Sheraton Towers Singapore
The Sheraton Towers is located just 100 m from the MRT Station Newton; so you can reach the airport and the most places of interest by public transportation easily. Orchard Road could be reached walking along Scotts Road in around 10 to 15 minutes or in two minutes by MRT.
The hotel is an older property (opened 1985) and has 420 rooms. I has undergone a renovation in the past and rooms were redone in 2012 and early 2013. The hotel also built a new Executive Lounge and a new gym close to the outdoor pool.
The hotel has a quite large and impressive lobby. One enters the hotel via a driveway and there are bellboys to assist you, opening doors, calling a taxi and helping with luggage. The check in desks are on the left side while the restaurant “The Dining Room” and the staircase to the lower / higher floor is opposite and to the left of the entrance. The design of the lobby is okay, not the modern design one could expect today and using darker colours which one would most likely not use today anymore.
There are four desks to check guest in and out. Usually there are three agents available during the usual rush hour in the morning and afternoon, while later in the day or in the early morning only one or two agents are on duty.
The hotel offers different room categories, Deluxe, Executive, Tower Pool / Tower Terrace, Cabana Rooms, Premium Suites.
Deluxe / Executive
Deluxe rooms measuring 323 square feet (approximately 30 square meter) and offer a work desk and two arm chairs along with a table. The bed is comfortable and the design contemporary. The Bathroom has a sink, bath and toilet. The Executive room have the same size than the Deluxe Room but the amenities are more oriented to the Business Traveler and they come with free broadband internet.
Tower Terrace / Tower Pool
On the fifth floor are 16 Towers Terrace and 8 Towers Pool rooms. Each of the 16 Tower Terrace Room has an attached balcony with two chairs and provides a private area for guests to relax and enjoy the pleasure of the outdoors. The Towers Pool Room offers direct access to the outdoor pool from the balcony. Guests staying in these rooms have also access to the Sheraton Club Lounge.
Cabanas
Also located on the fifth floor there are six exclusive Cabanas Rooms. One has to pass the pool area to reach these rooms and they are not part of the main building and offer more privacy and retreat. Guest staying in Cabana Room can also access the club lounge.
The hotel has also a number of suites, which are located on the higher floors.
The Club Lounge was added a couple of years ago. The access to the lounge could be bought for an additional fee if one is staying in deluxe or executive rooms. The club lounge is located on the third floor and facing Scotts Road. It was designed by well know company Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), which was in charge for the interior design of countless hotels around the globe.
The design is not uncommon for a club lounge but nevertheless more opulent than what one would expect nowadays. HBA has chosen a cool snowy grey palette with red and black accents. Furnishings are plush and contemporary, including the funky light sconces. It is different from what one is expecting today and for example the Hilton used: a warm soft color scheme.
The lounge is divided into three distinct areas separated by sideboards. There is also a library / movie room for up to 14 people permitting them to read or watch a movie from an LCD TV mounted onto a backlit onyx feature wall. WiFi is offered throughout the lounge, in addition there are two computers offering access to the internet and with its own printer (good if you want to print boarding passes). One agent is on duty at the entrance to the lounge and assisting guests.
A continental breakfast with the usual spread of rolls, cheese, confiture, fresh fruit, cereals and pastries but also scrambled eggs, sausages, fried rice and dim sum is available daily from 6.30am to 10.30am. Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are set out on the buffet counter in the evenings from 17:30 to 19:30.
The hotel has different food outlets.
The Dining Room is located at the Lobby Level and open for breakfast from 06:00 to 10:30m lunch 12:00 to 14:30 and dinner from 18:30 to 23:30. Breakfast is a buffet with a wide array of international dishes. Available are a wide selection of fresh fruits, yoghurts, cereals, eggs done to your liking and a good spread of breads. Available are also little burgers, dims sum, fried rice and fried noodle. Fresh juices are also available.
Lunch is available as buffet or a la carte while dinner is a la carte but the hotel offers a desert buffet a part of the menu.
The ambiance of the dinner room is on the one had not very cozy, as the restaurant is open to the lobby but it is overlooking a fish pond with water fall. And while breakfast is a busy time, the evening is more quiet the seating not as narrow as during breakfast.
DOMVS, the Italian Restaurant is also located at the Lobby Level and open for lunch from 11.30 to 14.30 and for dinner from 18:30 to 22:30. The interior design was also designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates, with a neutral color scheme with accents in black color, giving the restaurant a classic yet modern feel. A nice accent is the bottle rack made from glass so one can get a glimpse into the (show) kitchen.
Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant is located on the Lower Lobby Level and open for lunch daily except Sunday from 11:30 to 14:30 and dinner daily 18:30 to 22:30. On Sunday from 10:30 to 14:30 Yum Cha is served. The hotel serves Cantonese cuisine in the tradition of grand Emperors. And the design of the restaurant name after famous poet Li Bai followed its cuisine with drawings from the poet's classic lyrical poems
The Lobby Bar is open daily from 9.00am to 1.00am. It is part of the main lobby and offers a cozy but elegant setting. Available are coffee, tea and of course cocktails. Between 14:00 and 17:00 the lobby bar serves either a Japanese Afternoon Tea or English Afternoon Tea with Chocolate Fondue.
The Pool Bar is next to the pool and open daily from 11:00 to 19:00. The hotel has also a patisserie.
The Fitness Centre is open 24 hours. It is professionally manned from 6.30 to 22:00 and open to hotels guests but people from outside the hotel could access it for a fee as well. It has its own building next to the pool and offers modern state-of-the-art equipment overlooking the outdoor swimming pool. Available are cardio-vascular and strength machines and accessories for a thorough workout.
Sauna room and Steam rooms are available in the changing rooms for the pool and are old fashioned and small. The pool is open from 06:30 to 22:00 but as there are no locked doors, one could access it 24 hours.
The Spa is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 and the rates are quite high.
The Business Center is open 24 hour and located on the third floor close to the club lounge. It provides guests with Internet workstations with broadband access, conference call facilities and color printers. Professional secretariat services are also available.
Stays October 19, 2004 - May 08, 2011 - May 12, 2011 - May 31, 2013 - June 01, 2013
Visited on RTW 2004 Trip - Asian Adventure 2011 - Weekend in Singapore
Arrival
Date: 19 October 2004
Departure Date: 21 October 2004
Room type
booked: Standard
Rate Plan: Special Promotion via
Asia-Hotels.com
Room Number: ???
Room Rate: 111.00 US$ (incl.
breakfast, tax and service charge
Status
of Guest Program: SPG Gold
It was some minutes to 7.00 in the morning as I entered the lobby. I was the only one during this early hour at check in, but I noticed that a few guest were having breakfast in the Dining Room.
I handed my SPG card over and asked if it was possible to have an early check it, which I requested by Telefax and E-Mail (the only answer was, they had put a note, but not any word if it was possible) or at least could use the gym / pool area to refresh myself. The agent informed me that I had to pay “a half a day rate” (55 US$) and pointed out that this was not a qualifying stay. This fact was a little bit annoying, because this was the reason why I asked for an early check in and the costs for it. As I would like to have two or three hours of sleep and a hot shower, I accepted this, but pointed out, that I requested this information earlier by e-mail and it would have been nicer, if I had received this information already by e-mail. To my surprise, the agent changed her mind and told me as she just noticed I will leave early she will waive the fee as I am SPG Gold. It seems we had a bad start here … I thanked her and one of the bell boys guided me to my room and showed me the room.
The room was okay and had the usual layout of a hotel room. After stepping into the room one was in a small hallway, which leads to the main room. On the left side was the entrance to the bathroom while the closet was on the opposite side with in room safe.
The bathroom showed is age. It offered a bath with shower, a sink and a toilet. A big mirror was behind the sink which became foggy after a shower. Towels were provided for two persons and changed daily.
The room had a bed on the left side along with two bedside tables with a central unit to turn the lights in the room on and off as well as the “do not disturb sign”. Two armchairs with a small table were placed in front of the window. Opposite the bed were the TV and the working desk. The later was large enough to place papers next to a laptop. Sockets were available close to the desk, so charging a laptop was not a problem.
A minibar and tea and coffee facilities were also available.
The room was in good condition but began to show its age and had also a few stains in the carpet and scratches at the furniture. The design was using dark brown colours making the room quite dark.
Breakfast was good, but from my point of view the selection was not as good as in other hotels in Singapore. On the other side, you could order a fresh handmade fruit juice, which tasted very good and was refreshing. And the restaurant was quite busy during peak time and the staff had difficulties to clear used tables and prepare them for the next guest.
The gym seems to be okay (did not use it) and the pool is big and nice. It could easily accessed from the rooms as the entrance to the pool area is right beside the elevator. The changing room was dated, the water pressure in the shower was low and the room looked a little bit dirty and run down. But I think the changing room is not used often, as the most guests come to the pool in their bathrobe.
Check out was fast, the folio correct.
Will I return? Depending on what the hotel is charging for a regular room, there are better options for someone not holding status with SPG. The easy access to public transportation is an advantage of the hotel and if offers a pool and a gym. But on the other hand the breakfast selection during this stay was not the best (but I was both times late and they might not have restocked it). There are better options (e.g. Conrad) which offer a better value for money. But I will also monitor, if the renovate the hotels and decided if I give them again a try.
Arrival Date: May 08, 2011
Departure Date: May 09, 2011
Room type booked: Deluxe (got Towers Terrace)
Rate Plan: Weekend Offer Saver (incl. breakfast)
Room Number: 503
Room Rate: 272.00 SGD (excluding taxes)
Status of Guest Program: Platinum
I arrived at the Sheraton at 15:00 and was greeted by the check in agent. She retrieved the reservation from the system and asked for my ID and credit card. I was addressed by name and the agent confirmed that my reservation included breakfast but I could also use the executive lounge on the third floor. No explanation was given regarding an upgrade or regarding opening times of gym, pool or business center.
My room was on the fifth floor and was of similar appearance than the room I had during my two night stay back in 2004. However it had a balcony to the front of the hotel with two chairs which was nice to have.
The furniture was in good shape, a few scratches and stains but nothing really serious. However the furniture was clearly showing its age now and out of shape. The tube TV was also not what you expect nowadays in a four or five star hotel. The mattress was comfortable and bathroom amenities were now the usual Sheraton amenities. Towels were provided for two persons in large, medium and small size.
But I was happy to hear that the hotel was undergoing a renovation of the rooms from one of the lounge agents during my stay.
I did make a quick visit to the lounge in the evening where dumplings and satay were served as evening snack together with cold items. A small selection of cheese was also available and a selection of different alcoholic beverages (including wine and spirits) in addition to soft drinks, coffee and tea, which were also available during the day. Service was attentive and used dished were cleared right away. The lounge was not that busy at this early hour in the evening, it was busier on the second evening when I used the lounge after I checked out and before I took a taxi to the airport.
I decided to use the buffet breakfast in the restaurant. It was busy, but I had no difficulties to get a seat. The selection was good and it was restocked frequently which was necessary as the restaurant was quite busy and I was late. Service was a bit slow, which was not that surprising given a full restaurant with a lot of people. Items on the buffet were restocked frequently, but not everything was available at once. In addition to the usual items like scrambled eggs, mushroom, backed tomatoes, sausages and chicken, Asian dishes like fried noodles, rice, tofu and selection of dim sum were available. Compared to 2004 the quality was better, but the hotel is still experiencing problems in times of high demand. In so far it might be worth to have breakfast early.
I had requested a late check-out and was offered 18:00, which was a nice surprise given that only 16:00 is guaranteed.. The ability to use the room for so long was very welcome. I was told I could also use the lounge until I had to leave.
At 18:00 I checked out at the front desk in the lobby. The folio was shown to me before it was put in an envelope and handed to me. A keycard for the lounge was coded and my luggage was stored until it was time to leave the hotel for the airport. I also informed the hotel also that I would be returning in four days.
Arrival Date: May 12, 2011
Departure Date: May 13, 2011
Room type booked: Deluxe (got Towers Pool)
Rate Plan: Cash and Points Award / 4800 Pts + 90 USD
Room Number: 519
Room Rate: 81,21 SGD Cash (incl. taxes) and 4800 SPG Points
Status of Guest Program: Platinum
I arrived at the Sheraton at 22:00 and was greeted by the check in agent. She retrieved the reservation from the system and verified my ID and credit card. I was addressed by name and mentioned that I was staying on a cash and points rate and I would be charged the cash amount in SGD. I was also informed that I had received an upgrade to a Towers Pool room offering direct access to the pool from my room.
The room was similar to that for my earlier stay with the difference that my room was now facing the pool with a terrace with direct access to the pool. It was the room at the end of the building which means it was not more quiet, not everybody passing by at the pool could look into my room. View is limited due to some small greens but nevertheless it is not difficult to look into the rooms.
The furniture was again in good shape though looking a bit dated. The mattress was again comfortable. Towels were provided for two persons in large, medium and small size in additon to two bathrobes and slippers
The lounge was already closed as I arrived. Since my rate was not including breakfast, I had breakfast in the lounge. The offerings were good and especially the fresh fruit very tasty and also the juice. The hot itmes were a bit limited to only scrambled eggs, but it was sufficient. Beverage was either self service but guests were also served by lounge staff.
At 15:00 I checked out at the front desk in the lobby. The folio was shown to me before it the agent put in an envelope and handed it to me.
Arrival Date: May 30, 2013
Departure Date: May 31, 2013
Room type booked: Deluxe (got Deluxe with club access)
Rate Plan: Cash and Points Award / 4800 Pts + 90 USD
Room Number: 1904
Room Rate: 121,82 SGD Cash (incl. taxes) and 4800 SPG Points
Status of Guest Program: Platinum
I arrived at the Sheraton at 18:20 taking the subway from the airport. Three agents were on duty and all were busy assisting other guests. But the waiting time was not long and soon it was my turn. I was welcomed back in the hotel and my passport was checked and my credit card approved. I was asked if I need a late check out and a check out at 14:00 were granted without problems, I was even offered a later check out, if I would have needed it. I was asked if I needed additional information, but since I have stayed in the hotel only asked if anything has changed since my last stay in regard to opening times of lounge, pool or gym and was told, that this was not the case.
My room was on the 19th floor and was of similar appearance than the rooms I had during my previous stays, i.e. no suite but this time also no Terrace room or Cabanas Suite but a room, which already had been renovated.
The layout has not changed and also the bathroom was not different from those in other rooms and it was the usual layout of the standard hotel room. The hallway leads to the room. Two large closets were in the hallway with a lot of storage space. A sliding door leads to the bathroom.
The bathroom features a rainforest shower head with an additional hand shower, but it was not a standalone shower but part of the bath. A sink with a large mirror and a lot of space on both sides of the sink to store the necessary utensils was on the right side. A vanity mirror was available and as usual the big mirror became foggy after a hot shower.
Towels were provided for two persons in large, medium and small size. Everything was clean and well maintained but the style and design was outdated and one was clearly noticing that the bathroom was not renovated completely.
The arrangement of the furniture in the room had not changed, but the furniture was different, i.e. new. On the one side was the bed with two bedside tables. On one of them was the central unit for the lamps in the room, the “do not disturb sign” and the air condition unit. The later worked quite well and was not very noisy and did not cause any draught.
The furniture was modern and of good quality and there was no scratch visible. There was now a flat TV on the sideboard. The sideboard also hosts tea and coffee facilities as well as the minibar. The desk was next to the sideboard. Wireless LAN or LAN was offered in the hotel and the speed was sufficient to set up a VPN network. A lamp and a phone were placed on the desk and working was possible as the desk was large enough. A few more plug sockets would have been nice.
The bed was comfortable and so was the mattress.
The room was using a dark color scheme which gave the room a somehow dark appearance. I would have preferred a little bit brighter or more vivid colors but as the hotel was using the very same color scheme throughout the hotel this would have a really heavy contrast. Nevertheless the room looked elegant and the design was somehow timeless.
I did make a quick visit to the lounge in the evening where springrolls and mini pizzas were served as evening snack together with cold items. A very small selection of thee different types of cheese were available. The selection of alcoholic beverages included Whiskey, Vodka, Gin and Baileys and two red and two white wines and also sparkling wine in addition to the usual selection of soft drinks, coffee and tea, which were also available during the day. The lounge was busy but it was not difficult to find a seat.
Service was attentive and used dished were cleared right away.
This time, I had breakfast in the lounge. The usual items were available and service was again attentive, used dishes cleared away frequently. But compared with the offerings in the restaurant it is quite limited.
I checked out at the front desk and the folio was correct and before my credit card was charged, I was offered to look at the printout. This is unfortunately not in every hotel done this way and a hassle if it is not correct. In so far I really appreciate, that the Sheraton Singapore does it this way.
Arrival Date: June 01, 2013
Departure Date: June 02, 2013
Room type booked: Deluxe (got Deluxe with club access)
Rate Plan: 40% Off Rate
Room Number: 2112
Room Rate: 234.00 SGD Cash (excl. taxes)
Status of Guest Program: Platinum
I was returning to the hotel for another one night stay before leaving Singapore.
This time I arrived around 15:00 by taxi and approached the check in desk. There was no other guest at the front desk and therefore there was not waiting time. I was welcomed back by the agent – actually the same who checked me in two days earlier - and the agent had quick glimpse at my passport and my credit card was approved. I was asked if I need a late check-out and was offered at late check-out at 18:00 without problems. I was invited to use the executive lounge until I had to leave for the airport.
This time my room was on the 21st floor, which is the top floor. It was of similar appearance and layout than the room I had during my previous stay with the difference that this room had twins rather than a king. The twin room was requested during my previous stay, since a colleague was joining me for this last stay in Singapore.
There were barely any scratches at the furniture.
After my colleague had arrived, we made a quick visit to the lounge in the evening where springrolls and dumplings were available on the buffet. The cheese selection was the same than during my earlier visit and so were the available wines. The lounge was not very busy. We left the lounge and visited the nearby Hawker Center at the Newton Circle for dinner with friends.
We had breakfast in the lounge. The usual items were available and service was again attentive, used dishes cleared away frequently. It was this time busier than before, but not difficult to find a seat.
I spend the afternoon at the pool before I had to leave for afternoon tea at the Regent. I later could use my room to refresh and take a shower before it was time to check out. Sun chairs were available and so were towels. The pool bar was staffed and I could have ordered something from the beverage menu. The pool was not that busy, but a few other guest were visting the pool as well, but I would call it a quiet noon.
I checked out at the front desk and the folio was correct. I stored my luggage with the bell boy and received a keycard for the use of the lounge until it was time to leave the airport around 20:00 and catch a taxi to the airport.