WHAT'S IT LIKE? Opened in May 2008, the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is the only hotel directly connected to Changi’s new Terminal 3. The property oozes modern style touches, with lobby furniture shaped like enormous pieces of fruit (melon slices for seats and blackberry clusters for cushions), and a lattice-work exterior with an eye-shaped hole in the middle, through which light floods into the open-air swimming pool area.
WHERE IS IT? There are two entrances to the hotel connected to the airport terminal. Level 1 (arrivals) takes guests into the reception and lobby lounge area, while Level 2 (departures) leads directly to Azur restaurant and Bar 75.
ROOM FACILITIES I was staying in a seventh-floor Deluxe room with views over one of the runways. All the rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, and views are of either one of the runways or the hotel’s gardens and swimming pool. The rooms are extremely comfortable with excellent facilities, including a large flatscreen TV, CD player with MP3 docking station, alarm clock, large desk with British, EU and US sockets, swivel lamp, stationery, and a laptop safe.
All rooms feature a king-size bed, sofa and coffee table, plenty of storage space, tea and coffee facilities and ironing equipment. The bathroom had a large walk-in shower, a stylish curved bath and basin, a hairdryer, and plenty of light – the dividing wall between the bathroom and the bedroom is glass, with a lotus-flower pattern on it, which allows guests to watch the TV while showering (a blind can be pulled down for privacy). The rooms have a Seventies feel to them, with flower patterns on the walls and a colourful green, brown and white carpet, but are anything but dated. Wired internet access is available in the rooms and wifi throughout the hotel, charged at S$33 (£14) for 24 hours. Club guests have access to the stylish third-floor Crowne Plaza Club, which can seat 100 people and features private check-in, free breakfast and evening drinks, and use of a meeting room where available.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Located on Level 1 are the Lobby Lounge, serving snacks and drinks (open 8.30am-11.30pm), and Imperial Treasure for Cantonese Chinese dishes (open 10.30am-10.30pm). Upstairs on Level 2 is Bar 75, a sports bar open from 3pm, and Azur, an all-day dining restaurant with two open kitchens and a smart slate, blue and brown décor, where a good range of Western and Asian breakfast choices is served (open 6am-11.30pm).
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES The meeting facilities are spread over Levels 1 and 2, with eight room choices and 950 sqm of events space. The largest of the rooms can accommodate 250 delegates banquet-style. The business centre is located on Level 2 and is open from 7am-10pm Monday to Friday, and 9am-10pm at weekends. Facilities include internet usage (S$51/£22 per hour), faxing, photocopying, printing and binding.
LEISURE FACILITIES The pool at this hotel slipped under our radar when we were compiling our list of the 50 best city hotel swimming pools for our September issue. It is a fantastic space, with a 30-metre outdoor pool, hugged by a U-shaped building forming a sort of atrium. The main pool is connected to a maze of water-filled alleyways in between palm tree “islands”, along with jetties where guests can hang their feet over the sides and look down through glass ceilings into the public areas of the hotel below. There is also a 24-hour gym and four treatment rooms on the same level.
VERDICT A fantastic hotel which ticks pretty much every box. Great location, modern rooms without being showy, superb swimming pool and well thought-out public areas – a first-class addition to Changi’s hotel offering.
Fact file
HOW MANY ROOMS? 320, including 293 Deluxe rooms (28 twin and 265 king) and 27 suites.
ROOM HIGHLIGHTS Plenty of light from the floor-to-ceiling windows and great facilities, from the latest technology to the large walk-in showers in the bathroom.
PRICES Fully flexible internet rates for a midweek stay in early December started from S$283 (£120) for a Deluxe king room.
CONTACT Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, 75 Airport Boulevard; tel +65 6823 5300; crowneplaza.com.
Mark Caswell
