Hotel Review: Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore
Located next to Singapore's most famous nightclub, Zouk, the iconic Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore occupies a strategic location in the heart of Singapore which makes it an excellent base for exploring this beautiful city. Overlooking the historic Singapore River and a handful of great restaurants in the area, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore with 574 guest rooms and suites is located within easy reach of the Central Business District (CBD) and the waterfront precincts of Robertson Quay, Clarke Quay and Boat Quay with their lively dining and entertainment venues.
I took advantage of the Rest and Relax package on a weekend at this charming hotel which comes inclusive of the following:
- One night stay in an Executive Suite (or a Waterfront Suite at an additional cost)
- Club Lounge access
- River taxi ride for 2 persons to the Marina Bayfront
- S$50 Dining Voucher
- Additional Executive Club benefits (e.g. complimentary breakfast and WiFi)
For more details on the Executive Club benefits and the inclusions of the Rest and Relax Package, please refer to my previous article on this promotion.
When I first arrived at the lobby of the property, I was slightly disorientated with the number of people waiting to check-in. While this spells good business for the hotel, it meant that you will probably have to wait for a bit before you get to the check-in desk. Since I have a reservation for the Waterfront Suite with Executive Club Lounge access, I proceeded to level 29 instead for a fuss-free (and queue-free nonetheless) check-in instead.
Since Afternoon Tea was being served in the Executive Club Lounge after I checked-in to the hotel, I decided to linger for a bit before heading to my room. There was a small selection of savoury bites and desserts for those with a sweeter tooth.
The Waterfront Suite offers a separate living room (with its very own powder room) and bedroom to ensure that privacy is always respected if you are here on business. If you are here for pleasure, the Waterfront Suite offers more space for you to lounge around and it comes equipped with two TVs with a range of Cable channels.
The fruit platter in my room came with a pretty good mix of fruits and berries - even blackberries! You should check out the fruit platter that Crowne Plaza Changi Airport sent me when I stayed in the Pool Suite! Since I had a S$50 dining voucher to utilise, I pushed the '1-Touch' button on the phone to make a dinner reservation at Cafe Brio's which offers both local delights and international dishes. Unlike some other luxury hotels that I have stayed in, the Guest Service Agent immediately transferred me to the restaurant where I was put on hold the minute I mentioned that I would like to make a dinner reservation. At hotels like the Mandarin Oriental Singapore and the Pan Pacific Singapore, they would have actually called me back with a confirmed dinner reservation once they have gotten it sorted out.
The work desk located outside in the living room come equipped with a bunch of connectivity options if you're still living in the past. Otherwise, I found the WiFi connection to be decent throughout the property (and really, you should consider getting a laptop with WiFi connectivity if you do not already have one). There are also some stationeries in the desk drawer should you require them - again, take my advice on Evernote. Click HERE to get one month free Evernote Premium if you do not already have an account.
There's also a small mini-bar with a decent selection of liquor and beverages should you wish to take part in the Mixologist Championships. Otherwise, my advice to you is to wait patiently for cocktail hour (more on this) later. Basic tea and coffee-making facilities are available in the Waterfront Suite but you will not find a Nespresso (or equivalent) machine here.
The bedroom itself was spacious and roomy with a lot of natural lighting coming in. You will be able to enjoy great views of the Singapore River from the Waterfront Suite. I had a nice view of Robertson Quay, overlooking familiar and popular brunch places from my suite. Complimentary drinking water is also found by the bed because we all know how difficult it is to get out of a comfy bed once you've settled in.
Like most other suites, you will find another TV in the bedroom (because you need one in every living space really) and a chair to do some light reading. If you're staying in the Waterfront Suite for an extended period of time, feel free to utilise the large wardrobes in your suite. However, if you're looking to spend some time at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore, it is perhaps a better idea to look at the La Residenza option which may better serve your needs as a long-stay guest. Claiming to be one of the most opulent serviced suites in Singapore, La Residenza has 24 tastefully designed suites that bear the hallmark of the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.
As mentioned previously, I had a pretty nice view of the Singapore River and the Robertson Quay surroundings from my bedroom and living room. I also enjoyed partial views of the iconic Marina Bay Sands (try to spot it!) and the Singapore marina bay area. If you're living in Grand Copthorne Waterfront and are looking to do some grocery shopping or alternative dining options, check out the Great World City located ten minutes away.
The bathroom of the Waterfront Suite was perhaps the most modern in terms of design when compared to the rest of the suite. I really liked the bathtub here as it had the following positive attributes:
- Huge water capacity equates to deep soaking potential
- Interesting shape allowing you to sit inside comfortably
- Ample space around the bathtub for electronics and snacks
- Water filled up tub quickly
Like the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit that I visited earlier on in Bangkok, the amenities provided at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore were by an in-house brand which I generally do not appreciate as much. In fact, I think they were similar to the ones I received in Bangkok.
Enjoy cocktails and canapes at the Executive Club Lounge on Level 29 from 6pm to 8pm in the evening if you have access to it. If you make a reservation under the Rest and Relax Package like I did, you will automatically receive Executive Club privileges. I think the Executive Club Lounge is my favourite aspect of the hotel. Boasting large floor to ceiling windows which offer impressive views of the surroundings, the Executive Club Lounge offers a huge sense of space to a traveller wanting to get out of town. Different seating configurations are also available for families and larger groups of friends - this is a family-friendly hotel after all!
The quality of canapes served during cocktail hour was decent. There was a selection of Italian-influenced dishes and the usual fried food that many travellers seem to love.
There was also a small selection of cheese and (cheese) corn chips if you enjoy your coagulation of milk. The variety of cheese was definitely lacking and the quality did not make up for it. Save your stomach for more wine (which was actually decent) or my favourite dish below instead.
My personal favourite was the prosciutto and rock melon which came in perfect bite sizes. I would have preferred Jamón ibérico over prosciutto but it is still a nice touch.
Despite being relatively unimpressed with the "1-Touch" Service to get a dinner reservation at Cafe Brio's, I ended up with a outside table which overlooks the Singapore River. I chose the à la carte option over the dinner buffet which runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at S$68++. I guess they were really busy that evening with the dinner buffet happening as it took over 45 minutes before food was actually served. Thankfully, the waiter was tactful enough to bring about some bread from the buffet spread to help me tide through the hunger.
The Pan-Seared Salmon with the broccoli and tomato rice side arrived first. Despite waiting for a good 45-50 minutes for this dish, it was actually rather disappointing. However, it was possibly due to the fact that the dinner buffet was happening and therefore, the kitchen was potentially understaffed for à la carte diners. The White Clam Capellini which arrived later also failed to impress. I probably will not be back for dinner on a buffet day.
I got up later than usual the following day and proceeded downstairs for the buffet breakfast. As a Waterfront Suite guest, I can choose to have my breakfast at the Executive Club Lounge which I generally do not prefer since it has a smaller selection of food. However, when I arrived at Cafe Brio's, there was a long line which provided me with that extra push to have breakfast in the lounge instead. The staff in the lounge was attentive and quick to clear any used plates. While the lounge was quiet enough (and did not actually have a queue at all) for breakfast, the variety was definitely lacking.
Although one of the benefits of staying in a Waterfront Suite was a late check-out of 4pm which is subjected to availability on the actual day, I did not manage to stay past 12pm due to high occupancy. While I understand that a late check-out can only be accorded if hotel occupancy is lower, I was surprised to know that even a 30 minute grace period couldn't be offered.
Being one of the most affordable five-star hotels in Singapore, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore is definitely an iconic one. If you are a rare clubber like me who wishes to check out the Zouk Nightclub next door and do not wish to deal with the whole taxi situation at 3 in the morning, take my advice and get yourself a basic room here. The location is perfect and there's no real competition there (especially after ten drinks). However, I would probably not recommend young couples or friends to do a staycation here unless you really need to be there since the facilities are definitely more family-orientated.
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Singapore
392 Havelock Rd, Singapore 169663
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