Staying at the amazing Ritz-Carlton Singapore and its Club Deluxe Marina room has been a most wonderful experience for me and my family this March school holidays.
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The views from the room and the hotel itself are great but what was even better was the SERVICE. The SERVICE at Ritz-Carlton Singapore was simply beyond anything else.
How I get to stay at the Ritz-Carlton
First, let’s explain how I got to stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.
Ordinarily this would have been out of my (limited) budget for a one night stay at this grand hotel. But because of Covid (yes, again), I could not use the American Express $400 Hotel Voucher at any overseas hotels.
This is a yearly benefit from the American Express Platinum Card, one of the many benefits which I have detailed in many posts here in this blog. These benefits includes stay at the W Hotel (Away Room and the Marvellous Suite), Banyan Tree Villa in Bintan, the use of Centurion Lounge in Seattle and in Hong Kong (oh god, how I miss Hong Kong) or just simply the automatic hotel rewards upgrade program in Marriott and Hilton etc (which then allows you a better stay in the hotel such as room upgrades or late check out).
Sign Up for AMEX Platinum Card
So in any case, due to the inability of the American Express platinum card members to use the $400 overseas hotel voucher (and also the other $400 air travel voucher), American Express Singapore then arranged with couple of deluxe hotels such as Ritz-Carlton and Fullerton etc to enable the use of the $400 Hotel Voucher locally.
Hence my one night staycation at this Ritz-Carlton. I did top up a bit more to stay at the Club Deluxe Marina room.
Ritz-Carlton Singapore Club Deluxe Marina Room
The room itself was amazing. The views were simply spectacular ! Really.
Here are my attempts at a Day View and Night View. Using the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Don’t know what you call it but pressing “0.5” button on the camera for a wider view :). Okay. Wide-lens ? 🙂
I am so glad to have booked the side of the Ritz-Carlton hotel facing the Marina Bay and I was not at all disappointed with the views.
There are two parts to the room. The part which we ordinarily care a lot about, you know, the King size bed, the sofa that can be used as a bed etc.
But then there is the other part. The famous Ritz-Carlton bath tub with its expansive view. Here. This one.
Let’s talk about the 51 SQM or 549 SQF Club Deluxe Marina room…….
Right after you enter the room, on your left, there is a small area for your luggage, shoes and clothes. I think the Ang Mo call this a cloth room or walk in closet or something. I called this “throw all my barang barang and my smelly shoes and then closed the door so that I don’t see it” area. Yes, typical Ah Beng Sinkie me.
Right next to this “barang barang” room, sits the mini bar counter with, of course, the ever important Nespress Coffee Machine. How does one now live without it anymore in a hotel room.. no one will now want the cheap 3-in-1 coffee sachets any more.. except at Hotel 81 (and don’t ask me how I know…).
The 55″ LG TV wall-mounted above the mini bar is pretty cool. It is crispy clear (damn.. it makes me want to give up my Sony Android TV at home for it) and it comes with Netflix and Youtube. You do have to use your own Netflix and Youtube accounts though. The painful thing (not sure why) was that the accounts were immediately cleared out once I switched off the TV which then makes it painful to log back on.
But nevertheless, yours truly watched a Netflix Korea TV serial during my stay.
There was a King Size bed at one end of the room, facing the big windows featuring the view of the Marina Bay. Set against a very golden looking wall, it looks kind of grand but it does look kind of old fashioned.
The plush feather bed was very comfortable….. you can easily sleep two adults with a kid in the middle 🙂
The bedside tables are pretty cool too.. open it up and you can find the controls for the room. On one side, there are also controls for the day curtains and night curtains.
And a phone system that is pretty neat to call the operator. You need to do it quite often as you now need to do the advance booking of the pool (1.5 hours !) and the gym (1.5 hours !). They are very quick to pick up the phone too 🙂
Just opposite the bed and next to the window is a huge sofa. It does NOT turn into a bed but because of its size, you can easily sleep one more adult on it. And the view from that bed is so much better as it is right next to the window.
You also get a writing desk if you do want to work (remember, that in pre-Covid period, this hotel probably attracts the rich and powerful business traveller. Not the poor Patnotebook Staycation guy).
Covid Period means Covid products..
Charging a plenty.. There is even a HDMI port for you to plug your laptop to the TV…
Looks like a great place to do some real work…. you know. Sitting there, staring at the CBD area with its skyscrapers and imagine making millions of dollars in a couple of hours so that you can stay at this hotel…. ya ya ya..
Ritz-Carlton Singapore Club Deluxe Marina Bathroom
Ok. We now have to deal with the elephant in the room. That Bathroom. THAT BATHROOM.
That “Marble bathroom with panoramic views of the cityscape” (Ritz’s description, not mine).
Is it worth it…. is it worth it ? 🙂
I did silently compared it with the Andaz Singapore Studio Suite bathroom. I guess the view at Ritz beats Andaz hands down. The Andaz bathroom is nicer in the colour, lighting and tones.. but the view.. oh the view of Ritz…
I never once used the bath tub during my stay but my family did. Like multiple times. All day long. All night long. I don’t know why. They are bath tub people. I am a simply shower and dry and sleep person. Oh well…
The bathroom has also other nice things okay.. like a huge mirror making it bright and nice and a marble top.. and the view… (okay. I give up… .always the view..).
There is a separate shower stall with rainshower feature. Now that’s the one for me…
And, Asprey bath amenities and salt for your bath tub….. BUT NO MOUTH WASH !!!!
The Ritz-Carlton Breakfast
Breakfast was part of my staycation package and it was served on the 3rd floor.
Food was great. Service was even better. I suspect some of the service staff were ex-Singapore Airlines stewardess. Their attitude, their tone and their service and attention to details are amazing.
None of the messy staycation breakfast nonsense. Which I cannot stand for. If I come to a hotel and I have to queue with 200 people to have a breakfast, thanks but no thanks 🙂
The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge
I booked the Club Deluxe Marina. The “Club” in front refers to the Ritz-Carlton Club lounge. You get access to enjoy all-day culinary and beverage presentations with Club privileges. Basically they served 5 (FIVE !) times a day food and drinks. Free flow. You can keep ordering. You can keep asking for refills.
I had a great time. I ate no where else 🙂 I saved money to recoup my cost… I am a cheapo.
Situated on the 32th floor, the club lounge offers a great view and even better, a GREAT SERVICE. They remembered your names, they remembered what you liked and they really made sure you are well fed and well served.
Cool tip. Immediately upon entering the lounge, look right and a very secluded and private area is there. Very comfortable and very good for you and your family. And for me to hide from everyone as they see me asking for refills after refills.
The food are different every day and every time (5 times a day). Here’s one example.
And another
And my favourite drink… you will be happier if you drink alcohol. Free flow.. have fun 🙂
An example of the menu
The Swimming Pool
You get to book the swimming pool for 1.5 hours each time slot. I booked once during check in day and once during check out day. Never have a single problem. The service was amazing. The pool attendant make sure your seats are adequately covered with towels and always have fresh towels for you. You can also order food and drinks at the pool side. You can sleep in a proper size swimming pool. And it is relatively (for a school holiday) free of people.
And the scary thing. The pool attendant knew my surname. That was simply amazing.
The Ritz-Carlton Gym
Yes.. me also go gym, okay.. only during staycations. Normal day I never. Don’t ask why.
1.5 hours each slot too… And we never had a problem getting a slot. Even during school holidays. Maybe cause everyone just want to eat while I want to exercise. Ya, right. I actually just took a slot to take photos for you guys..
Hi gym. Photos. Bye gym. Back to lounge for food and then bedroom for sleep.
The Ritz-Carlton Service
I do not normally mention this in my blog but this time it was different. Just simply different.
Yes the views were amazing. Yes, the room was amazing. And yes, the lounge was great for me (and my stomach and my wallet).
But what was most memorable was the service. Even my 8 year old son remembered Ritz-Carlton now for its service. As they took good care of him when he was there. Serving his food and drinks.
When I arrived and took the lift to the first floor, I was immediately greeted by a very friendly yet professional concierge. Upon asking my name, he was able to know very quickly that I was staying at the club floor and proceeded to guide me to the club floor for check in (I guess he has an ear piece which was connected to the front desk which then helped him in his task). Throughout the stay, the Ritz staff was amazing. The staff at the lounge were always ready to serve good food, always ready to refill our drinks (and food) and many a times, remembered our favourites and very quickly able to ask if we want that again when we sat down. The pool attendant knew my name (I don’t know how but probably because I have to book a slot).
All in all, I know it is clique to say this but the service was really really the key to my stay at the Ritz Carlton. They were really genuine to serve and were genuine in their desire to provide a good service.
Kudos to them. Kudos all the way.
And by a stroke of coincidence, there is a check out gift and it matches what I loved in life. Metaphysics. Amazing, right…. what a great stay.
Of course, once you stayed at the Ritz, you will tend to compare with other top hotels I stayed in. I am looking forward to my upcoming stay at the St Regis (A Marriott hotel) due to my AMEX Platinum Card voucher for year 2021.
In the meantime, I would like you to read about my Andaz stay too.
