In the wake of my stay at Naka Island and before returning to France I stopped a few days in Singapore where I stayed at the Westin Singapore.
The Westin Sinpour has an excellent location in the business district
As usual the reservation was made via the spg.com website which guarantees me both a discount on the reservation and the guarantee of the lowest rate minus 20% if I find it cheaper elsewhere.
The hotel is very well located in the heart of the business district, about 15 minutes walk from the Marina Bay Sands and a few blocks from the Sofitel SO. This is not a problem at all for those who are considering a leisurely stay. Firstly because given the size of the city you can go very far in 20/30 minutes walking, secondly because the Singapore subway is very efficient and thirdly because if there is one thing that is affordable in Singapore it is the cabs.
The Westin Singapore is located in the upper floors of a tower in the business district.
The hotel is in the right tower and the gap you see between the base and the tower is where the pool is.
One thus enters a large hall and takes an elevator to reach the lobby which is in the higher floors.
The floor also features a large bar and seating areas.
Everything is very well arranged, we have a real impression of space, comfort, and sober class. Singapore spirit in short.
The reception is at the back.
The check-in is done impeccably in two minutes and I can reach my room. For this stay it will be a Junior Suite Sea View with Club access.
Westin Singapore, Junior Suite
The room is therefore on the upper floors.
It consists of a living room in the extension of the entrance…
…of a bedroom…
The two rooms communicate with a large bathroom equipped with a small dressing room and a large shower and bath.
Geeks will appreciate the TV integrated in the mirror. On the other hand it strangely does not include all the channels of the TV of the living room and is set differently… It allows you to watch the news while brushing your teeth or from the bottom of your bathtub.
And of course the video tour to end.
We are at the Westin, in a business district, and moreover in a hotel of modern construction in Singapore: the decoration is sober, modern and avoids any mistake of taste.
A matter of space and view…
Two remarks : If the size of the living room is perfect, the bedroom is a bit limited and lacks depth. One feels almost crushed between two walls.
The second is the view is not unique to this hotel in Singapore. It is sure that displaying a room “Sea View” it is very selling and in many cities it would be the proper of a superior room. Not here. In Singapore the sea view means “view on the harbor and the docks” and it is much less pretty.
Therefore, one would prefer “corner rooms” or “city view” which allow one to enjoy the view on the city or Marina Bay…but of course it’s more expensive, hence my choice made with full knowledge of the facts, but I’m not sure that a person who doesn’t know the city won’t be disappointed. Considering the price of hotels in Singapore, it is better to be aware of what you are paying.
But let’s not nitpick. We are far from the suite I had at the Grosvenor House in Dubai a few weeks earlier but we still reach a very high level of comfort.
A perfectly equipped room
You can find everything you need. In addition to the two TVs, there is a Nespresso machine, a large selection of teas and coffees, a well-stocked mini bar (which is becoming increasingly rare) and even a tray of chocolates as a welcome gift.
On the other hand, in addition to the port, the room gives a superb sight on the swimming pool below…and the buildings in construction. But we’ll talk about that later.
Sport and food, the Westin signature
The Westin’s positioning is quality of life. Bars and restaurants offer food and dishes with the Superfood label, chosen for their nutritional value and low calorie content.
As always at Westin, if you have forgotten your sports gear at home, you can rent some for $5 a day thanks to the partnership with New Balance.
Also for the running enthusiasts, a running concierge leaves every morning to guide the volunteers in a session through the city. For solo runners, just ask at the reception for the course map to go for a run in an unfamiliar city.
I say “an unfamiliar city” because for those who have already visited Singapore, the route around Marina Bay is surely the one that would come most naturally to mind even without outside advice.
Another Westin trademark is that when you return to the hotel after your session, the staff at the front door is quick to offer you a refreshing towel and a recovery drink before you even walk through the hotel door. An appreciable must when you know the local climate and the state in which the jogger arrives after having run for 40 minutes at 35° and 99% humidity.
The Westin Singapore: a high quality service package
In addition to this special attention the hotel offers:
- a well-equipped gym but I haven’t tried it
- a beautiful spa with quality treatments, a very friendly staff, a wide range of treatments and…a jacuzzi overlooking the city’s forest of buildings
- a large swimming pool with a large dining area and a vast solarium offering a breathtaking view of the city. Well, almost…
Let’s talk about the view from the pool. For the customer who relies on the official images, it should look like this…
Official photo from the website:
A photo framed the same way I did for my travel photos…and you will understand why.
In the meantime, here is the photo that for years and again last year was used for the promotion of the Westin Singapore but is no longer used since…
But Singapore is a growing city…so empty spaces don’t stay empty for long. The view I had at that time was…
Nothing to worry about. The infinity pool in the middle of the skyscrapers will also give a superb view…when the buildings are completed. In the meantime we are in an intermediate situation that is less pleasant for the view…and that may cause auditory discomfort for hotel guests during the day. (NB: My stay was in December 2015…these works will soon be a bad memory and the view must be close to becoming one of the most beautiful in the city again without however equaling that of the incomparable Marina Bay Sands).
Because it must be recognized that this swimming pool represents a living space and relaxation of great size very appreciable in full city center, in height, isolated from the noises of the city. You could spend your afternoon there and forget that you are in the heart of one of the most active business districts in the world.
A good club lounge
I did not try the hotel’s restaurants. The offer is sufficiently abundant and of good quality in Singapore to not stay in a hotel unless you have to.
On the other hand, I took my breakfasts and aperitifs in the lounge to which my room gave me access.
Even if we are clearly a step below the Level 5 of the Grosvenor House (but we are not in the same category of hotels) the offer of the Westin Singapore lounge is very consistent and of quality whether it is in the morning or at the aperitif time.
Enough for an aperitif… and even to skip the evening meal.
The lounge itself reflects the image of the hotel: sobriety, class, comfort.
An efficient check out
Finally, the check-out was also very efficient, a few minutes and the matter was settled.
I had been able to benefit from a late check-out but considering the departure time of my flight (after midnight) it was not enough. So I spent the afternoon and the beginning of the evening in town. I was given access to the spa so that I could shower, relax if necessary and change before heading back to the airport.
Conclusion: The Westin Singapore, quality, sobriety and promise kept
If we forget the inconvenience caused by the work around the building (which may have already been completed by the time you read this) I would say that…there is not much to say. When you book at a Westin in a city like Singapore you expect something and I got exactly what I expected. No more and certainly no less. The Singaporean way: a mixture of rigor, efficiency and elegance that suits me perfectly.
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