hotel tips for singapore and dubai

[Hobar]

we booked our own hotel for our 3/15/10 trip from singapore to dubai.

 

Expedia remains the best. $239/night for the Shangri-La in Singapore.

 

$315 for the Grand Hyatt on Dubai Creek in Dubai. also on expedia.

 

Grand Hyatt is one of the top 5 hotels according to a friend who goes there every six weeks and ex pats who live there.sure,if you want the 300 story hotel with sharks swimming in tanks in the lobby, then you can go around $450-600 night.

[wripro]

The Shangri-La in Singapore has three different wings, the Garden, the Tower and the Valley. Each wing offers different amenities, services and room quality. So be sure you are in the wing you prefer.

[ScottToronto]

Hi Hobar,

A good friend of mine (HS) from the USA highly recommended the St Regis Singapore. Check out the website, it looks absolutely amazing. A classy hotel in a fantastic location near Orchard Rd.

 

Regards,

ScottToronto

 

 

[Keith1010]

Hobar, you have come up with two solid hotels for your stays in Dubai and Sinapore.

 

If you do want to compare hotels, the St. Regis that Scott mentioned is also a nice one and is also in a nice location in Singapore for getting around.

 

Maybe, you'll start to see if better rates for Dubai given there situation. We were last there in 2007 when half the cranes in the world were over there. We will be there for a few days in 2010 and are interested in seeing what today's environment is like.

 

Keith

[Hambagahle]

Hobar

 

I know Singapore very well indeed, having travelled there very often for the last 35 years, and IMO there is no better hotel than the Shangri La. here are the good (and bad) points about the hotel:

 

Pros -

1. Its location in a very beautiful garden. This used to be lots bigger in the '70's, but it has been encroached on by the building of teh Gaden Wing and the Valley Wing, but it is still big enough to have a three hole pitch and putt course, a huge pool and a very interesting orchid garden! it is quiet...

2. because there are 3 distinct wings you can "tailor" your experience as you like. The Tower Wing is the original one, and has no balconies. The top floors of this are the Horizon Club, which is a great place for eening drinks. The lower floors are the cheapest rooms in the hotel and are quiet acceptable, with basically nice views. The Garden Wing is my favourite. All the rooms have balconies and those overlooking the pool have the best views. On the other side the rooms overlook the parking lot. The Valley Wing is the most up-market and includes a 24hr champagne bar free of charge!

3. The Sl has one of the best Chinese restaurants in Singapore, Shang palace. And it also has "The Line" a buffet restaurant open for breakfast lunch and dinner with many food stations with the cuisine of many different countries. this is a great place to eat!

4. Sl service is second to none.

 

Cons:

1. The location is a little way from the north of Orchard Road so you have to walk around 10minutes to get to the top of the road. There is a shuttle (free) which will take you to the Orchard underground station and if the heat is too much for you to walk you can always take this.

2. Because of No 1 above, you have to understand that the Sl is not in a shopping area. It is in a residential area.

 

I can't think of any other negatives. Most likely with a rate of $239 you will be in a room in the Tower Wing. This will be just fine. You will love the SL!!

[PebmarshPete]

It is many years since I visited Singapore on business but I loved the Shangri La - great to hear that it's still going strong:)

I've stayed at the Grand Hyatt Dubai more recently and room, service etc were all excellent!

Can't comment on value for money as I wasn't picking up the bill:D

[MJN1]

I am very biased as we LOVE the Shangri-La and having stayed in numerouis hotels in Singapore, always return to it. All the comments about it are spot on! Anothre plus are the Spa and the gym.

 

The Hyatt is yr typical branded chain hotel on a very busy road, not much green. St.Regis has spectacualr rooms, but is rather "cold" and the pool area is concrete and tiles.

 

Net, enjoy the green oasis of SL!

[meow!]

We visited Singapore just once for eight days in 1993 and stayed in the Holiday Inn at Old Orchard. It was quite good enough, and the location was great. Just walking out the hotel, there were countless street side food stalls (after sunset) with all the exotic food (if you like to eat them). The atmosphere was sensational. We read somewhere that recently, Singapore's omnipresent government had removed all those stalls and put them into buildings instead (is that true?) That will take away the Oriental atmosphere that many tourists will savour.

[Hobar]

all good suggestions.we stayed at the Four Seasons on Orchard in 2005. We like the area since my wife likes to do her morning run in the national gardens. a nice walk to the park.

 

the grand hyatt in dubai is on Burj Creek which is supposed to be nice. funny thing is, the Hyatt rate, Expedia rate and even the American Express rate were all the same since that is the least expensive time in Dubai.

[Wellseasoned]

Hobar, just another Dubai suggestion. In 2008 we stayed at the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers and found it to be very comfortable and convenient. A number of other Silversea passengers were there as well and enjoyed it. We ate at its restaurant (after discovering that Gordon Ramsey's Dubai restaurant was closed that day). We were not expecting much but were pleasantly surprised by excellent food with excellent service.

[PebmarshPete]

Hobar, just another Dubai suggestion. In 2008 we stayed at the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers and found it to be very comfortable and convenient. A number of other Silversea passengers were there as well and enjoyed it. We ate at its restaurant (after discovering that Gordon Ramsey's Dubai restaurant was closed that day). We were not expecting much but were pleasantly surprised by excellent food with excellent service.

 

I have stayed there too and found it very good - as in most Dubai hotels service was excellent!

[editor@cruisecritic]

I'll weigh in re Dubai. My husband and I were there for an overnight after a (great) Crystal cruise. We stayed in a really new place called The Address, right across a lagoon from the new tallest-building-in-the-world. The lagoon has a lovely water and light show, a'la Bellagio. And we were adjacent to the newest mall which (and I'm not a mall person) is the most beautiful I'd ever seen (loved the huge aquarium).

 

The hotel itself is sleek and contemporary but in a comfortable way. Lovely pool scene....

 

In Singapore (same trip, cruise was Singapore to Dubai) we stayed at the Fairmount. It was in a terrific location, otherwise think you can do better (also heard great things about the St. Regis). A lot of pre- and post-cruisers stay at the Ritz-Carlton but it's a bit out of the way.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

[Hobar]

Stayed at Four Seasons on previous trip to Singapore (Singapore to HK, via SB) and loved location and, as usual with 4 Seasons, cleanliness and service. Here great things about Shangri La, but is it as convenient to Orchard Road and the park (for my running) as is 4 Seasons?

[vjt]

For those who want to recapture the sense of the "old" Singapore, I cannot recommend Raffles enough. The suites, the butler service are fabulous, and the gardens are very colonial. Arriving as one does so often at a strange time, to have those on duty 24/7 to take care of you personally is wonderful. Try it!

 

Vicki

[scandun]

For those who want to recapture the sense of the "old" Singapore, I cannot recommend Raffles enough. The suites, the butler service are fabulous, and the gardens are very colonial. Arriving as one does so often at a strange time, to have those on duty 24/7 to take care of you personally is wonderful. Try it!

 

Vicki

 

Totally agree. And sorry to say Orchard road is for me the least impressive spot in Singapore. It is nothing special comparing to any famous shopping streets in any big city in Asia.

[Ainhoa]

Hello

Looks like we are on the same cruise and staying in the same hotel in Singapore beforehand. We are also staying in a Hyatt in Dubai, but the Park Hyatt which I think is further up the Creek from the Grand Hyatt. I wanted somewhere quiet, which I think is not easy in Dubai. Thanks to everyone for the information on Shangri-La. Reading on other sites I had begun to think it was a bit past it, so glad to know others still think well of it. Did you know there is building work going on next door, but will only affect the garden rooms (they say....:rolleyes: ). For one night, that isn't going to bother me. We will have flown overnight from UK so likely to be shattered on arrival in Singapore. In retrospect, it would have been a good idea to have booked at least two nights so that we could see something of Singapore. Ah well, I will know next time.

[Silver Spectre]

Hello

Looks like we are on the same cruise and staying in the same hotel in Singapore beforehand. We are also staying in a Hyatt in Dubai, but the Park Hyatt which I think is further up the Creek from the Grand Hyatt. I wanted somewhere quiet, which I think is not easy in Dubai. Thanks to everyone for the information on Shangri-La. Reading on other sites I had begun to think it was a bit past it, so glad to know others still think well of it. Did you know there is building work going on next door, but will only affect the garden rooms (they say....:rolleyes: ). For one night, that isn't going to bother me. We will have flown overnight from UK so likely to be shattered on arrival in Singapore. In retrospect, it would have been a good idea to have booked at least two nights so that we could see something of Singapore. Ah well, I will know next time.

 

If you are correct about staying in the Park Hyatt then you have made an excellent choice. It is by far and away the nicest hotel in Dubai (in my opinion anyway). Its quiet, has a great pool and extensive gardens, is easy walking distance to the Creek Golf Club, abutts the Marina, and has a very good choice of restaurants. It hit all the spots and more for my wife and I last year.

 

Enjoy.

[patnlcc]

We stayed in the Atlantis Palm in Dubai in Nov 08 - fabulous, and huge, so maybe not a good bet if you want something quiet

[chicagogal]

Another vote for the Four Seasons in Singapore! Great room, service, amenities and location.

[MrsWaldo]

I'm a Shang girl and TBH you cant go past the Valley Wing..last visit we got an upgrade to the Presidential Suite.

 

We've never had a noise issue and Singapore is often one big building site. Ask for pool view if worried about construction noise. Theres a nice run nearby up and aroun Leonie hill and Gardens but not thru parkland.