Out of all the GHA Discovery properties in Singapore, this hotel is one of the more affordable options that received a much-needed makeover in recent years. Having stayed here twice before, I was eager to check out this newly refurbished version, especially since Trip.com had a special offer for this hotel specifically.
It is situated within walking distance from the iconic heritage neighbourhood of Kampong Glam, an area that used to house the Malay, Arab and Bugis communities during Singapore’s colonial era. Today, it is a vibrant district with lots of restaurants, especially Middle Eastern and Turkish ones, and trendy retail shops selling unique merchandise. As such, this hotel makes for a good base from which to explore these cultural spots!
- Inclusions:
- 1-night stay in PARKROYAL Club Deluxe Room
- PARKROYAL Club Lounge access
- Breakfast and evening cocktails (as part of club lounge access)
- Spent: SGD$248.81
Check-in
My husband and I arrived to a mostly empty and very aesthetically pleasing reception area on level 1. It looked totally different from the dull and uninspiring lobby it once was. As we booked a club room, we were expecting to be able to check in at the lounge itself. However, we were told that we could only do so if our room wasn’t ready yet, a strange policy that we’d never encountered in other hotels before. Puzzled but wanting to get the registration over and done with, we didn’t pursue the matter.
Room
Our room was located on the 6th floor, with the 7th floor being the highest in the property. I loved how refreshed the interiors looked. Soft, muted colours along with modern furniture and warm lighting, it was an inviting space indeed. The bathroom was rather tiny without much wiggle room though. There was no conditioner available too, which was bad news for my hair. In addition, the towels had conspicuous orange and brown stains on them so I had to call for replacements.
Turndown service was provided upon request and entailed the clearing of trash, drawing of curtains, replacing of used towels but no replenishment of items. The bed was comfortably firm and so was the pillow I requested for, making for a good night’s sleep.
Facilities
The swimming pool, gym, fitness studio and St. Gregory Spa are located in a separate building that can be accessed via a connecting bridge on level 4. Although the pool and surrounding deck area is massive, it has a rather dated appearance. Given the sheer amount of space here, it feels like it had the potential to be transformed into an oasis of relaxation instead of being left in its current state. Anyway, the gym is equally spacious and sufficiently equipped. Staying guests can also access the steam rooms inside the gender-segregated locker rooms.
The PARKROYAL Club can be found on level 7, with a small reception counter by its entrance. I quite enjoyed the ambience here in the day as it felt bright and open. There was barely anyone at that time too so it was nice and quiet. Lounge staff were always ready to welcome guests and provide assistance, such as taking drink orders.
Guests can help themselves to the basic refreshments available from 11am to 4pm. These include coffee, tea, chilled juices, soft drinks and cookies.
Evening cocktails at the lounge commenced later on betweeen 6pm to 8pm. Unfortunately, it was a very sparse spread during our visit and definitely not an adequate substitute for dinner. In terms of taste, the items weren’t fantastic either. The only dish we took seconds of was the cauliflower gratin. Also, it started to get really crowded as the night went on. Given the limited seating and space in the lounge, it did get a tad uncomfortable so we left to get proper dinner somewhere else.
Returning from dinner, we headed to Club 5 bar on level 1 to have a look and take some shots of the space. It sported a stylish and chic interior, an ideal place to wind down for the night. Richard, the bar manager, came over to introduce himself and upon hearing that we would like to take some photos, promptly invited us in and briefly showed us around. Shockingly, the two female staff behind the bar started raising their voices at me, rudely shouting “hello!” a few times to get my attention. When I turned towards them, the pony-tailed one (I believe her name was Tiffany) was glaring at me in contempt and said that photo-taking wasn’t allowed in here.
I double-checked this with Richard and Dila, the manager on duty, who then apologized on behalf of their staff and offered us a drink as a form of restitution. We politely declined but they sent two glasses of juice to our room anyway. From what transpired, it seemed like it wasn’t the bar staff’s first offence. It is pretty concerning to imagine that they can be given the leeway to yell at and stare guests down as they see fit. The entire situation just left a really sour taste in our mouths.
Breakfast service for lounge guests was combined with the other guests at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Ginger, between 6am and 10.30am. It was a buffet with a decent variety of items prepared by the Halal-certified kitchen here. There were interesting dishes like soba noodles, sushi and a tower of kimchi at the salad station, which don’t usually feature in most Singapore hotel breakfast buffets.
Regrettably, nothing stood out in particular when it came time to taste. My freshly made omelette was utterly bland, the nasi lemak rice and chilli lacked fragrance and the curry chicken texture was way too rubbery. It didn’t help that the place was incredibly crowded at around 9am too, becoming progressively chaotic at the later timings. By the time we left the restaurant, the queue to get in was already snaking round towards the lobby area so do come early if you wish to avoid the mayhem.
My overall rating of the experience: 3 out of 5 stars. Despite the almost 5-star worthy hardware as a result of the hotel’s recent refurbishment, the software was sadly lagging far behind. Service was largely unpolished and some of the Club 5 staff were downright hostile (how they can be allowed to continue such behaviour, I understand not). Only the housekeeping staff we met along the corridors had a warm and welcoming demeanour with their chirpy greetings. Our room had stained towels and no provision of conditioner (we all know “conditioning shampoo” doesn’t actually condition). Food at the lounge and at breakfast were unmemorable as well (but the delicious fare at Si Chuan Dou Hua restaurant is certainly worth trying). Nevertheless, given the hotel’s price point, I can see why it remains a popular option for many. If you’re able to overlook some of these issues, it can be a somewhat decent hotel to stay in, especially with its proximity to local cultural spots and attractions.
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
Dania Experiences 