Hotel Review – Four Seasons Singapore

Guest Writer Mallory (my wife & Editor-in-Chief) is in charge of AYP today as she gives her full detailed hotel review of the Four Seasons Singapore! Note – the opinions displayed in this article are our own and we did not receive any compensation related to this writing.

Our inaugural trip to Southeast Asia last month commenced in Singapore, a city-state situated off of southern Malaysia. After our 20-hour journey over the Atlantic Ocean, all of Europe, and the majority of continental Asia, I was more than ready to check-in to our first hotel of the trip: The Four Seasons – Singapore.

Booking  – While points and miles are our primary currency, Derek has been able to accumulate a stash of travel gift cards over the last few years (as birthday and Christmas presents) and we decided that the time was right to cash in – at the Four Seasons Singapore!

After our initial date search, we realized that even  with $300 in Four Seasons gift cards, we would be paying almost $500 out-of-pocket for our stay – something that we (and most people) would not enjoy doing. In an effort to avoid the out-of-pocket, we planned to utilize Barclaycard Arrival Plus miles – from a previous sign up bonus – to cover the balance!

Barclaycard Arrival Plus miles are handy to have  (and are very similar to Capital One Venture miles) since they can be redeemed for most travel expenses, including hotel nights at a non-major loyalty brand, like the Four Seasons. The current sign-up bonus on the Barclaycard Arrival Plus is 40,000 “miles” upon spending $3,000 in the first 3 months as a cardholder. Those 40,000 “miles” are the equivalent of $400 worth of travel reimbursement! As an added bonus, the card offers a 5% rebate on “miles” redeemed, meaning a redemption of 40,000 “miles” will earn you 2,000 “miles” back in your balance- the equivalent of $20. While I love this card (as well as the Capital One Venture card) for the sign-up bonus, I am not as fond of these cards otherwise…

With the combination of gift cards and Barclaycard Arrival Plus miles, we were only left with $69 in out-of-pocket expense for a 2-night stay at a 5-star hotel… not too shabby!

While we do not have any sort of Four Seasons loyalty status, we were able to book the actual hotel stay through Aspire Travel Concierge, a benefit of being a Citi Prestige Cardholder, that provided us with some valuable perks during our stay:

• Daily full American breakfast for two people per bedroom
• Food and beverage credit of USD 100
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in
• Complimentary basic Internet in all guest rooms, complimentary premium Internet in all suites.

The rate was about $40 more than what was available on the Four Seasons website, but more than made up for it with the $100 food credit alone!

My only critique of the booking/paying experience occurred at check-out. We paid for a portion our Four Seasons stay with a gift card we received over a year ago. The gift card, which was purchased at the newly opened Four Seasons Orlando, was evidently not programmed correctly when issued, and did not reflect a balance when we attempted to redeem it at check-out. This untimely event transpired as we were rushing to the airport to catch a flight. Fortunately, the gift card was a gift from a parent, who happened to retain the receipt as proof of purchase, so problem solved in the end. However, this was certainly an unexpected and potentially awkward experience. 

Getting There/Location – After landing at Changi International Airport in Singapore around 7 a.m., we decided to take an Uber to our new home for the next 3 days – the Four Seasons. The hotel is approximately 23 km from the airport, and the drive was 20-25 minutes long. We were surprised that the Uber was reasonably priced at $25 SGD, which equates to roughly $19 USD.

Hotel Entrance/Check-in – The Four Seasons is tucked away on tree-lined Orchard Boulevard, just a 5 minute walk to luxury shopping mall Orchard Shopping Centre, and the metro that lies within the mall. Our Uber dropped us off at the hotel around 9 a.m., 6 hours before the standard check-in time.

Since Derek booked the hotel through the Citi Prestige Aspire Travel Concierge, we were guaranteed an upgraded room upon availability, however, considering our early arrival, our room wasn’t quite ready for us. The receptionist presented us with a deliciously refreshing fruit juice as she gave us a tour of the property, beginning with the lobby’s breathtaking flower arrangements, and ending in the spa and fitness center, where we changed clothes and freshened up to explore the city for the day.

While we would have loved to settle into our room and take a quick break prior to starting our day, the spa facilities weren’t a disappointing runner-up.

The Room – We returned to the hotel at 2 p.m., and to our delight, our guestroom was ready for us and our luggage was waiting for us in the room (along with a delicious chocolate brownie dessert and personal note from the property manager). The hotel offers several classes of guestrooms: Deluxe Rooms, Boulevard Rooms, Premier Rooms, Executive Suites; as well as several classes of one-bedroom suites.

Our room was luxurious, but not overly dramatic. We had a beautiful and spacious Premier Room on the 11th floor, which featured a sitting area with a chaise lounge, a working desk, as well as plenty of closet and drawer space. The bathroom gave off a palatial vibe – with dark tan marble floors, walls and double sinks, as well as a roomy shower and free-standing tub, and separate room for the toilet. 

The Italian toiletries were by Lorenzo Villoresi.

Wi-fi in the room and around the property is complimentary for all guests, and we had no issues with connectivity.

Dining – The Four Seasons isn’t a one-trick pony when it comes to dining options – the 5-star hotel is home to 3 exceptional restaurants: One Ninety Wood Fired Steaks and Seafood, One Ninety Bar and Terraza, and Jiang Nanu Chun, a Chinese restaurant.

Breakfast is served daily in One-Ninety, and by booking through Aspire Travel Concierge, we were able to enjoy the most delicious, vast, diverse, perfect breakfast buffet I’ve ever experienced.

As Hyatt Diamond members, we have enjoyed quite a few complimentary breakfast meals, but none can compare to what the Four Seasons offered.  The complimentary breakfast spread filled 2 large areas of the restaurant: one area displayed a vast selection of breads and jams, fresh fruit, cereals, yogurts, cheeses and charcuterie, and a variety of smoked fish.

Not to be missed across the room was the hot food: a grand spread of American, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian specialties, as well as a delightful chef ready to concoct your eggs however you like them. No matter where in the world you call home, you will be able to find a familiar breakfast dish at the Four Seasons breakfast buffet.

In addition to enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we also decided to make use of our $100 hotel credit at Jiang‐Nan Chun, the hotel’s newly renovated Chinese restaurant.

We began our meal with several reasonably priced dim sum dishes, my favorite of which was the Steamed Scallop Dumpling w/ Crabmeat and Shrimp. For the main attraction, we ordered Wagyu Beef Oxtail with Lemongrass-infused oil served in a claypot, and an awesome seafood dish featuring shrimp.  

In addition to à la carte items, diners can choose to order the Pre-fixe menu for $138 SD per person.

Spa and Fitness Center – We were quite impressed with the hotel’s 64,620 sq. ft. spa and fitness center, which is open 24 hours and features cardiovascular and weight equipment, a sauna, steam room and whirlpool, as well as certified trainers and complimentary workout classes. The cold washcloths and bottled water felt great after a workout! The only (minor) qualm I had with the fitness center is that the treadmill was only programmed for kilometers, not miles.

Adjacent to the fitness center is a generously sized outdoor lap pool, with lounge chairs both covered and uncovered. This smaller pool is a great place to kick  back and relax under the shade.

Rooftop Pool- Hanging out at the lap pool not your thing? No worries! Just hop in the elevator and head to the rooftop pool. During our stay, the rooftop pool proved to be a pretty private place for us to relax.

Overall Impression

The 255-room Four Seasons Singapore is a refreshing oasis in metropolitan Singapore. The room, amenities dining and amenities were all 5-star, which is what one expects from a Four Seasons. However, the personalized and attentive service is what really sets the Four Seasons apart and makes the stay so memorable.

Happy Travels!

MW