Hotel Reviews – Grand Hyatt Singapore

Singapore is a treasure trove of international hotels with most of the major brands well-represented across the small city-state.  I often have a difficult time deciding where to stay when visiting but as it is November and I still need to round out my Hyatt nights for the year, it was a no-brainer than I’d stay at the Grand Hyatt Singapore while beginning my Indonesian adventure.

Arrival

We arrived by taxi around 6 pm and the motor court was quite busy. Our taxi was unloaded of our bags (three weeks worth of luggage for each of us!) and the bags were lined up on the driveway. The bellman asked my name and then walked away to assist another car, leaving our bags in the middle of the drive. My travel companion stayed behind to supervise that our bags were properly loaded as the unattended status in the hustle and bustle was worrisome.

The lobby was decorated for Christmas already, as was much of nearby Orchard Road.

Check In

While she oversaw the bags, I walked inside to check in. I approached the Diamond/Platinum check in desk where one attendant was working and helping another guest. The standard desk had three desk clerks but none asked me to approach there instead so I wanted for my attendant to finish. I thought she had completed that guest’s check in but then she left with him telling me she would return shortly. I still was not asked to approach the other desk so I awaited her return.

She finally returned and checked me into my room. I had redeemed points for a one night stay and my Diamond Concierge helped me change the standard reservation to one with two beds. I had asked at that time about the possibility of using one of my Diamond Suite Upgrade certificates but those are not redeemable on award stays. Nonetheless, the hotel upgraded us anyway to a junior suite which was a pleasant surprise!

I noted the going walk-up rates that night for the property which started at $700 SGD for a standard room and went well over $2,000 SGD for suites – NOT inexpensive making this stay a great redemption for the points.

The Room

We were assigned junior suite 1338. The room was generous and well appointed and included a living room with sofa and desk, a separate bedroom with two twin beds (which appear to be a separable king, and a spacious bathroom.

A box of cookies and fruit were on the coffee table with a personal note welcoming me back to the property.

The beds were comfortable… so much so that a 15 minute disco nap turned into three blissful hours of sleep before going out for the evening.

The room also had plenty of space for our multiple bags.

The desk provided comfortable working space.

I always like a separate toilet “room” within the bathroom, especially when sharing a room with a friend.

The counter space was plentiful and the hair dryer worked in the bathroom, something I appreciate in international hotels, as that is not always the case. It was still a “push button” hair dryer, however, which is something I find cumbersome to use.

Other Considerations

I found the common areas (hallways and lobbies) to be tastefully appointed and well-maintained.

The Grand Club is located on the 20^th floor – you walk up two steps and then take a staircase to the lounge upstairs.

The lounge is well-designed although not my favorite of Grand Clubs. I found the food offerings at breakfast to be more limited than what I’ve encountered at other Hyatt lounges. They had a counter of Asian breakfast options, a station of pastries, a section of cheese and yogurts, a glass cabinet of juices and other beverages, and a small section of cereals and dried fruits/nuts.

I ordered a cheese omelet and what arrived was eggs only, cooked omelet style, but with no filling. My companion ordered hard boiled eggs and they arrived too hot to peel. The Asian offerings (dim sum, fried rice, fried noodles) were nice, but did not wow me. It appeared that pastry offerings were diverse but I do not eat wheat so this as a section I did not sample. I wanted to have cereal but the selections were not labeled and so I couldn’t tell which would be food allergy-safe.

We missed the evening cocktail hour on the night we arrived, choosing to nap instead.

Wifi was slow throughout the property – in our room, in the Grand Club, and in the lobby – that was a minor frustration as I wanted to catch up on as much cyber work as possible before boarding a cruise ship.

Check Out

We requested a late checkout, but decided to leave before noon. I had no folio as we incurred no charges during the stay so checkout was brief and perfunctory. I was disappointed that our wifi access was abruptly terminated as soon as we checked out as I had hoped to spend a few more minutes checking emails while awaiting our luggage from the bellman.

We left in a taxi for the Singapore Cruise Center. We confirmed the location with the bellman, with the gentleman managing taxis, and with the taxi driver. Alas, that instruction was not followed as we were second-guessed by all involved.

Summary

While the Grand Hyatt Singapore is not a property I’d pay the standard rates for, it is a good point redemption, particular for Diamond guests due to lounge access.   Rooms are generously appointed and the hotel’s central location on Scotts Road near the Orchard Road intersection makes it an ideal spot for shoppers.

I’ve stayed at many of the internationally branded properties in Singapore and each offers her own benefits, but this is a good property for Hyatt Gold Passport redemptions or point accumulations if the rates are good.

 

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