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Steve T
Durham, United Kingdom

Great hotel let down by its staff

3.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 31 Oct 2012
This is a lovely hotel in a good location in the city, but....! It could be so much better if the staff actually listened to their guests instead of trying too hard.
Firstly a note on Singapore, as it is our first visit and like many other tourists we used it as stop-over en- route to our main holiday destination. Having experienced Bangkok as another Asian stop-over, Singapore was a huge disappointment in comparison. It is little more than a sanitised, westernised city with all the western brands, and so little to see of its own rich history. Even Raffles, the famous old hotel has been converted into what is now little more than a shopping mall.If you want western atmosphere and shopping with plenty of Europeans and Americans then this is the place. If you are looking to experience some Asian culture then don't waste your time.
The Shangri-La sits right in the groove with the city. A lovely environment, frequented heavily by businessmen and with fabulous five star facilities. On arrival after nearly 20 hours of travelling we were greeted courteously and asked to wait whilst some towels and refreshments were brought. Before this happened we were advised that we had been upgraded from a Tower Wing room to a
Garden Wing room, which was both a nice touch and a nice surprise. We were then whisked across to the Garden Wing room where a gushing American receptionist took us straight to our room but was somewhat surprised that we were not German as she was meant to be taking some German guests to their room. That meant the keycard and documentation all had the wrong details. We still had no welcome drink but at least had someone elses room!
We asked for 4 am alarm call for the final day of our stay, and yes this was promptly made the following day - a day too early. The promised tea on arrival finally arrived after an hour, just as we were about to try and get some sleep.
At breakfast, which was a fantastic environment and amazing choice, our table was half cleared as we were selecting food from the buffet, and despite the fact that there was a communication corner in the restaurant for those people so full of their own self importance they cannot possibly stop being important whilst eating a meal, an American decided to skip the procedure of being taken to a table like everyone else, sat about a metre from us at the next table and proceeded to talk loudly on his phone throughout the whole time. Despite this being frowned upon by everyone else, not one member of the staff did anything about it.
On the plus side, the hotel has a great pool, brilliant gym, lovely rooms and a great location. However, getting the bell boys to wear traditional costumes does not make this hotel oriental, and the staff are trying so hard they are not actually listening to or reacting to their guests. This was our first visit to a Shangri-La which came highly recommended. Is it just too big, too impersonal and too much a chain to make it feel like a home from home, which a great hotel can do?
Date of stay: October 2012
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
4.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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Reviewed 30 October 2012

Our first visit was a stopover on the way to Malaysia and albeit we were only there for a couple of days it was excellant. So when we were planning a trip to Bali and wanted a stopover somewhere it was first on our list. The whole ambience and service here is really great you are looked after. The staff and management go out of their way to look after you. They go that extra mile to make sure your stay is pleasureable.

Date of stay: November 2011
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
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Thank L M
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 26 October 2012

This was my third stay and although the hotel was busy due to F1 , everything works like a clockwork.

Had a short work-related stay . Very efficient, friendly service at the front desk made the checking in process rapid and fuss-free. The staff also managed to handle my enquiries smoothly. My room in the Tower Wing faced the large swimming pool and the grounds were very well kept. The bed was very comfortable and the bathroom was spacious. Unfortunately, I didn't get to enjoy the room as much as I would have liked as I was mostly out.

This is a hotel with an excellent reputation and I felt that my expectations were definitely met and occasionally exceeded.

Date of stay: September 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
5  Thank MuditaAshteadUK
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 25 October 2012

We moved the the Shangri-La, Singapore Valley Wing from The Shangri-La on Sentosa Island after a disappointing night there. Staying at the valley wing we were immediately recognised from our previous visits by the staff and the level of service again was beyond compare.

The rooms here are a little more "classic" than those in the tower or recently refurbished garden wing, but it really is the service in this wing you are paying for.

Overall another excellent stay...... Can't wait to return!!

Date of stay: October 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
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    • Cleanliness
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2  Thank Martin F
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 24 October 2012

Stayed here for a special birthday and was not disappointed with the hotel or service. Nothing was to much trouble, the food was wow, The only issue I had is the excessive charge made on your credit/debit card of s$200 per night which could get a little pricey if staying for two weeks! But I would seriously consider staying here again!

Date of stay: September 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
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4  Thank S1OLB
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 23 October 2012

I was comtemplating between Fullerton hotel, W hotel and Shangri la.
It was for my birthday planning and I intended to get a suite.
Went to Fullerton for a quick tour on all the available suites and it was not impressive as the suite I wanted looked tired. W hotel was recently launched in Sentosa but there wasn't conclusive pictures posted online for reference. It was a tad too far as well for my guests to make their way there.

I opted for Shangri la - newly renovated garden wing premier balcony suite with Jacuzzi. It costs me about 1k per night. Comes with breakfast and luxury amenities from Bvlgari and of course nespresso and signature tea bags.

Firstly, the down side.. The ceiling fan was not working and the repairman claimed that it can't be repaired until the next day.. My guests had to endure the heat as the air condition was not strong enough in the living room. Secondly, the tea bags was not adequately replenished as it looks like someone has siphoned some away. Called for replenishment but they gave instant tea bags instead... Thirdly, the telephone in the living was not working. Thou someone came, but it just didn't function properly.

The upside. The balcony was spacious enough to house 15 people comfortably. With a 5 sweater couch... A round table with 6 chairs...2 sun tanning deck... 2 single seater chair with a small table.. And another big round sun deck all outside the room... My guests and I had not have the chance to,fully utilize all of them...

Next, the jacuzzi was clean and came in real handy for the kids. There was another electrical BBQ pit which we were not informed of... (would have prepared some food for BBQ if I had been made known). Facilities wise, this is top notch. It faces the open spaceships also means that the tolerance level of noise is higher since it projects out into the open. This is especially beneficial to bigger groups in the room. Lastly, the bed was comfy and the bathrobe is heavenly... Thick and fluffy to the touch. The electrical Toto toilet seat amazed a couple of my guests with its function. Oh yes, the room comes with separate guest toilet which really is ideal in my case.

The party went on well with no complains from friend or other hotel guests. I would not hesitate to book this room again. Service can be slow at times but the staff were all pleasant and served with a smile. And yes, the garden wing comes with free cock tail from 6-8pm I think...the spread at the
Lounge could have been improved. We had breakfast at the famous The Line restaurant and the spread for breakfast was enormous. It even came with prosecco.. For the heavy drinkers..it's definitely a huge plus!

Date of stay: October 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
3  Thank Kenji0710
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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