions. That evening, when I needed to check with the staff about a matter, I had to wait for about 10 minutes as the guest in front was taking some time. While I did not say anything, as such things do happen, the staff was immediately apologetic that I had to wait for so long. Such proactive-ness is definitely welcome and makes the guest’s day.
Hotel Facilities:
Fairmont Singapore has a nice swimming pool and gym, both of which I failed to head to. I initially booked a slot for the swimming pool at 7 am the next morning, but I only managed to wake up to snap some pictures of the pool from my room and headed to breakfast right on time for my 9.30 am slot at the restaurant.
However, guests should definitely head to the swimming pool as I saw many families enjoying themselves, swimming about and just relaxing. The pool bar is also open, so you can have some snacks while your family burns some calories on your behalf. I know I missed a good swim, and can only hope I have more discipline the next time I head to Fairmont Singapore.
Breakfast:
I ordered my breakfast before my stay, where I selected my options via an online form. This is part of the “new normal” to minimise contact due to the COVID-19 crisis. It was quick and fuss-free, and as always, I selected the western breakfast.
Unfortunately, breakfast at Fairmont Singapore was a disappointment. While guests would be used to having a buffet breakfast, where they took multiple servings of their favourite food, COVID-19 forced restaurants to re-think this model. While some restaurants and hotels changed to an ala carte buffet style, some decided on having a set meal instead. This is where Fairmont Singapore disappoints. Guests can choose 2 beverages of their choice (coffee/ tea and a juice), and one dish. Options include the “American Full Feast” to “Nonya Coconut Rice”.
My dish of the “American Full Feast” was all right, but not fantastic. The baked beans were cold, while the sausages and hash browns were just warm. It does look a little sad, and I understand some guests may find this quite inadequate. Some might wonder why Fairmont does not have an ala carte buffet style, and I can only wonder why as well. While it filled my stomach and I enjoyed the breakfast, I believe there are quite a few others who might beg to differ.
I understand that since my stay in August 2020, the hotel has changed the breakfast to that of an ala carte buffet. This should make the breakfast experience much better for guests!
Room:
Measuring 56 square metres, the Signature Suite, which does not come with club access, can be considered a junior suite. Depending on the room you are assigned to, you might face the swimming pool and Esplanade, or face Raffles Hotel and Bugis. I was assigned a room facing the swimming pool and loved the views throughout my stay.
Guests of the Signature Suite were provided with a Care Kit, providing guests with essential items like masks, a hand sanitiser, and wet wipes. These come in handy, especially if you move around a lot and tend to touch items before/during/after you eat!
I was also provided with a fruit plate, wrapped nicely in cling wrap to prevent the spread of germs, and I enjoyed this gesture as well. While I did not eat the fruits, I brought them home for my family to enjoy.
The Signature Suite is filled with Peranakan decor, and you can see the subtle designs around the room. I like Peranakan culture, especially its food, and appreciate this design. In my room, there is an art piece of a trio of Peranakan-designed face powder cases, and I thought this looked nice and unique.
I quite like the layout of the room, where it feels like a large master bedroom. On the right is the bed, while the left side contains the sofa and workstation. The television is situated in the middle, which can be turned to face the workstation or the bed. This is perfect as I enjoyed watching some television while doing some work in the day, and also caught up on some news before heading to bed.
The workstation is located just beside the sofa and I like it, as it allows you to stay close to your family if you need to catch up on some work, and you can basically watch television with them this way, and consider it some quality family time too. The chair was comfortable, and I did not feel any aches working at the workstation. The best part was how I could just turn my chair and enjoy the view after working for some time, where I just looked out towards the Esplanade. This is really why you are booking a stay at Fairmont Singapore.
The bed, as with most hotels in the vicinity, was comfortable, and I enjoyed watching a movie by turning the television towards me while laying on the bed. Beside the bed is a make-up table, with its own hidden container. This is quite an old-school design but well appreciated. While this is rarely seen nowadays, I quite like the functionality of it.
Due to COVID-19, the television is your main source of information. Whether you wish to watch television, check out the room service menu, or even read the news, you go to the television. The entire menu is on the television, while QR codes are provided for access to The Straits Times and The New York Times. Admittedly, I have always preferred reading the newspaper on paper, but this is a necessary measure, not to mention a greener method, to catching up on news. I will have to get used to reading the newspaper on my mobile phone/laptop.
The bathroom is a modern beauty, with the colour scheme making it look spacious. With both a bathtub and standing shower, it is a good place to relax in the tub, catch a Netflix movie, before heading for a proper shower.
I really like the design of the bathroom, especially its colour scheme. I love how white and clean it looks, and I think it has a modern feel to it. Although it does contrast with the more classic look of the hotel room, I must say I really enjoyed the bathroom.
Toiletries are by Le Labo Fragrances, and the Rose 31 fragrance toiletries smell great. The bathroom slippers are also really comfortable, and I enjoyed walking around the room in those slippers!
Coffee and tea come in the form of Nespresso capsules and TWG tea, where 3 capsules (including one decaf option) and 4 tea bags should be adequate. However, there is of course the option of requesting more if you need more caffeine in your body.
Overall, this was quite an enjoyable stay, especially with the affordable promotion. I liked the views and loved the layout of the room. I can see myself staying here again, and hopefully, it will be at the South Tower!
Cost of Signature Suite: S$394.29 a night - stayed over a weekend in August 2020 (Note: This promotion came with a S$100.00 dining credit)
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