Spread Some Awesome

 

When I received an email that I was invited to the Singapore Blog Awards 2012, I immediately decided that I will be staying more than the required duration for the event. Since the complimentary accommodation was only for 3D/2N, I needed to book a good hotel right at the smack of the city center because I wanted to go around some of the places near the city that I haven’t been before. One of which is the Gardens by the Bay. The invite was of perfect timing because the Gardens by the Bay has just opened recently.

 

With a little planning here and there, I decided to arrive a couple of days before the event. Searching for hotels was relatively easy because there are lots of online booking websites available like agoda.com. Moreover, you can easily find raw and straight from travelers hotel reviews via tripadvisor.com. What was difficult is picking out the one that can give the best value for what you are paying for.

 

There were several hotels I was considering but I ended up choosing Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. After checking out its website, viewing photos of the hotel, and reading several reviews, I was okay with it. It appeared to be a good hotel with a good location – 5 minutes away from City Hall MRT. Though its exterior appeared to be rather quaint, the rooms seem to be cozy and the view from the rooms is pretty nice.

 

 

Peninsula Hotel Excelsior has two towers. Apparently, one tower is the Peninsula and the other one is Excelsior. Had I known that the Peninsula has better view of Marina Bay, I would have specified that on my reservation. I suggest that you do because Peninsula blocks the Marina Bay view of Excelsior. Bummer!

 

 

 

But Excelsior’s view isn’t that bad after all, just make sure you ask for a room at the top floors (probably 8th flr. or higher) so you can still see the Singapore Flyer greet you “Good Morning!” when you wake up.

 

 

The Lobby Lounge

 

The lobby lounge of Peninsula Excelsior is very spacious and staying on it gives a sense of comfort, with a very homey feeling. There are plenty seats for people checking in and out of the hotel – comfy couches that accentuate the aesthetic appeal of the lobby.

 

 

 

 

What I like about hotel lobbies, aside from wide spaces and high ceilings, is that these are where they usual feature some of the best designs that catch onlookers’ attention. At Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, there is a very spacious walkway that connects the two towers with the lobby lounge that is accentuated by these columns.

 

 

There are also other ornaments and paintings at the lobby lounge. I spotted this giant painting at one side. Many guests hang out at the lobby lounge because of the Wi-Fi connection, which isn’t for free even for guests. In the rooms, internet connection is thru LAN. Internet connections in Singapore hotels are priced pretty steeply. Since I can’t live a day without internet connection, I had to put it as an add-on to my reservation for an additional SGD 20 (Php 680). And that cost is per device.

 

 

I arrived in Peninsula Excelsior Hotel at 12 PM and check-in time was 2 PM. I understand that the room might not be available yet but still I tried checking in because I have lots of stuff I have with me.

 

 

They checked me in but said that the room will be okay at 2 PM. They just offered that I leave my bags at their concierge. I was okay with it since it was near the city and I can spend my 2 hours walking around. I haven’t had lunch yet so I decided to get lunch outside while waiting. Luckily, I saw Quiznos at the City Link Mall. Jackpot!

 

The Room

 

After lunch, I immediately returned to the hotel to get a bit of rest because I will be meeting some of my high school friends to see Gardens by the Bay. When I returned, the room was ready and so I went straight ahead, take a few photos, and snoozed.

 

The bed looks so comfy so I had to take quick shots so I can lie down. At one side of the room is large window that gives a peek of Marina Bay and the outdoor pool below. The bed is pointed towards a large LCD TV which took me quite some time to figure out turning on. Haha.

 

 

As expected in a country that is super limited on space, the toilet and bath is just enough for tiny me to move around. It has a bath tub on one side that also serves as the shower area. The toilet and bath was neat and complete with toiletries.

 

 

By the door, a cabinet can be found where half of it is occupied by the minibar (mini-fridge and coffee/tea area). The other half has a large locked vault and space where you can hang your clothes. There are robes there as well, which I am fond of using because they get to dry you quickly after taking a bath.

 

 

Gym and Swimming Pool

 

Peninsula Excelsior Hotel has a small gym and across it is an outdoor glass swimming pool. These amenities are free for use for all hotel guests. There is another swimming pool at the Excelsior Tower, which can also be accessed by Peninsula Tower guests via the lobby lounge.

 

 

 

Final Take

 

Awesome! : For travelers spending long days and late nights at Singapore’s city center, Peninsula Excelsior Hotel is at a prime location. With only a 5-minute walk to City Hall MRT and a couple more minutes walk to various establishments, there are a lot of places you can go to wherever your each soles lead you.

 

Awe-kay.. : Hotel accommodation is quite okay, though for most it is still pricey. The Deluxe Room I stayed in costs SGD 215 (Php 7310) per night exclusive of tax, surcharges, and other costs like the one for internet connection. This is quite reasonable for a 3 or 4 star hotel like Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. And hey, it’s Singapore – where space and internet connection are priced like gold.

 

Awe-No! : Not sure if the walls are thin or I have sonic hearing but there are times that I hear the noise from the hallway from guests coming in and out of their rooms. Sometimes it wakes me up from snoozing. Oh, and if they can provide complimentary internet connection then that would be awesome!

 

—

Peninsula.Excelsior Hotel Singapore
5 Coleman Street
Singapore 179805
Tel: (65) 6337 2200
Fax: (65) 6339 3847
E-mail: enquiries@ytchotels.com.sg

Reservation
Tel: (65) 6337 8080 / (65) 6416 1111
Fax: (65) 6339 3580
E-mail: pe.reserve@ytchotels.com.sg

Sales & Marketing
Tel: (65) 6338 6164 / (65) 6416 1022
Fax: (65) 6339 6236
E-Mail: pe.sales@ytchotels.com.sg

Meetings & Banquet Sales
Tel: (65) 6416 1033 / (65) 6416 1231
Fax: (65) 6883 0219
E-Mail: pe.banquet@ytchotels.com.sg

F&B Sales
Tel: (65) 6416 1132 / (65) 6416 1230
Fax: (665) 6339 3847
E-Mail: pe.fb@ytchotels.com.sg

Sky Lounge
Tel: (65) 6416 1138
Fax: (665) 6336 9626
E-Mail: skylounge@ytchotels.com.sg

—

 

Disclaimer: Spread Some Awesome has nothing to disclose. We paid for the 3D/2N accommodations at Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. We are not connected with Peninsula Excelsior Hotel and any PR Team connected with it. Spread Some Awesome is not promoting the hotel but simply telling experiences during the stay hoping it helps future travelers make a decision with regards to accommodations in Singapore.

 

Spread some awesome..ness..

Tags: hotel, Peninsula Excelsior Hotel, Singapore, Singapore Blog Awards, Singapore Flyer