Every time I pass by The Fullerton Hotel with its majestically beautiful facade, I think to myself that one day, I must stay here and experience what this heritage hotel has to offer. That day finally arrived thanks to Klook (new users signing up via my link will get you and I $5 credit each!) and their awesome package discounts, so my husband and I got to be a part of this iconic landmark’s history in our own little way (: If you like hotels with a rich heritage, you’ll be in for a treat as there are many little tidbits of historical trivia waiting to be discovered throughout the hotel.
Check-in
Upon arrival, we were directed to Post Bar that had been converted into a waiting space for guests checking in. After filling up a short declaration form, we proceeded to… sit and wait for about an hour before it was our turn to check in at the reception counter. No drinks or water were provided during the wait, and the front-of-house staff made it feel as if us guests were just expected to wait this long. Although this was not the longest we’ve had to wait for our room (2.5 hours at Sofitel Singapore City Centre), at least the staff there seemed genuinely apologetic about the situation. Over here? Not the best start.
Room
With that unpleasant check-in experience behind us, we were all geared up to check out our room, which was the Premier Courtyard Room. Its design faithfully mirrors the hotel’s facade – decadent with lots of ornamentation and detail, exuding a modernized colonial style. The bathroom tiles looked slightly old and dated, but it was spacious with a nice-sized tub and a fancy Toto washlet with a seat-warmer. Deserving special mention is the availability of sufficient wall hooks for towels and clothes (an underrated but essential detail), something I’ve yet to find in the other hotels I’ve visited. I also liked the extravagantly tall and slanted headboard, great for reading and watching television in bed.
One drawback of this room is the view, or the lack thereof. Even though we were already prepared for a less-than-ideal view (inward-facing overlooking The Courtyard), it was made worse as we were assigned a room right at the end of the corridor, meaning our “view” was just a whole lot of wall. Inconveniently, this also meant that we had to walk out of our room to an outward-facing corridor window in order to check if it was raining or not.
As part of our package, we were entitled to a complimentary Signature Fullerton Teddy Bear, as well as a late check-out at 6pm. I truly appreciated that they honoured this check-out timing as most hotels would play the “subject to availability” card, allowing us to extensively enjoy the grand awesomeness of our room. I was also grateful that they offered the firmest contour pillow available to help me get a good night’s sleep. Plus points (:
Facilities
Having booked a slot at the swimming pool from 5.30pm to 7pm, we made our way there after checking out the spa and gym areas. It’s quite a small pool but boasts a charming view of the hotel’s surroundings. Alas, before my husband could properly settle down and take a dip, it started pouring suddenly, cutting short our time at the pool.
The hotel’s club lounge, called The Straits Club, was mostly emptied out when we got there. The place had such a cosy vibe with the warm lights, especially since it was raining so heavily outside. It’s interesting how the designers managed to modernize this space while still retaining nostalgic touches of vintage Peranakan elements.
Breakfast the next morning was served a la carte style with unlimited ordering at Town Restaurant. The service staff were so warm and welcoming! They were incredibly attentive and polite despite the fact that there were so many other tables of guests needing their service. Paper envelopes were also thoughtfully provided for guests to keep their masks in when dining. We requested for smaller portions so we could try a greater variety of items on the menu, thankfully the staff were able to accommodate this. The local food items like the kaya toast, chicken congee and laksa tasted absolutely legit. My only regret is not having enough stomach space to try the rest of the local dishes!
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. We thoroughly enjoyed being able to lounge about in our room until the almost-unheard-of check-out time at 6pm. The room was luxuriously comfortable, the food was splendid, the staff were (mostly) super friendly and service-oriented. However, the check-in process seriously left much to be desired and the view from our room was probably the worst possible view out of all the rooms in this category. With that said, it was generally a pleasant stay and pretty good value for the price we paid. Once again, huge shout-out to the F&B service team for making our breakfast experience an inviting one, that definitely made up for what the front-of-house team lacked.
Dania Experiences 