The first place we stayed at during our trip to Singapore was Jen Orchard Gateway near Orchard Road.
Being our first trip to Singapore we decided to stay close to a main area in the city that was easily accessible by public transport and close to places we can purchase necessities.
There are plenty of accommodation options in Singapore, it really is a matter of taste and budget. Initially, I was looking for a self-contained apartment style room since we were a family of four, but the costs were a little too much for us.
We narrowed down a few hotels that met our requirements, then we culled the list based on which one's met our budget and Jen Orchard Gateway came out on top.
Here's a review of Jen Orchard Gateway with my thoughts on some of the hotel's pros and cons:
Pro's
- When we walked into our room we were greeted with a few bottles of water, some snacks and fresh fruits. There was also instant coffee packs, cups, a kettle, ice bucket and a few sets of cutlery in the room. There was also an empty mini fridge to keep drinks and food cool.
- Room service replenished bottles of water every day which is nice for a place as humid as Singapore. There is actually an ice machine on every floor.
- Fast WiFi is complimentary for guests staying at the Jen Orchard Gateway.
- From a public transport perspective, Jen Orchard Gateway was a great choice. There was an MRT station was right under us, with a lift that took us right down to the subway, and a taxi stand right out front of the hotel.
- The hotel's rooftop pool is definitely a highlight with views of Singapore skyline. The pool itself isn't that big however we didn't feel it was overly crowded during the times we went. You can order food and drinks by the pool from staff who roam the area attending to guests.
- The hotel was in a good location along Orchard Road with walking distance to shops, places to eat, money exchange and transport options.
- Room serviced every day and a nice note is left if they didn't so you can contact housekeeping to come and do it if you still want your room cleaned.
- Multiple USB outlets to allow you to recharge all your electronic devices via USB. I love this room feature as this allows our limited universal recharger to be used on other devices.
- The beds were comfortable and big giving us all space to sleep in.
Con's
- There was a big stain on one of the walls in our room. Nothing that bothered us tremendously, however, management may want to look into resolving this.
- No vents in the bathroom or toilet so steam can fog up the area over time.
- Bathroom and toilet set up weren't the best. Firstly the walls were just more like frosted glass so not much privacy or noise prevention. Secondly, the toilet was a tiny space I could barely close the door when I used.
- Our room wasn't that big. The bed took up most of the space, there was obviously the bathroom and separate toilet, cupboard, shoe storage, a desk with a chair, plus a one seater. Our room was a little too small for a family of four. We were given the option to upgrade to a bigger room at a discounted price when we first checked in, but even the discounted upgrade rate was more than above our accommodation budget. I was hoping they would give us a better rate considering we were staying 9 nights.
- There was a 24/7 gym however it was really small and does not have a lot of equipment. I ended up taking some weights just outside by the rooftop courtyard to workout instead. However, one morning some guy, who I assume works there (he wasn't in a uniform so hard to tell) told me not to take out any of the equipment from the gym in the future. I held back from giving him a piece of my mind about his comment and responded with "Sure ... next time."
I would recommend Jen Orchard Gateway to anyone who's looking to stay in a modern hotel that's close to everything. One thing I learnt after staying at Singapore is that any area is a good area to stay because there are shops and lots of places to eat everywhere. Their efficient public transport system enables people to get around easily, so my only suggestion is to stay close to a train station to help you move around this city.
Linking up with Jess
Linking up with Jess
