On my last trip to Singapore, I checked in at Mandarin Oriental. I’m not very faithful when it comes to hotels. I usually make reservations through booking sites, and I’m not a member of any reward programs. This kind of hotel promiscuity usually means that I get the worst rooms with the poorest views. Upgrades? Ha! Forget about it! They go to the loyal customers, who don’t sleep around.
I was therefore surprised and super excited to find out that my room at Mandarin Oriental was on a high floor and had a fabulous view. From my room, I could see both Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands, so those curtains weren’t closed for a second, during my stay.
I’m usually not a big fan of hotel breakfast buffets (unless they’re like the one at Marriott Nai Yang, which I dedicated an entire blogpost to), because life is too short for hard boiled soft boiled eggs, and suspiciously orange orange juice from concentrate.
I therefore booked the room at Mandarin Oriental without breakfast, but then I got curious and went down do have a look. Melt Café, which is where the breakfast buffet is served, doesn’t look like a typical buffet restaurant. The food is beautifully arranged, and there are plenty of space between the tables, so you don’t feel like you’re in a school cafeteria. You could also choose to sit outside right next to what looked like a little piece of rainforest. A table for one, please!
The food was delicious, the service was excellent and I ate so much that some of the neighboring tables started staring. A nice detail was that the staff all addressed me by name.
The first day I had a couple of things to take care of, so I didn’t make it to the pool until around 3pm. It was rather crowded when I arrived, and I couldn’t see any vacant sunbeds, so I asked one of the staff members to assist me. Though all he could offer was a bed in a far-away corner, shoulder-to-shoulder with an elderly gentleman wearing a sunhat. I explained that if he hadn’t got anything better, I would rather come by another day, and then I left. The following day I went straight to the pool after breakfast, and this time I was greeted warmly by the staff, who remembered me from the day before. It didn’t take more than 5 minutes before they had me installed in a nice cabana right next to the pool.
My stay at Mandarin Oriental was amazing, and I was dazzled by the friendly service, the gorgeous room and the delicious food. One of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at!
Mandarin Oriental, 5 Raffles Ave, Singapore
