Hotel Review: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore (Club Marina Bay Room)
The Mandarin Oriental, Singapore is one of the first few luxury hotels that I have first experienced in Singapore - the hotel is one of the best properties in Singapore and it has one of the best swimming pools and club lounges in the Lion City. While I have previously stayed in a Club Marina Bay Room back in 2015, I was interested to check it out once again since The Oriental Club has been recently refurbished.
Click HERE to check out the room rates of Mandarin Oriental, Singapore!
The room rates here at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore are definitely on the higher side - they are not as high as the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and the Mandarin Oriental, Taipei which I have previously stayed in but it is still comparatively high when you look at similar properties in the vicinity. With all that being said, I have had luck with the Best Rate Promise with Mandarin Oriental and if you are able to find an eligible competing rate, the luxury hotel giant will even offer a further 10% off (making it a lot more affordable!).
I arrived at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore slightly ahead of time and was escorted up to The Oriental Club which is located on level 19 of the property for a private check-in. The newly-refurbished club lounge offers the same impressive view of the famous skyline with floor-to-ceiling windows and the contrast between the elegant furnishings, the dark woody textures and the bright red sofas exude Oriental luxury at every turn. I proceeded to take a seat and ordered myself a really good shot of espresso while the check-in documents were prepared. Despite arriving at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore early, my room was ready and I was also given a guaranteed late check-out of 4:00PM (one of the many perks of being a guest of The Oriental Club) the next day.
The Oriental Club benefits include:
- Champagne breakfast and afternoon tea daily, along with all-day soft beverages
- Evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
- Complimentary pressing of two garments per day
- Complimentary high speed internet access
- Use of meeting room with teleconferencing facilities for up to two hours per day
- Private check-in and check-out at the Oriental Club Lounge
- Guaranteed late check-out at 4pm
I stayed in a Club Marina Bay Room that was located on Level 18 (one level below The Oriental Club). In case you were wondering the Club Marina Bay Room looks exactly like the regular Marina Bay Rooms but it comes with access to the exclusive club lounge which I personally think is one of the best in Singapore. The rooms and suites here at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore also enjoy one of the best views of the Marina Bay area so long you opt for the right room type.
Offering 34sqm of space, the Club Marina Bay Rooms are located on the highest floors of the hotel (as mentioned, mine was located on Level 18). The plush king-size bed here is one of my personal favourites - they are incredibly dreamy to sleep in (like marshmallows!) and I love the oriental touches throughout the room. There is also a small chair with an ottoman by the bed which is perfect for reading or simply watching the world go by.
If you book directly with Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, you will receive complimentary internet (I cannot be certain whether booking through other channels would render an internet access fee though) which is sufficient for working and even streaming on Netflix. The work desk is not exceedingly big but definitely large enough for most business travellers.
I received a beautiful plate of chocolate pralines together with a pot of hot tea as part of my welcome amenity. I love how effective that basket is at keeping the tea warm - I actually drank it an hour later and it was still decent!
Coffee (freeze-dried unfortunately) and Tea Bags (from TWG) were also provided in the room - I think it is about time the hotel invested in a proper coffee machine here (honestly, Nespresso machines should be a new standard amongst business hotels). With that being said, I did not really have an issue - I did not end up drinking the horrible coffee but since I had access to The Oriental Club (which serves delicious espressos), this was not a problem at all.
Despite being a relatively 'older' hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Singapore has managed to keep their rooms in great conditions - the air-conditioning (which is incredibly important to me) operates without a hitch, the in-room sound system is impressive, the quality of bedding is superior and more importantly, it exudes that oriental charm that travellers pay top value for.
Apart from the entrance, there is a glass wall that separates the bedroom from the bathroom - the blinds can be drawn for privacy - and having that natural light and view from the bathroom is quite something.
Unfortunately, you will not be able to enjoy the impressive Marina Bay view from the tub due to the position but the natural light is really quite nice (as opposed to a bathroom that is completely illuminated by artificial lighting). Bath salts are also provided by the tub in a small container and this is refilled during turn-down and make-up room service in the evening and morning respectively. On a side note, I never really understood the purpose of bath salts. I mean the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore provides quite a bit so it actually makes sense but most hotels that I have been to only provide a small sachet of it - seriously, what does it do?!
The Mandarin Oriental, Singapore used to provide bath amenities from the Aromatherapy Associates across club rooms in the past but they have more recently switched to the Atelier Cologne. I understand from my family who recently stayed at the Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou that this is the same brand that they received in their club room as well.
If you have been to The Oriental Club previously, you would notice the difference immediately. The refurbished club features an impressive chandelier as you walk in and I love the semi-private partitions that separate the arrival reception area from the main club lounge. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring in a lot of light and it helps create a greater sense of space
Food is always something that impresses me here at The Oriental Club - the space is definitely not as big as the one at the Pan Pacific Singapore and I do think the latter one has a more homely and nicer looking club but the food here at The Oriental Club is comparatively better. I can't be sure whether Champagne was served during this meal period since I was not offered one but the club benefits listed online seems to suggest that this is the case.
Since I got to the club slightly before the Afternoon Tea session ended, I decided to stay for the evening cocktails which is a personal favourite of mine. My last stay here at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore was during Christmas and they actually served a rack of lamb here so I was pretty interested to see what they were serving on a normal day.
There is also a small business center that is tucked away in a corner of The Oriental Club - there is a computer here that you can use and also a printer for any last minute printing that you need (e.g. boarding passes, attraction tickets and business needs).
The Oriental Club here at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore also serves the more superior Ruinart-brand Champagne. The lounge staff also brought a few bowls of nuts together with the beverages which is something I wish lounges in Singapore did more in general.
Once again, the food that was served here at The Oriental Club impressed me - the soup was delicious (and actually taste like something you get in a restaurant), the meats were delicious and variety definitely makes for a dinner if you do not wish to get out of the hotel at all. The area that the hotel is in however is great for food though - if you are looking for local food, the Makansutra Gluttons Bay located across the road has plenty to offer. Obviously the prices are slightly higher than what you would expect from a hawker center but they are extremely reasonable and I would actually go there for meals sometimes (so really, it is not that touristy after all!).
When I got back to my room, I was blown away by the view. Perhaps it was the blue hour (understand the physics behind it HERE!) or perhaps I was just lucky with the shot but it was stunning. Having lived here in Singapore for most parts of my life, it is easy to forget how beautiful it is and can be at times.
Since I have been to Melt Cafe on multiple occasions (breakfast, lunch and dinner), I decided to head to The Oriental Club again for breakfast. More importantly, I actually slept in and it was already 9:00AM by the time I was ready to leave the room - this is a peak period for breakfast and I generally try to avoid the crowd (and queues!). Surprisingly (in a great way!), The Oriental Club was quite empty and relatively quiet for breakfast.
Apart from a small continental selection, guests here at The Oriental Club have an a la carte menu to choose from. During my visit, I could pick from the following but decided to go for the Eggs Benedict instead:
- Oatmeal
- Homemade Pancakes
- Fluffy Waffle
- Open-faced Vegetable Omelette
- Eggs Benedict
- Egg White Omelette
- Two Fresh Farmhouse Eggs
- Singapore Wanton Noodle Soup
The Mandarin Oriental, Singapore is one of my favourite hotels in the Marina Bay area. The room rates here are definitely on the higher side and since I do staycations in Singapore quite frequently, I often have to do a quick cost-to-benefit calculation in my head. As a simple comparison, the Best Available Rate here at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore starts from S$499++ for a night with a guaranteed 4:00PM check-out. On the other hand, club rooms at the Pan Pacific Singapore starts from S$432++ (usually cheaper when you book in advance) and I do get a double upgrade there and a 6:00PM late check-out for being a DISCOVERY Loyalty Black member. If price is not a consideration, I would probably pick the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore over the Pan Pacific Singapore since the club is a lot more private and you can't quite go wrong with delicious food and free-flowing Ruinart during evening cocktail hour.
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
6 Raffles Blvd Marina Square, Singapore 039594
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The Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara offers an excellent Club Millésime experience with comfortable rooms and well-maintained facilities, catering to both business and leisure travelers. The newly-opened Pavilion Damansara Heights Mall adds a variety of dining and entertainment options nearby, perfect for those who prefer not to venture too far from the hotel.