Hilton Singapore
The Hilton Singapore is located in a quieter part of Orchard Road and it also houses a shopping arcade that showcases brands like Mulberry, Rolex and Balenciaga among other fashion boutiques. I chose to stay at the Hilton Singapore on Christmas Eve.
I was offered a one-tier room upgrade to a Deluxe Plus room at check-in for being a Hilton Hhonors Gold member. This is essentially is a Deluxe room on a higher floor so it did not really feel like a real upgrade to me. However, I was also given free breakfast (since my room rate did not include this) and in-room internet (usually $5.35).
The Hilton Hhonors Gold status offers a great deal of benefits for the frequent traveler. I particularly appreciate free breakfast since they can cost quite a bit at hotels. Some of the HIlton Hhonors Gold benefits include (but not limited to):
- 25% bonus on base points,
- Late check-out,
- Spouse stays free (in properties where double occupancy costs more),
- eCheck-in,
- Room upgrades (where available and applicable),
- Free breakfast or bonus points, and
- Complimentary internet.
Although the room and linen were clean (as you would expect with a five star hotel), the hotel definitely shows sign of age through its tired décor.
The toiletries were provided by Peter Thomas Roth which I personally adore. I do believe I was offered the same brand of toiletries in Hilton Brisbane when I stayed there a year ago. A bath tablet was also provided for tub usage.
Once again, the bathroom continues to exude signs of age. Like most older hotels, the bathroom came with a bathtub but no separate shower area. Personally for me, the bathroom was too small and the tub definitely leaking as the water stopper was unable to contain the water for a period of time.
Apart from the leaky bathtub, I encountered a couple more unpleasant incidents during my stay. Firstly, there was a power shortage in my room when using the hairdryer but this was quickly rectified by the technicians on site. Secondly, housekeeping walked in to my room despite having the Do Not Disturb (DND) sign on outside. Thirdly, front office called to ask if I needed help with my luggage (a polite way to ask you to check-out of the room) despite having granted a late check-out time at check-in. Apparently, the late check-out was not updated in their system and so I had to go through the process of asking for one again.
I will definitely give the hotel another try in the near future because of the location and the associated benefits but I don't think it provides enough for travelers without the Gold status to be charging such a premium in Singapore.