The Fairmont Singapore...great view, great food, great service

Danny dropped me off at the Fairmont Singapore, my home for the next 24 hours, and said he would return in the afternoon for our tour of the city. As one would expect from a Fairmont property, the 5-star service begins the moment you step out of your car. Someone is ready to open your door, and another will take your luggage and show you to the check-in counter. The hotel was formerly known as the Raffles Plaza, and has recently been branded a Fairmont. They even asked me at check-in what newspaper I would like delivered to my room in the morning. I assumed they would not be able to deliver the Vancouver Sun, so I opted for The Straits Times, the city’s major English daily.

The bellhop led me to my 23rd floor room, and happily gave a tour of the rooms amenities, including the buttons by the side of the bed that turns the lights on and off and opens the curtains. A sliding glass door opened to a narrow balcony offering a fantastic view of the city, including the stunning $600 million Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, and the hotel’s inviting swimming pool below.

I met up with Jacqueline Chen, the hotel’s marketing representative in the lobby for a tour. One of the first stops was the spa, which has a relaxation room, pools, steam room and sauna, and treatment rooms. Jacqueline asked if I would like to try one of their treatments. A shame that my Singapore stop was too short, because I would jump at an opportunity to experience the spa. I remember fondly my first spa treatment a few years ago at the Marriott Resort and Spa in Sanya, on China’s Hainan Island.

After the tour, we were joined by Belladonnah Lim, who is the Fairmont Singapore’s Director of Marketing, for lunch at Inagiku, the hotel’s Japanese restaurant. I ordered the Ebi Tendon—salad, miso soup, mouth-watering sashimi, and the largest prawn tempura I have ever seen. Belladonna then ordered us all a slice of Japanese monk melon. This light green melon is similar to cantaloupe, but don’t confuse this with your everyday melon that you get from the supermarket. The Fairmont brings it in from Japan and costs about $30SG ($20) a slice. That’s four dollars a piece, Belladonnah said, with a smile, as I bit into piece. It’s the small details of course that make for an enjoyable stay at the Fairmont. Like how someone had closed the curtains in my room while I was out in the evening. How the newspaper came in a cloth bag in the morning. And how even though I had a late check-out someone still made the bed. The Fairmont is conveniently located to many of Singapore’s sights.

photo courtesy of Fairmont Singapore