Hotel Review: Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore (Valley Wing Deluxe Room) - Valley Wing Indulgence Package with Free-flowing Champagne All-day

Hotels have slowly started to receive approval by STB and MTI to accept leisure bookings from local residents. After taking a 3.5-month break from doing staycations in Singapore, I have decided to book the Valley Wing Indulgence room package (which was one of the best luxury hotel deals at that point) at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore for a weekend stay.  There are three different wings in the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore - Tower Wing, Garden Wing, and Valley Wing. The Valley Wing is the most exclusive (and also the most expensive) hotel wing out of the three but guests who stay here do enjoy certain privileges that are specific to this wing only.

Click HERE to book exclusive Luxury Circle rates at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore!

Bedroom
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

It is worth noting that at the time of writing, the Tower Wing is still operating as a dedicated SHN-facility but the hotel has taken all the necessary measures in ensuring the health of safety of all the hotel guests and staff - there is an extensive list of criteria that hotels have to meet before they are approved by STB and MTI to start accepting staycation or leisure bookings. I booked the Valley Wing Indulgence room package at S$525++ per night but the hotel has now adjusted the rates to start from S$645++ (almost 23% more!) instead - this is why you should always jump on a great deal (and you can find them all via the Staycation page) as quickly as possible (especially since there is free cancellation anyway).

Welcome Pack
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

This is also my first staycation since the Circuit Breaker started in Singapore and I was interested to see how the new safe-distancing measures would affect my stay. My previous stay in the Valley Wing was back in 2016 and so I was fairly interested to see how much has changed since then - I do not typically splurge on properties that are outside of Marriott or Hilton (since those are my two preferred hotel loyalty programs) but this room package had everything I wanted for my first stay. Checking-in to the hotel was relatively fuss-free after doing the initial SafeEntry near the entrance - while I do understand why no one offered to bring my bags up the room, I did find it strange that no one was there to open the front door when I got out of the car at the Valley Wing. My preferences (e.g. bookings for the spa) were reconfirmed at check-in which I thought was a nice touch and of course, there is a health declaration form that you have to fill up as well. As part of the ‘new normal’, guests staying in the Valley Wing will also receive a small pack with things like antiseptic wipes, disposable masks, hand cream and hand sanitiser.

View from Room
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

For this stay, I opted for the Valley Wing Deluxe Room and it is worth noting that the Golden Circle program does not offer complimentary upgrades (unless your reserved room type is not available at check-in) even for top-tier Diamond members. My room was located on level 14 of the Valley Wing and it measures 57sqm in size - these rooms either have a pool or city view but I was fortunate enough to be assigned a pool-facing one. It is also interesting to see what the other guests in the Tower Wing were doing as they are serving out their SHN.

King-size Bed
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

The rooms in the Valley Wing definitely have that old-school charm so if you are after a modern-looking room, this is really not the property for you. While I personally do subscribe to the modern and minimalistic look that most luxury hotels are offering these days, I am drawn to the package inclusions that come with my stay (yes, free-flowing Champagne to be exact). There are only two hotels that I know of in Singapore that offers free-flowing Champagne throughout the day and The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore is the other one (but it does not participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program unfortunately).

Bedroom
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

There is a dressing table located in front of the bed and you will find a hairdryer inside one of the drawers. As part of the safety measures implemented by the hotel, most of the drawers are now empty - you will not find stationery paper in the drawers anymore and the minibar has been cleared out as well (you used to get complimentary non-alcoholic drinks in the minibar previously).

Welcome Amenities
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

I received a bottle of Champagne as my welcome amenity as well as some fruits and a box of chocolates but I can’t say that I am not disappointed to find out that my choice of welcome amenities was not completely fulfilled this time around (and they were even in Cebu and Taipei previously). As a Jade member (the second-highest tier) of the Golden Circle program, I have the option of pre-selecting three different welcome amenities and so far, I have gotten it across properties in the region. Obviously, I would pick a bottle of Champagne over cookies and milk but I was just surprised to find out that they were not delivered. With that being said, I do appreciate the kind hospitality that the team has provided in welcoming me to the property.

Bedroom
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

I noticed a couple more initiatives that the hotel has taken in the bedroom to keep her guests safe and healthy during this period. The television remote now has some kind of protective plastic around it (and I believe these are removed and replaced every time a guest checks out), the tissue boxes are all new and sealed and the surfaces appear to have been given a thorough wipe-down.

Nespresso Coffee Machine
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

Guests staying in the Valley Wing can drop by the Champagne Bar or the main lobby downstairs for a (free) coffee at anytime of the day but if you prefer to enjoy it in your room, there is a Nespresso coffee machine here near your minibar. There is also a small QR code on the side (seriously, can they make it any smaller?!) where you can access the minibar and housekeeping services menu where you will be order items from the minibar (and have it sent up to your room) for a fee. You will also be able to request for things like additional pillows and bath amenities via the Google Form.

Tea Selection
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

If you prefer tea over coffee, every guest room in the Valley Wing comes with a pretty nice selection of tea bags. In fact, the teapots and teacups are from Wedgwood so they feel amazing to use. Considering how big the teapot actually is, they should have provided at least two of each variation so guests have the option of pouring themselves a stronger brew. With that being said, you can always request for more via the QR code near the minibar but it just felt like something that should have been considered.

Dressing Area
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

There is a small walk-in dressing area between the bedroom and the bathroom - you can also find a sizeable wardrobe here. The cabinets do look pretty rustic but they are well-maintained and I do appreciate the fact that an iron as well as an ironing board can be found here - some ultra high-end properties actually remove these as the butler could do it for you but there are some things that I rather depend on myself.

Bathroom
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

The bathroom of the Valley Wing Deluxe Room comes with double-vanity sinks, a deep-soaking bathtub that can easily fit two adults and a separate shower area. As I have mentioned before, most staycation-goers do not come to the Valley Wing for its looks and while I did enjoy the tub, the bathroom is a little too dark for my liking (life is all about that tub with a view!).

Bath Amenities
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

All the guest rooms in the Valley Wing enjoy bath amenities from L'Occitane en Provence but if you are staying in a suite, you will get the more premium range from Acqua De Parma instead. I actually enjoy the Jasmin and Bergamote fragrance and you will find two sets of these toiletries here in the bathroom (they are also replenished at turndown and in the morning if you request for housekeeping) so feel free to go crazy with them!

Afternoon Tea
Valley Wing - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

The Champagne Bar is definitely the main attractive for me - serving up all-day Champagne (until 10:30 PM each day) for Valley Wing guests, this is the perfect place to spend the weekend in with your friends. Afternoon tea also runs from 2-5 PM daily and I really enjoyed most of the treats - the scones were really good! The staff here were on top of refills and they typically come by with a (nicely-chilled) bottle without having me to ask for it. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV Champagne is offered here and if you do enjoy your drinks quite a bit, you can really ‘break even’ from just drinking (not that you should, of course). If you do not enjoy Champagne (why?!), there is also a range of premium wines or you may also opt for non-alcoholic drinks here.

Evening Cocktails and Canapés
Valley Wing - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

Evening cocktails and canapés are also served here from 5-7 PM each night - expect a platter of food (which is refillable so you will just have to ask nicely), a decent selection of gin & tonics on top of your free-flowing Champagne during this time. The seating area did get rather full when I went down at approximately 6 PM so you might want to get in early if you would like to pick a seat (the tables located outside are probably the most popular ones). Once again, the quality of food was surprisingly good and I really enjoyed that fried chicken drumlet with a Thai-stye marinade.

Guests staying the Valley Wing of Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore used to have the option of having breakfast at either the Summit Room or enjoy a buffet breakfast experience at The Line. As we all know, self-service buffets in Singapore are currently not allowed and the Summit Room is actually closed at the time of writing. To be honest, I was really looking forward to breakfast in the Summit Room as I had really fond memories from my previous stay. A la carte breakfast is currently being served in The Line for all hotel guests and there is no differentiation between a Garden Wing or Valley Wing guest (something that I wish the hotel did just to give Valley Wing guests a little more). Each guest is entitled to one breakfast set but you can order other unlimited servings of the other dishes like waffles, cold cuts, pancakes, and yogurt just to name a few.

To be completely honest, I did find the breakfast at The Line to be underwhelming for a few reasons. Firstly, I felt that the staff could have been a little bit more proactive with the hotel guests (especially since the restaurant was probably running at 20% capacity when I visited). While sitting outside in the alfresco area, I waited at least 10 minutes for my coffee to come (and with my mask on) - drinking water should be provided immediately once the guests settle in. Secondly, the seats outside were pretty filthy (i.e. bird droppings) so when I was shown to my table, I immediately switched out my chair for a cleaner one (none of the staff offered to help - they just watched). Thirdly, as it was an alfresco dining area, it should not come as a surprise when birds come-in to pick-up leftovers when diners leave their tables. Restaurant staff should be more proactive in clearing away used plates and dishes as and when they see one (instead of waiting until the guests leave). There was also a rather unpleasant event where one of the staff felt that spraying the birds with disinfectant and cleaning liquid was appropriate and funny - I personally found it extremely offensive. The quality of food was alright but nothing compares to breakfast in the Summit Room so I really hope they resume that soon - otherwise, give Valley Wing guests the option to have breakfast in their rooms.

Bedroom
Valley Wing Deluxe Room - Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

The Valley Wing Indulgence room package that I booked also came inclusive of 90-minute massage treatment for two at Chi, The Spa which I really enjoyed. When I visited the spa a couple of years ago, I found it to be average at best but my massage this time was excellent! I really enjoyed my stay in the Valley Wing - the all-day Champagne, delicious food in the Champagne Bar, and the massage really made the stay a memorable one. With that said, at S$645++ a night, it is simply not something that I will do every weekend unless I am a hardcore alcoholic. I really do hope that the situation at The Line improves - this is a tough time for everyone in the hospitality industry and it goes without saying that the staycation hype will eventually die off in Singapore for most people. For some strange reason, I was also not charged the right amount of GST and Service Tax for this stay - my Golden Circle points also posted inaccurately so I will need to follow up with the property to get that rectified.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore is part of the Virtuoso network, and booking a Virtuoso Rate (essentially the Best Available Rate) will give you exclusive amenities like property credits (typically USD 100), room upgrades and complimentary breakfast. These perks can only be accessed when you book with a Virtuoso advisor and Shutterwhale partners with ClassicTravel.com to bring these perks to you at no additional charge. Most importantly, you can still earn elite-qualifying nights and points if the hotel participates in a loyalty program (e.g. Marriott Rewards).

Booking Link: Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore