Hotel Review: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Marina Bay Sands - the exterior is absolutely impressive (note: picture taken from MBS website).

On a trip to Singapore in May 2013 I had the opportunity to stay at the Marina Bay Sands (www.marinabaysands.com/‎).  This iconic five star hotel is one of the defining points on the city's skyline, with an infinity pool stretching across the top which is advertised as among the best in the world.

Infinity Pool - appears relaxing with a phenomenal view (note: picture taken from MBS website).

If you don't want to take my word on the pool, Google "Best Infinity Pools" and have a glance at the lists that come up.  Here are my top 3 results:

• http://www.elitetraveler.com/travel-news/the-10-best-infinity-pools
• http://twistedsifter.com/2010/07/25-stunning-infinity-pools-worldwide/
• http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/top-hotels/photos/worlds-coolest-pools-infinity-and-beyond

Warning: pictures in the above links may result in uncontrollable cravings for expensive vacations.  

We booked this hotel after reading a mixture of reviews, some solid and some more wary.  Sometimes you just have to take a chance.  The price was on the higher-end for Singapore, and we booked a premier room on an upper floor with a city view which added to the cost.  We wanted the full experience, and were expecting it to be an excellent end to a phenomenal trip.

Having been there, I now understand the mixed reviews better.  There are definite pros to this hotel, but there are undeniable cons as well.

Top 5 Pros:

1. Location:  The location was phenomenal in terms of access to tourist attractions in Singapore.  It is attached to the metro and there were numerous taxis always available.  This makes transit in the city a breeze.

The hotel is also attached to a shopping mall that could distract for hours with both high-end and more economical options, as well as dozens of restaurants and cafes.  I would recommend Au Chocolate, which had delectable designer deserts.   Restaurants in Singapore aren't cheap, but they are consistently good.

As an aside, I'll note that I went back and forth to the airport on two separate occasions from the Marina Bay Sands.  In each case I paid completely different rates depending on the taxi. There was a system in place, so it would be worth looking into if you want to accurately set your expectations.

2. Rooms:  The rooms were clean and well-kept. They were what you would expect from a five star property, with plenty of space, free bottled water and excellent amenities (the brand specific was to the Marina Bay Sands but good quality).  

Of note, the bathrooms were the size of most backpacker dorm rooms, but the beds were replaced with bathtubs and the floors were marble.  Plus, no cockroaches.  Score!

Entry to the room was sleek and classy.

The bathroom included an impressive bathtub.  You could have a party in that thing!

The shower and toilet were separate enclosures, making the bathroom seem even more spacious.

The bedroom was spacious, with floor to ceiling windows that had phenomenal views of the city.

3. Hotel layout:

The layout of the hotel as well as it's size means you aren't pressed for options.  There is a casino on-site, shows can be booked, a light show in the evening over the bay, multiple bars and restaurants, and a shopping mall you can really dig your credit card into.  Beyond that, the finer touches such as the greenery and the fountains make for impressive viewing.

Fountain in the adjoining shopping mall.  The water swirls impressively in the bowl overhead, the bottom occasionally opening so it can flow to the pond below.

Hotel lobby.

4. Gym & Yoga studio:  The gym was the highlight of the entire hotel. QED.

It's located on the 55th floor of Tower 2, just below the pool.  If you're afraid of heights, avoid it (you actually should probably avoid the entire hotel if that's the case!).  The gym is built into the base separating the hotel from the pool above.  It has floor to ceiling glass glass windows that overlook the city from all sides, including a corner devoted to yoga that is absolutely decadent   The gym equipment is new, clean and well-maintained, with staff supervising and cleaning after each guest (no need to touch a spray bottle here!).  

Though I was unimpressed with the staff in the hotel overall, the gym was an exception.  I visited it twice during my stay and both times I was impressed with the consistency and quality of the service.

Yoga studio with impressive views over the city.

The gym had numerous treadmills and cardio machines facing the wall of glass.

Seating in the gym.

Weight equipment in the gym.

5. Infinity Pool: The pool was impressive, but most pictures I saw online do a poor job of showing how busy it is. This isn't a serene, calm area. There are children and they aren't necessarily being watched closely by their parents. Additionally, the pool isn't heated and the contrast to the outside air is a bit shocking. Though this pool ranks on the top lists in the world, I can't help but feel it was a bit of a disappointment in terms of the 'serenity-factor'.

Without a doubt the pool has the wow-factor, but it's an enormous draw for the hotel and that's reflected in the number of guests that use it.

Infinity pool.  The view was impressive, but it wasn't as calm as other pictures suggest.

The news isn't all chocolate and roses though.  There were definitely some rotten apples tossed into the mix, and while I could overlook a couple things going wrong I was surprise that some of these issues could even have arisen let alone that I would be forced to deal with each of them over the course of a 3-day stay.

Top 5 Cons:

1. Bellboys & luggage: Upon arrival, there were no bellboys to help with our luggage.  It was only after I had brought our bags to the curb that someone came around.  We were the only car arriving at that point and it wasn't the middle of the night.

Once our luggage was tagged, it was taken away to be held until we received a room.  Given there was a delay receiving rooms for all guests, they should have advised of this and asked if we needed anything before taking our bags.  This proved a challenge on multiple fronts, the most frustrating being that we were completely overdressed for the weather and though they offered pool access we weren't able to use it because we didn't have our bathing suits.  

This isn't a major issue, but bell staff should have known there was a delay and held off taking the bags so quickly.

2. Check-in & changing rooms: We arrived in the morning and no rooms were available.  I was told several times that the hotel was under no obligation to provide a room earlier than 3pm and that if I wanted the room I had requested I could pay for an additional night.  I understand there is a risk showing up early for check in, however I've never had an issue in the past with hotels in Singapore.  I asked what options I had outside of paying 500 SGD to get a room, and was told our room would be ready at 3pm (premier city view with 2 twin beds), or we could alternatively take (i) a room without a view earlier, or (ii) a room with a single king bed and a pull-out in 2 hours.  I was told that if I took any room before 3pm I would not be able to change later, and that I may have to take a downgraded room the following day.  I took the king room and changed the following day to a room on a lower floor (we were in Kuala Lumpur for the day so we only learned where we would be when we returned around 9pm).  Both rooms had gorgeous views, however my interactions with the front desk staff were frustrating and left a bad impression.

Again, I don't view this as a major issue but it was a frustrating first impression.

3. Hospitality suite: While we were waiting to be assigned a room it was suggested we could get coffee and snacks from the cafe, however there is no seating in the lobby.  After speaking to several staff members in different areas, I was told that the front desk could offer a hospitality suite upon request.  I find it odd that I had to ask around to even be informed this was an option.  

When we arrived, the hospitality suite was overcrowded and filthy.  The garbage was overflowing, tissues were strewn on the floor, and empty water bottles were everywhere.  This is a five star hotel and no effort was made to ensure it was kept respectable.  Given it was the only seating option for guests waiting for a room, I was absolutely stunned.

4. Printing a boarding pass: I had a day trip to Kuala Lumpur while visiting Singapore.  I checked in for my flight and went to the business center to print off my boarding passes at 8pm.  At this point I found out that the business center was closed, even though the sign had said it was open until 10pm.  My mistake, I didn't realize it was a national holiday and there was no signs indicating such.  Instead I approached the concierge desk where I explained that I needed to print off a boarding pass for an early morning flight.  I was told that this wouldn't be possible.

I'm sorry?

Here I am standing in a five star hotel being told that a very common, simple request cannot be accommodated.  I don't think I've ever had this issue before, and I told your staff as much.  When they stated again that they couldn't help, I reminded them that they were working for a five star hotel and they should "figure it out".

They did at that point, but the latter half of this conversation shouldn't have been necessary.  

5. Room cleaning: On our third day in Singapore I took my mother sightseeing in the city.  We left the room around 8am and I put the "maid service please" indicator on before we left.  When we returned at 4pm the room had not been cleaned.  I double checked at that point that I hadn't accidentally put the "do not disturb" up, but this wasn't the case.

I called down and was told that someone would be up in about an hour.  I asked if it could be any sooner, but was told it would be as soon as possible which was in that time frame.  

My mother wanted to have a nap, so I changed the sign to "do not disturb" and went down to the concierge desk in Tower 1 (on my way to the gym).  I asked them if there was an issue (usually cleaning staff leave around 4-5pm), received their apologies and was told housekeeping was available 24 hours a day so they could delay for an hour for my mother's nap.  They then called housekeeping to confirm that we would call when we were ready for service.

When I returned to my room from the gym an hour later my mother informed me that they had called to tell us they were ready to clean the room but couldn't go around the "do not disturb" sign.  This was roughly 10 minutes after I had spoken to the concierge.  They had then come in to clean the room as my mother was now awake.

Another scenario that was unnecessary.  Having a "maid service please" sign on the room all day long shouldn't have been ignored.  

I can't say that I've ever run into any of the issues above in Singapore before.  Realistically, a few issues I can live with but in this case I felt as though I was a training opportunity for the staff.  We paid for a premier room with a city view for three nights, but we also paid for good service and I was really stunned and disappointed by what was delivered.

I'm not in the habit of writing feedback directly to hotels, but I did send my comments to the Marina Bay Sands.  They took the feedback seriously and noted that they had looked up camera footage to confirm, but in the end the message sent back to me was basically a "thank you for your feedback, we hope you stay with us next time you're in Singapore".

Let's be honest here, Singapore is Five-Star-Hotel-Land.  It's a beautiful city with a ton of options.  While the pros for the Marina Bay Sands are good, the frustratingly inconsistent service easily outweighs them.  Will I stay there again?  No, and I wouldn't recommend you do either.

Airport Experiences: In Love with SIN

I think I’m in love.

There, I’ve said it.  It’s not what you think though.  I’m not in love with Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome, I’m still waiting for him to show up.  No, don’t laugh but I’m in love with an airport.

Crazy?

Yeah, I know.  I SO know.  But after a lifetime of airports treating me as one of the many, how can I not be enamored by the first one who pays attention to my needs as an individual? 

Let me gush for a minute here.  Girly, yes, but guys should hold on as well because it’s not all pink bows and pantyhose. 

My affair is with Changi International Airport (SIN).  Located in Singapore, this gem of an airport comes with a city touted as a shopping and botanical garden haven with the best collection of five star hotels I’ve ever come across.

Why indulge in SIN?  How about:

1.       Shopping

Sure, they have duty free shops for your booze, chocolate and cosmetic addiction, but SIN’s shopping experience is more similar to a mall than to your average airport.  High end offerings include Tiffany’s, Miu Miu, BLVGARI, Bally, Burburry, etc., but you also have options for those not wanting to drop hundreds or thousands on a single item.  On a recent pass through I picked up a really neat shirt at Cotton, a shop in T2 where the average price per item is about $10.  Bring your credit card anyways, it’s fantastically fun shopping here. 

Note: even though security for SIN is at the gates, most flights allow passengers to bring liquids they have purchased in the airport on board.

2.       Orchid Garden

Can you imagine sitting in an airport admiring the flowers?  Perhaps watching the coy as they swim past, while reading a few chapters of your favorite book.  The orchids themselves are a gardener’s dream, with both standard varieties and hybrids on offer.  Gardeners use with caution or risk missing your flight.

3.       Sunflower Garden

This is a simple outdoor garden on the roof of Terminal 2.  Along with the rows of sunflowers and a bit of fresh air, the airplane geek in you can stretch his wings and enjoy fantastic views of planes as they taxi to the gates nearby.

 

4.       Distractions for Children

Have a screaming, bored, overly energetic, troublesome child?  Perhaps more than one?  Need a distraction to keep from murdering them?  You have options!  My favorite was an area where crayons and paper were set out, with the option of creating your own art or doing one of several rubbings.  All I saw were happy children and happy adults around this table.

5.       Movie Theatre

Recent Hollywood blockbusters on offer 24/7.  It’s a small theatre with couches laid out in front of a large screen.  Show times are listed outside, and passengers come and go as they please.  This is a great area to kick back, put your feet up, and catch that movie you were sorry you missed.

6.       Gaming

Guys, this is the point at which most of you will start looking for flights.  The Entertainment Zone has several blocks of PS3s available with 2 controllers each and multiple games on offer.  Additionally, there is a LAN gaming room set behind glass which offers the ultimate indulgence.  All free, of course.

7.       Relaxation Zone

Every traveller knows there’s a point where you just need to sit down for a bit.  Perhaps take a power nap, or just rest wickedly tired feet before going at it again.  Comfy chairs abound in creative nooks around the airport, offering both brief and prolonged respite from the trials of vacationing.

8.       Personal TVs and group videos

Missing your TV?  Not a problem.  TVs abound in SIN.  Just take a seat, grab the remote, and enjoy.

 

9.       Digital Postcards

Feeling disconnected from the rest of the world?  Wanting a Facebook post that will truly inspire jealousy?  How about a digital postcard which you can email to yourself or post on the giant backboard for other passengers to see?  Say cheese!

10.    Internet Voice Chat

Now that you’ve seen and done it all, it’s time to rub it in.  Call your lover, call your friends, or call your parents and tell them all about it using these internet voice chat consoles.  Just don’t spend too long, there is so much more to see and do before your flight!

Of course there is free WiFi throughout the airport, as well as computers if you haven’t brought your own. 

Obviously this is a big airport, and I can hear you whining about the distances you need to cover.  Trains run between terminals at 4 minute intervals, and there are guides available to help you map out your course.  If you’re wondering how long it will take you to get to your gate, consider one of the electronic maps which not only gives you step by step directions, but offers a “print” function so you can take them along.

I know!  Cool, right? 

Post indulgence, there are a plethora of options for munchies, transit lounges where you can sleep it off, a pool on the roof where you can work on your tan, and a gym where you can train for round 2.  Better yet, just keep going as my list doesn’t cover half of what is actually available.

So here’s to avoiding all the advice we ever heard about love at first sight and not falling for the first pretty face.  Screw waiting, screw patience.  We want what we want, and we want it now.  So here’s to falling in love with SIN.  I have, have you?