The Pan Pacific hotel underwent a pretty extensive transformation in mid-2023, where new F&B spaces were added and certain room categories (Deluxe, Premier and Executive Marina Bay, Premier and Skyline Suite) were refreshed. Since I had a complimentary stay with club lounge access courtesy of being a Prestige member of Pan Pacific Privileges, the hotel’s dedicated dining loyalty programme, I thought it an opportune time to check out their new rooms.
The complimentary room category was stated as the Deluxe Panoramic Room, which my husband and I had stayed in before. But with a 2-tier upgrade via the GHA Discovery Titanium membership, it landed us in the refurbished Executive Marina Bay Room!
- Inclusions:
- 1-night stay in Executive Marina Bay Room (upgraded from Deluxe Panoramic Room)
- Pacific Club Lounge access
- Champagne breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails (as part of club lounge access)
- Late check-out 2pm (subject to availability)
- Complimentary non-alcoholic mini-bar drinks
- Spent: SGD$0
Check-in
The reception area sported soothing shades of blue and a lot more reflective surfaces after the revamp. They even made a separate, more private area for GHA Discovery members.
It was a pity that our check-in didn’t go too smoothly. Firstly, there was a lot of waiting as the system took a long time to load. Later on, we also realized that they didn’t accord the lounge access on our key cards so I had to go back down again to clarify matters. Thankfully, Swee Boon, a reception staff, and Connie, the front office manager, assisted to resolve the issue, giving us a new set of key cards with lounge access.
Room
As its name suggests, all rooms in this category offer direct views of the Marina Bay area. Ours was located on level 16 out of 35 floors (the highest floor for this room category is apparently level 21). I really appreciated the new aesthetic as it felt much more modern and appealing, with light colours and slick finishes. I loved the super firm bed too, but the firm pillow wasn’t as sturdy as I would’ve liked it to be.
The bathroom, on the other hand, seemed largely untouched by the renovations, with telling black spots along the shower floor edges and around the base of the sink tap. Having said that, this was far better than the Pacific Club Room bathroom during our last stay, where we had to contend with pervasive stains and rusty drains.
As part of club lounge privileges, guests can enjoy complimentary mini-bar items in the room. Later in the evening, I requested for turndown service and was pleasantly surprised that they actually replenished the items we consumed from our mini-bar. Alas, they didn’t do the same for the toiletries and forgot to clear the bathroom dustbin too.
Facilities
Only guests staying in this particular room category have access to Studio 26, a 24-hour self-service area nestled on level 26. It’s a cosy, quiet spot to chill at, with a handful of snacks, drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices) and charging points. I suppose it’s useful for business guests looking to get some work done but otherwise, it’s not a particularly exciting space.
Pan Pacific Club lounge access includes afternoon tea, served between 3pm and 5pm. The ambience in the lounge is as relaxing as I remember it to be, with breathtaking city views all around. Thankfully, the meal presentations have now gone back to being a full-on buffet as opposed to a limited set (albeit replenishable), as was the case during our previous stay.
Of all the food options, my undeniable favourite was the savoury Japanese egg mayo item that looked like a Swiss roll (I even mistakenly put it on my dessert plate initially!). The roll was soft and fluffy, plus there was a nice hint of truffle – nicely elevated comfort food. The rest of the items were mostly just above average.
What was different about our lounge experience this time was that they had a roving tea sampling cart! That day, the two tea options were the Double Happiness Tea (white tea leaves with jasmine flowers) and the Refreshmint Tea (white tea leaves with mint and camellia blossoms). I also loved that they had free-flow fresh juices (I ordered a mix of apple, orange and carrot) and Acqua Panna here ❤
After that, I explored the brand new spaces around the hotel to see what had changed (check out my previous post for details on the other facilities). What used to be Pacific Marketplace on level 1 has now been rebranded as Pacific Emporium. The dining areas here feel much more open and seamless compared to the original segmented configuration.
The lobby bar next to it has been transformed into PLUME, a classy destination bar with dramatic features that serves avian-themed bar snacks and tipples.
Evening canapés took place at the lounge from 6pm to 8pm. An important thing to note is that during this time, they’re exceptionally strict on the smart casual dress code and kids aren’t allowed in the lounge.
Of the many lounges we’ve been to, I find the spread here to be considerably generous and sumptuous! Lots of hot food options for a very viable substitute for dinner. The items are changed seasonally but during our stay, I particularly enjoyed the seafood cioppino (perfectly cooked mussels, squid, small scallops, plus slightly spicy for a nice little kick). The grilled chicken puttanesca was also quite good – it could’ve been more flavourful but the texture was wonderfully succulent. There were also interesting champagne macarons that weren’t overly saccharine (:
From the drinks menu, I opted for my usual mimosa and a Flower For You mocktail (consisting of elderflower syrup, mango juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice and soda). The latter was a refreshing sweet treat!
As our stay coincided with the country’s National Day rehearsals, we got to catch the mesmerizing fireworks display from the comfort of the lounge!
For breakfast, guests can opt for champagne breakfast at the lounge or regular breakfast at Edge restaurant on level 3 between 7am and 10.30am. We decided to choose peace and quiet so breakfast at the lounge it was! Ramyah, one of the lounge staff, was, alas, the only ray of sunshine there that morning. She actively made conversation with guests and had so much positive energy in her interactions with us ❤
On top of the buffet spread and a live station for eggs here, there was an a la carte menu with slightly more premium items. We ordered the potato waffles with caviar, the pengat pisang brioche French toast and the egg tartine. Everything tasted very decent, although nothing stood out spectacularly.
On the other hand, the sheer variety at Edge restaurant was mind-blowing! There was a Chinese section with a live noodle station, an Indian section with prata and curries, as well as a Japanese section with teriyaki salmon and tamago in addition to the usual continental breakfast selection. They even had the same choices of fresh juices as those in the lounge. We nipped a little at some sausages, pizza, traditional beancurd (super smooth and yummy) and a very exotic-tasting masala tea.
Dining in the lounge was definitely a more relaxing experience as it was a lot less crowded, plus there was champagne and more premium items. In comparison, although Edge had much more variety, it was heavily bustling with crowds and queues.
We concluded our time here with a second round of afternoon tea. The offerings were significantly different from yesterday’s, with many more yummy items like the monte cristo sandwiches, salads with seared tuna, surprisingly tender chicken breast slices, as well as the mushroom and cream cheese charcoal buns. Once again, the soups seem to be a winner for me. The clam chowder was packed with actual clams (albeit tiny ones) and other vegetables, simply warm and comforting.
One of the options from the roving tea sampling cart was replaced with the Heart Of Happiness Tea (white tea leaves with amaranth, jasmine and dragon lilies). My husband and I ordered a pot of this fragrant tea to sip on as we whiled the afternoon away.
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. It is awesome to see one of my preferred hotels getting the sprucing up it sorely needed! The refurbished spaces definitely make the hotel feel more updated and inviting, although the bathrooms still need a lot more attention and upkeep. With the Pacific Club Lounge reverting to a buffet-style service with a wider spread, it was a much fuller experience than when we visited the last time! The panoramic views from the lounge were unbeatable too. Food from the lounge and from Edge restaurant were generally well-executed, with some dishes tasting much better than others. Similarly for the staff, some had a clear knack for connecting with guests while others seemed a bit more perfunctory in their duties. Nevertheless, this was yet another reliably decent stay!
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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