The very first time my husband and I set foot in Andaz Hotel was to enquire about wedding packages for our upcoming nuptials a few years back. I remember immediately falling in love with its chic and classy interior that exuded vibes of modern contemporary luxury. Although we eventually didn’t have our wedding here because we wanted a more intimate setting, it was definitely a fierce contender among all our options. We’re really glad to be back at this hotel to properly experience all it has to offer!
Check-in
There was no queue at the reception counter located at level 2 when we arrived, probably because it was a weekday. In our package description, it mentioned that for weekday stays, we could request for an early check-in and late check-out depending on availability. We managed to secure an early check-in but not a late check-out. The check-in process was swift, but the staff assisting us seemed a little standoffish. Even though she was saying all the right words, it felt as if she was just reading emotionlessly off a customer service script. I didn’t really believe her when she said “have a nice stay” with those blank, expressionless eyes.
Room
With that not-so-warm welcome behind us, we proceeded to our room on the 30th floor (which had to be accessed via a change to the guest lifts on the 25th floor). Our package came with a free room upgrade, so we were assigned to the King Bed City View Room! It was pretty big and inviting with stylish furniture and fittings, even having a sizeable corner for a semi-walk-in wardrobe. My husband really loved the round table, saying that this was exactly what he’s been looking for, and joked about bringing it home. The mini-bar and snacks were complimentary once per stay for all guests. Although there was a substantial array of items to choose from, they seemed to have significantly scaled back on the quantity as well as the quality of those items from pre-covid times.
Another slightly unpleasant encounter I had with one of the staff was when I requested for an extra comb. When I opened the door to receive it, she handed it to me with the utmost nonchalance, and then walked off with an air of having someplace else more important to be. Also, I was rather bummed that I had to sleep without my usual firm pillow as they had all supposedly been given out already. This is the first time I’ve encountered this issue in all the 5-star hotels we’ve stayed at, not a good kind of first. I ended up waking up a few times throughout the night to adjust my mushy pillows’ almost non-existent support.
The bathroom was generous in its layout, having more than enough space to comfortably stretch out and move around in there (of course, it can’t compare to those in the suite rooms with amazing double vanities and a bathtub!). One thing I can’t stop raving about are the exquisite-smelling toiletries by Grown Alchemist and Christophe Laudamiel. Their products are super gentle on the skin (yes, even the bar soap) so you don’t have to worry about them drying your skin out. Seriously good stuff, I might just become their regular customer myself.
Facilities
Once we got into our swim gear, we headed to the infinity-esque pool at our pre-booked timeslot. Views there were nice and the place looked well-maintained. However, the clouds were looking mighty upset at that time. The pool guy in charge, who was very genuine and friendly, alerted us about the lightning warning and explained how they had a system that detects incoming showers in advance before it reached the hotel’s location. Unfortunately, he had to eventually close the pool in the middle of our timeslot, but well, at least my husband managed to take a dip this time round (it started raining before he could do so when we stayed at The Fullerton).
As for the gym, it is located on the 38th floor next to 665°F, one of the hotel’s dining establishments specializing in prime cuts and sustainable seafood. We didn’t get to have a look inside as gym entry entailed going all the way down to level 2 to request for an access card from the front desk.
After our shortened time at the pool, we went on to explore the hotel’s event venues, The Glasshouse (where our wedding ceremony would’ve been held at) and Garden Studio, both located on the 3rd floor. They remain as beautiful as I remembered ❤
Now, onto the dining options! Housed within Alley on 25 are many uniquely-themed dining spaces that correspond to the different styles of preparation of the cuisine served there. For instance, Icehaus prepares the salads, cold cuts and sandwiches, while The Green Oven serves up piping hot pizzas and other baked dishes. However, not all of them were open during our stay. We were seated at The Green Oven for dinner and Icehaus for breakfast the next day (more on that later!).
Another restaurant we considered having dinner at was 665°F because the menu items were simply too tempting. The decor was elegant and fancy, but it offered very limited seating capacity. One of the waitresses suggested for us to make reservations early in order to avoid disappointment.
We had some time to spare before our reservation at Mr. Stork (a must-visit rooftop bar and dining spot) so we went to the Sunroom, a lounge that serves complimentary all-day beverages and is open to all in-house guests (ie. non-exclusive). It was mostly empty when we arrived, so we chose the corner seat next to the full-length windows overlooking the city. What a cosy nook it was, it felt almost like our own private dining space! Lamentably, the beverages were limited to coffee, tea and soft drinks only (come on, not even hot chocolate?). According to previous reviews dated pre-covid, they used to offer free-flow snacks too. Not sure how much more these snacks add to the overall operating costs, but it certainly would’ve added value to the guest experience by many folds.
At 6.45pm, we finally made our way to Mr. Stork at the topmost level of the building! As staff opened the doors for us, we were greeted not just by their warm smiles but by huge gales of wind and ominous cloudy skies as well. Thankfully, the seats they ushered us to were under a huge umbrella and nestled in a corner at the edge of the building, where we could soak in uninterrupted high-altitude views of the city skyline. The place had a lovely alfresco ambience, just that as a note to (my cold) self, I should bring a cardigan along next time.
There is a minimum spend of $10 here, so we decided to use some of that $100 dining credit included in our package for a pre-dinner snack. We ordered beef sliders and a ginger ale, both of which were very average. Sadly, as the rain started getting heavier later on, we had to prematurely leave behind those gorgeous views to head for shelter inside.
Next up was dinner at Alley on 25! The first thing that hit us when we stepped into The Green Oven was the yummy smell of pizza cooking in the oven (but that also meant that our clothes would smell of food after). Equipped with the 25% dining discount from our package, I ordered a Barramundi En Papillote while my husband had Auntie’s Laksa, with a side of grilled corn on the cob to share. My dish was fragrant but the fish itself needed more seasoning; the laksa tasted more like a Western interpretation of the Asian version and was missing some semblance of a boiled egg (most laksas we’re used to come with that). My husband then referred to the dish’s name and curiously questioned, “Who is this auntie?”
To round off the night, we ordered an opera cake and their signature pandan chiffon cake for dessert. Wow, both really needed to scale back on the sweetness level. As a result, we didn’t finish them off but with the pandan chiffon, it helped to peel off the layer of sugar and just eat the chiffon cake, which was moist and fluffy. Also, kudos to the lady staff who made us feel very well taken care of, despite beind the main one anchoring the floor at The Green Oven (almost all the tables were occupied and equally needing her attention).
Complimentary breakfast the next day was also at Alley on 25, but this time we were seated at Icehaus. There was no need to pre-book a timeslot, reminding me of the wonderful times of flexibility before covid happened. One distasteful fact though, was that it was a pseudo-buffet where one person was restricted to ordering only one main dish. Granted, the continental selection and beverages are free-flow but still, this hasn’t happened at any of the other hotels we’ve stayed at so far. Hot chocolate was surprisingly available here (but not in the Sunroom?). Foodwise, everything tasted fairly okay and there was nothing in particular that stood out.
What did stand out was the thoughtfulness of one male staff donning a ponytail who was in charge of our section. When he observed that the morning sun was starting to shine directly on us through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he considerately and discreetly took the initiative to pull down the blinds for us. Aww, what a kind gesture (:
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. We felt that the hotel’s trendy design carried much of the experience, and as an architect himself, my husband fully appreciated the amount of attention meticulously paid to the little details. Our room was clean and comfortable, and those views from the top were pretty sweet too! The food was passable, I found the dishes served at dinner more tantalizing than those at breakfast. In terms of service, particular members of staff thoroughly impressed us with their warmth and thoughtfulness, but certain others did their duties more perfunctorily and almost begrudgingly, which was quite off-putting. Generally, I’d say our stay here was pleasant and relaxing, but there was a looming sense of penny-pinching stinginess that pervaded the experience (probably an attempt to cut costs to tide through the covid season). If it weren’t for the discounted price we paid for this stay, making it of pretty good value still, I’d likely give it a 3-star rating. I wouldn’t pay the standard rates unless they ramp their offerings back up to what it used to be.
Dania Experiences 