Year: 2015 (Page 12 of 14)

This place is a must see when you visit Singapore. Such beautiful gardens. The park is very well kept and breathtakingly beautiful. The impressive orchid garden with all its different colors and shapes of orchid was my absolute favorite.

Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569, Singapore
https://www.sbg.org.sg/
+65 6471 7361

Visited October 2014. You can find my review about Singapore Botanic Gardens also on TripAdvisor.

A beautiful spot right in the middle of the busy city center. Fort Canning Park is an ideal place for walking, enjoying nature and to catch a breath from the busy city life. This place has quite some historic value. First accounts of habitation date back to the 14th century. Lots of important people lived here (for example Raffles himself). There are remnants of fortifications and there even is a bunker dug out in the hill. You can also admire the old lighthouse that once guided ships into the harbor of Singapore or go on two different walks which offer some interesting background information about the history of this hill. Nature lovers will be pleased too, lots of gorgeous, beautiful trees and flowers. There is even a spice garden for those who love to cook.

When I visited Fort Canning Park, the Fort Canning Center was being renovated, but I’ll expect the renovation will be finished by summer for the celebrations of 50 years Singapore. Sadly I wasn’t possible to enter the bunker and corridors dug out in the hill at this time.

Fort Canning Park, Cox Terrace Fort Canning Cultural Centre, Singapore 179618, Singapore
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/fort-canning-park
+65 1800 471 7300

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about Fort Canning Park also on TripAdvisor.

Nice hotel with very friendly and helpful staff. We booked the club formula and were happy with that. We enjoyed the happy hour at the club, although sometimes there wasn’t enough room for everyone and it could get rather crowded. The club had a nice selection of wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. The canapés weren’t that great and the food selection was limited (although I really enjoyed their cheese). No problem for me though, a great way to start off the evening with some nibbles and go out for dinner afterwards.

Breakfast at the club was great: a nice selection of food with all the classics combined: English breakfast, dim sum, bread and cheese, vegetables, yoghurt and fruit. A few times we were lucky to see the sunrise from our table by the window. Breakfast in the cub was never too crowded, so we could enjoy the start of the day in a relaxed manner.

We also tried the breakfast at the Ellenborough Market Café on the ground level: the breakfast buffet was abundant and very good: almost every Asian cuisine was represented. I loved trying all the different dishes and was very fond of the noodle soup which changed every day. Dim sum selection was also excellent. At the egg station the chef prepared your eggs any way you wanted. The Market Café is rather busy in the morning, but staff is efficient and we almost never had to queue for dishes.

I also had lunch at the Ellenborough Market Café and was really impressed by the excellent buffet: a nice selection of all the different flavors of Singapore. Really good and a great option if you (like me) like to try out new foods.

The room in Swissotel was comfortable, although the view wasn’t anything special (our window looked directly at another building). Staff went to great deals to assure we were satisfied and came by at least twice a day to make sure we had everything we wanted. Everyday we got new water bottles and chocolates and fresh fruit was waiting for us on arrival. In the hallway were always green apples available to have a healthy snack. The bathroom could use a make-over though. Although it was clean, it was clearly worn out and I even spotted some mold in the corners of de bathroom sink. I’m also not a big fan of taking a shower in the bathtub.

I also used the spa facilities for an express pedicure, but I have to say, I have had better pedicures at home. The girl messed up the nail polish a little bit, but she was very nice overall. Very useful: laundry machines are available for washing and drying your sweaty clothes (not a luxury in the Singapore heat).

The location of the hotel is great, right next to Clarke Quay, every evening bustling with life. The hotel is located right next to an MRT station, really useful if you like to explore the city. I also really enjoyed the pool. Never to crowded, very well taken care of and with a beautiful garden. If you like, you can have a cocktail in the Blue Potato, situated right next to the pool. I found the staff at the Blue Potato not very helpful (didn’t dry the seats after a heavy rain shower).

My boyfriend and I really had a lovely stay in this hotel and felt very welcome. Only complaint is the bathroom, which really needed a make-over.

Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore, 20 Merchant Road, Singapore 058281, Singapore

Stayed March 2015. You can find my review about Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, cleanliness 3/5, service 4/5.

We spent a full day in East Coast Park enjoying some kayaking, biking and the excellent hawker center over there. If you love to do something active, East Coast Park is a great place. You can do lots of water sports (kayaking, kite surfing, fishing, sailing,…), you can go biking along the beautiful bike roads and you even can rent roller blades. This beautiful park stretches along the East Coast of Singapore and offers lots of opportunities to just relax and enjoy yourself.

East Coast Park, Along East Coast Parkway and East Coast Park Service Road (Bedok), Singapore 455486, Singapore
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/east-coast-park

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about East Coast Park also on TripAdvisor.