This WAS Singapore.
Now, THIS is Singapore!
I went to the Lion City few weeks back and I was amazed on how a lot has changed since I’ve been there last 2007. Not that I’m complaining, but before you only have Sentosa, Merlion, Orchard Road, Night Safari, Bird Park, and Esplanade. But now, in just 4 years, they already have The Singapore Flyer, the F1 Stadium, the Circle Line (MRT), Youth Olympic Park, Resorts World Casino Integrated Resort (They call their Hotels+Casinos Integrated Resorts), Hard Rock Hotel, Universal Studios, Helix Bridge, Changi Terminal 3, and of Course, the structure that underscores Singapore’s Commitment to Development and Highlights itself to the world – The Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort!
I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to stay at this Magnificent Hotel during our stay in Singapore. Also, to make my stay more enjoyable, I was given a tour of the entire facility by the Marketing and Media Relations of the Hotel. It was so cool!
I know a lot of you are curious about this Hotel so, I will be sharing to you my experience in this Modern Architectural Marvel (from a Filipino Point of View).
Oh, before I proceed, I would just to clear the air; I was not paid to do this nor was I treated for a free accommodation (How I Wish!). We paid for all our expenses… 🙂
Moving On… Let us start with the basics.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
It started at the airport. As expected, they have a friendly concierge service. Then the bus, It was a very comfortable ride to the hotel. And then we arrived. WOW, I was amazed how big it was. It was like a big maze! The hotel lobby stretched from Tower 1 to Tower 3. The details were superb. The hotel itself was a destination on its own. I was so excited.
THE LOCATION:
Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is located in Bayfront Avenue in Singapore. For those who are familiar, this place is near The Esplanade, Marina Square, Makansutra, Suntec City, on the opposite side of the river are the Merlion and Raffles Hotel.
HOW TO GET THERE:
We all know that Singapore has a very efficient and easy to follow public transportation system so going to the hotel is a breeze. If you are coming from the Airport and you have a confirmed reservation from the Hotel, you can Ride their FREE Airport Shuttle Bus which leaves every 30 minutes. The ride takes around 30-40 minutes. If you don’t want to wait or if you are coming from elsewhere, you may ride a cab. Depending on the type of the car, The flag down for the standard cab starts at SGD 2.80 followed by SGD $0.20 for every 200-300 Meters or so. There is also a Bus station near the hotel but I was not able to get the bus number. Another option is the MRT, but as of today, the nearest MRT station from MBS is the Promenade Station of the Circle/Orange Line. If you alight at this station, you still have to walk around 500 meters (or more) to get to the Hotel Entrance. There is a train station being built near the hotel but it is not yet completed.
CHECKING IN:
Depending on what time of the day you check in, your experience will vary. There are a number of check-in counters in the hotel. There are 3 towers and each tower has several check-in counters. The busiest time of course will be during 12NN when most of the guests are checking-out. As for me, I checked in their VIP lounge, no lines, no waiting, and no nosebleed with a beautiful and helpful Filipina Front Desk Attendant! 🙂
CHECKING OUT:
You have two options during check-out. First is the regular check-out where you present your keycard, wait for the room clearance and pay for all outstanding items. This is best if you have time to kill before your flight. But for those who are in a hurry, you can use their Express Check-Out. You just fill out a short form, include your keycard, seal it, and drop it in several Express Check-Out Drop Boxes inside the hotel. What will happen is they will just charge your credit card whatever consumables or other charges you incurred during your stay. This is perfect if you don’t have any though. If your flight leaves a bit late, you may deposit your luggage to the concierge and just pick it up before your flight.
WHERE TO EAT?
Breakfast is not included in the room reservation (I’m speaking for our standard room). If you want have breakfast in the hotel, they have a Breakfast Buffet at Rise Restaurant at the Lobby. This costs SGD $38++. For all other meals, they have a number of casual and fine dining restaurants inside the hotel, mall, and casino. Just choose a cuisine and they have it. Just be prepared to pay tons of SGD for a good meal! 🙂
HOW MUCH?
The Standard Hotel Room (Where we stayed) costs around SGD $300++ up per night! This also depends on how far back you reserved your room. The other hotel rooms cost way more.
Next Post (Part 2)… Rooms at Marina Bay Sands
Hanggang Sa Muli! Paalam!
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By: DENCIO
Originally Posted On: www.DENCIO.com
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