Singapore hotel

[Solent Richard]

On 7/19/2023 at 12:29 AM, paulco said:

I would stay at The Raffles if the budget permitted.  Had a beer in the long bar in 2010 QM2 WC port call.  Loved the place!

Hi there @paulco Only a beer? 😃

 

Couldn't resist stretching our budget to  the full Monty - aka Singapore Slings....

 

 

******

 

 

 

[paulco]

Yes and it was $18 US and the service was unfriendly at best but I still loved it.  A little slice of history!

[lincslady]

I believe the mix is premade nowadays, and comes out of a container, not the individual cocktail making it was in years gone by.  Not quite the same glamorous ambiance.

[Victoria2]

57 minutes ago, paulco said:

Yes and it was $18 US and the service was unfriendly at best but I still loved it.  A little slice of history!

13 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I believe the mix is premade nowadays, and comes out of a container, not the individual cocktail making it was in years gone by.  Not quite the same glamorous ambiance.

 

It's sort of history.

We've not been to Raffles for nearly forty years so not sure of any drink mix or ambiance, but the original Long Bar was on the ground floor of the hotel but was moved early 90s to the arcade.

 

We had drinks [and peanuts]  a few times in the pre moved Long Bar in the mid 80's and also did the touristy thing and took a bus tour which included ahotel tour with some visitors and quite frankly, was embarrassed to be seen sort of gawking at residents as we filed through the hotel and I can understand why the hotel moved the bar and was removed from any tourist trail.

 

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Victoria2

[lincslady]

Yes, I fear Raffles has become a real tourist attraction these days, which has probably spoilt the old ambiance a bit.  Some 35 years ago we were taken by locals to Sunday Tiffin - a lovely curry lunch, with an old fashioned atmosphere,  and I think soon after it became to some extent a stop  off for cruise and other tourist coach trips.

 

There ae some fabulous hotels in Singapore, possibly putting Raffles in the shade now for luxury.

[funtastic]

As Singapore is my home, it would be remiss of me not to contribute to this thread and, at the same time, genuinely make everyone feel welcomed.

 

As already mentioned in earlier posts, I would not skip a heartbeat to second the Marina Bay Sands at the waterfront for its glorious view of the city's skyline and its proximity to Gardens by the Bay for its magical experience in the early evening when everything slowly light up. Runner-up would be the Shangri-la tucked away at the top end of Orchard Road for its unsurpassed ambience. 

 

The icing on the cake is definitely to welcome you, or fly you home, on our national carrier, Singapore Airlines for the ultimate inflight experience. If you had already booked your flight, cancel it!  

[lincslady]

Loved the Shangri-La hotel - especially its Chinese restaurant, and also Singapore airlines.

[Patria21]

I had hoped to book the Marina Bay Sands for a night when the QM2 stops there on March 22. I contacted the hotel directly and unfortunately all the rooms are blocked out from February 29 to March 24 for a large group. (I wasn't told what the group is.) I'll probably keep an eye on the hotel anyway because sometimes groups end up being smaller than expected and rooms are released. But for the time being, it isn't possible to book a room there.

[Solent Richard]

12 hours ago, funtastic said:

As Singapore is my home, it would be remiss of me not to contribute to this thread and, at the same time, genuinely make everyone feel welcomed.

 

As already mentioned in earlier posts, I would not skip a heartbeat to second the Marina Bay Sands at the waterfront for its glorious view of the city's skyline and its proximity to Gardens by the Bay for its magical experience in the early evening when everything slowly light up. Runner-up would be the Shangri-la tucked away at the top end of Orchard Road for its unsurpassed ambience. 

 

The icing on the cake is definitely to welcome you, or fly you home, on our national carrier, Singapore Airlines for the ultimate inflight experience. If you had already booked your flight, cancel it!  

 

Couldn't agree more @funtastic, two class acts...

 

 

********

 

I also remember what, at the time way back in 1965, was a class hotel at the top of Orchard Road, the Hotel Singapura. I have a photograph of myself at the Pebbles Bar which I recall was a good staring point before heading to Bugis Street at midnight...

[Solent Richard]

3 hours ago, Patria21 said:

I had hoped to book the Marina Bay Sands for a night when the QM2 stops there on March 22. I contacted the hotel directly and unfortunately all the rooms are blocked out from February 29 to March 24 for a large group. (I wasn't told what the group is.) I'll probably keep an eye on the hotel anyway because sometimes groups end up being smaller than expected and rooms are released. But for the time being, it isn't possible to book a room there.

Sorry to hear that. I just checked our last stay and it was between 2nd and 7th of March.

 

So I guess they must have something big going on as even BDC can offer no availability.