Hotel review: Fairmont Singapore

Fairmont Singapore offers 778 guestrooms and suites, as well as 13 different restaurants and bars where guests can indulge in Japanese, Italian, and Cantonese cuisine to name a few. Located in the bustling riverside neighbourhood opposite Raffles hotel, business travellers will find the hotel convenient due to its location and amenities. The hotel also houses one of Asia’s largest spas.

The recently renovated South Tower of the Fairmont Singapore re-opened in November this year. The hotel partnered with interior design company Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA). The refurbishment of the 403-room tower involved introducing new amenities, redesigned lift lobbies, as well as renovated interiors of the rooms and the corridors.

Guests will be greeted with a vibrant piece of artwork hanging right behind the check-in counter. Called “Diversity”, this print out on textile instantly sets the mood in the lobby.

Checking into the hotel took about five minutes. There was no line when I arrived (around 9 pm) and the lobby area seemed lively without being overcrowded. The staff member helping me was friendly, upbeat and answered all my questions about the hotel, including the artwork. I was offered help in bringing my luggage to the room, but I was happy just strolling it along myself since it was quite small and lightweight.

The Fairmont Singapore is  located in city’s Civic District within the Raffles City complex, which houses a convention centre and a shopping mall. There’s the Raffles City Shopping Centre in the same complex, a five-storey mall with 200 shops. There are also a number of restaurants close to the hotel.

From Singapore Changi Airport, it is a 30-minute taxi ride to the hotel. Alternatively, guests can take the train on the East-West line from Changi Airport, transfer at Tanah Merah and continue to City Hall MRT Station. Fairmont Singapore is located above City Hall MRT Station.

The hallways leading up to my room on the 15th floor have a dark and dim colour scheme. There was an interesting arrow shaped, black and wood sculpture between my room and the one next to mine.

This dark colour scheme is carried over into the bedroom and exudes a serious, business-oriented look. I stayed in the 45 sqm deluxe room in the South Tower which overlooked the hotel pool.

The room has one king-size bed. There’s a phone, power sockets, buttons to adjust room lighting and an alarm clock near the bed. The black, spaced out lines behind the bed and the small, cylindrical, black-and-white lamps which hung near each side of the bed gave the room a sleek and modern look.

There’s a TV opposite the bed:

There is also a dark work-friendly desk with a lamp and comfortable swivel chair facing the window:

Near the bed, there’s a glossy cabinet with a refrigerator stocked with alcoholic drinks and water. The hotel also provides guests with a water bottle which they can re-fill. However, there’s no free water offered by the hotel, though I was too tired to call down and ask for some.

Near the TV, a small sofa chair is placed close to a tall coffee table.

The bathroom is modern in its design, with grey marbled floors and walls as well as  black decor. One of the standout features here is the rim around the bathroom mirror which lights up.

A wide selection of Rose 31 amenities were provided by the hotel:

The shampoo, conditioner and body wash were also from Rose 31. They were quite fragrant and made my hair feel soft.

The bathroom has a both a bathtub and a walk-in shower.

The room offers two lighting options. One of the light settings is more dim and warm, while the other is brighter and better for working. There’s also a convenient master switch that turns on/off all the lights.

There’s a closet with a hairdryer, an iron, and a safety deposit box near the door.

The hotel has 13 different dining options. I had breakfast at Prego, an Italian restaurant which recently reopened its doors after renovation.

A very jolly man, who was a staff member, wearing a top hat greeted me at the entrance of the hotel.

Fans of vintage art will really appreciate this place, as its full of hand painted old posters of classical Italian brands. The deep emerald green leather upholstered booth benches, mosaic tiles and large windows that allow for plenty of natural sunlight create a refreshing atmosphere – the perfect place for breakfast.

There’s a wide selection of breakfast food here. At the entrance, you will find basic breakfast food such as bread, cereal, baked goods, oatmeal and hash browns. In the middle of the restaurant, there’s a section with desserts such as cake, cookies, and chocolate fondue and also more Asian-style cuisine. All the way to the back is an egg station which had very quick service. The dark coffee here was incredible. I usually only have one cup of coffee in the morning, but I had to go for a second here and ended up being a bit jittery all day, but it was worth it. The staff was also very friendly and attentive at Prego.

There’s plenty of seats here, including seats for single travellers that are laptop-friendly.

The hotel has a fitness centre that’s open 24 hours. There’s also a spa called Willow Stream Spa which the hotel said is one of Asia’s largest wellness and spa facilities with over 50,000 sq feet of space.

This is a business traveller friendly hotel due to its central location, high-speed internet access and a convenient room that works well as a workplace. The room was spacious, modern in its design and equipped with key amenities and the staff helping me in the lobby and in the restaurant Prego were friendly. Overall, a good choice for those travelling for work.

• Best for… The central location.
• Don’t miss... Breakfast at Prego.
• Price…Starting price for a Deluxe Room is $359 SGD (US$264) per night.
• Contact…+ 65 6339 7777, 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore, www.fairmont.com/singapore