Author: Carolien Coenen (Page 29 of 41)

To be honest this must have been one of the best kaiten sushi experiences I’ve had in my life, outside of Japan. We arrived at Genki Sushi sometime before six, so we managed to dodge the queue, but it wasn’t hard to understand why a short while thereafter we saw a huge queue of people waiting to be seated.

Every table has a tablet which provides an overview of all the different dishes. The interface of the tablet is very intuitive. You just click on the dish you want to order and minutes later a special sushi train brings your order to your table. This form of kaiten sushi guarantees your sushi is super fresh.

The sushi selection at Genki sushi is huge, so it was hard to choose from. But everything we had, was excellent. A real treat!

Genki Sushi, 181 Orchard Road #03-32 Orchard Central Orchard Central, Singapore, Singapore
http://www.genkisushi.com.sg/
+65 6238 0900

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about Genki Sushi also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, service 3/5, food 5/5.

Marina Bay Sands is without a doubt one of the most famous landmark buildings in Singapore. So, yes, rooms in this magnificent building are very expensive. You pay for the unique location, the beautiful views, the incredible infinity pool and the impeccable trained staff.

Often heard complaints are that the hotel is too busy. While this is certainly true (at any given moment of the day the lobby and pool are bustling with people), during my stay this really never bothered me. I always found a free spot at the pool, did not have to wait long at check-in nor at check-out and we always got seated at breakfast in less than five minutes. Marina Bay Sands is huge, so it’s quite normal that you have a lot of people everywhere. If you’re looking for a quiet place, I recommend you book another hotel.

I was lucky enough to stay in a room with a view on the city center as well as in a room with a view on the Gardens by the Bay. I must say I preferred the city view (which is also more expensive). Nothing beats the gracious Singapore Marina Bay Skyline, not even the lights of the beautiful Supertrees. The room at the city center was a lot bigger, but the garden view room had a balcony and the opportunity to step outside for a moment. Very nice, but sadly it seemed almost impossible to get the room airco temperature higher than 20 degrees.

The bathroom was very well equipped, as should be expected from a hotel with this reputation. The shower was very big, the bath tub could fit two persons and there were two sinks. I really liked the shower which was spacious and very comfortable! So nice to clean the sweat of your body after a hot day.

The Club room on the 55th floor is superb. From 17 till 19u guests can enjoy multiple treats. Quality champagne, spirits, beer, juices, beautiful canapés, great cheeses, sweets, fruit, fish and lots more. After a visit to the Club you don’t need dinner anymore. 😉

The pool is gorgeous, although the water was very chilly. It was just incredible, swimming on the 57th floor with those breathtaking views. I can honestly say: never in my life have I seen so many people take selfies of themselves in a pool. But to be fair, who can blame them?

Breakfast was also excellent. the huge buffet was very well organized in different sections (egg station, fruits, indian food, dim sum, vegetables, cheeses, fish, bread, noodle soup, English breakfast,…) so it never felt too crowded. Staff was super professional and very friendly. And the food itself was a culinary trip through Asia. Shout-out for the noodle soup and dim sum with spinach and shrimp.

This hotel has only one disadvantage: the price tag.

Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956, Singapore

Stayed March 2015. You can find my review about Marina Bay Sands also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 3/5, rooms 5/5, service 5/5.

The Singapore Flyer offers a unique experiences and outstanding views on Singapore. The giant wheel moves very slowly, so you have lots of opportunities to take great pictures. It takes about half an hour to complete the tour.

We booked the Moët & Chandon Champagne Flight in advance. No hassle with waiting lines, very comfortable. Staff was super friendly and accompanied us to the entrance. We had the cabin all for ourselves! It was great. The champagne was excellent and there were strawberries and chocolat to have a bite with the champagne.

Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039803, Singapore
http://www.singaporeflyer.com/
+65 6333 3311

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about Singapore Flyer also on TripAdvisor.

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.

Restaurant André really is a little gem. And in Singapore, which has so many excellent restaurants, that means a lot. The kitchen is mostly French, with a touch of Asian cuisine. Each course is carefully constructed and very well balanced. The food is great, no doubt about that, but what makes this restaurant really stand out is the wine selection: Restaurant André imports its own wine. The wine journal is a real book with some extra pages added. Those pages contain a lot (too much to read it all) of information for wine lovers and enthusiasts.

Since I’m from Belgium, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the sommelier of Restaurant André, Vanessa Masse, worked for years in restaurant ‘In de Wulf’, one of the best restaurants in Belgium, in my opinion. Needless to say, my expectations were very high. I was not disappointed at all. We started our meal with a lovely spumante. We were presented with a lovely appetizer to cleanse our palate. I was really impressed by this variation on a mojito, served as a little bite.

Each following course was a little work of art. So very beautiful and tasteful! My favorite courses were the Winter Root Vegetables with Cured Spanish Mackerel and Wild Herbs and the Pearl Couscous With Razor Clam, Emulsion Of Chorizo, Puree Of Clam With Basil.

Serving staff was very professional, but not to stiff (as can be the case in this sort of restaurants). The staff was really friendly and with a sense of humor. I like that!

The atmosphere in the restaurant is refined and elegant. Really loved the fake sheep which had as only purpose to serve as a handbag holder. I had some troubles opening the really heavy door of the toilet. Luckily there was always a staff member present to open the door for me.

Whith each course we got another lovely wine. It was clear (!) that Vanessa Masse had a thing for unfiltered wines. And I couldn’t be more pleased with her selection. All the wines were excellent. Really nice to taste all these different flavors.

When asked for a suggestion to end the meal in style, Vanessa proposed an umeshu (Japanese plum liquor). Without a doubt the best umeshu I have ever tasted in my life. So, we just hád to order another one.

I would definitely recommend this restaurant when visiting Singapore, but be warned, a dinner at restaurant André comes with a hefty price tag. Lunch is a more affordable option.

Restaurant Andre, 41 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089855, Singapore
http://www.restaurantandre.com/
+65 6534 8880

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about Restaurant Andre also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 5/5, food 5/5.

If your looking for a place that combines great food with stunning views, this is the place to be. The view from the open air terrace is absolutely breathtaking. At LeVel 33 you have a great overview of the Marina Bay with its most striking feature being the Marina Bay Sands hotel. We went there for drinks and dinner at 6pm so we could enjoy the dusk setting in. Seeing all the lights appearing on the sky scrapers was magnificent.

LeVel 33 brews its own beer. You can see the large stainless steel containers where the beer is brewed. Very nice touch. The interior is very welcoming with a friendly staff. If you’re a beer lover you might like the beer tasting platter, which offers you the possibility to taste all the different beers they brew.

The food on the menu is European style. We (4 persons) ordered two main courses and a lot of side dishes so we could share and taste everything. The food was delicious. Really great with some inventive combinations of ingredients. The desserts were a perfect finish for a lovely evening. Loved it!

Would definitely go back here!

LeVeL 33, 8 Marina Boulevard #33-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1, Singapore 018981, Singapore
http://www.level33.com.sg/
+65 6834 3133

Visited March 2015. You can find my review about LeVeL 33 also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 5/5, food 5/5.