Hotel Review: The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (Premier Bay View Room)
Located right on the waterfront of the iconic Marina Bay in Singapore, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is one of the city's finest and most luxurious hotels. Known for having the best views of the laser shows that happen nightly in front of the Marina Bay Sands, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore is also a great choice for watching the National Day Parade fireworks.
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I arrived at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore one weekend and once I stepped out of the car, I was quickly greeted by the doorman who also helped me with my luggage. After being escorted to the check-in area of the hotel (the main driveway is actually directly in front of Clifford Pier), I was told that my room would be on Level One of the property and this meant that I would not have to take the lift at all.
I stayed in a Premier Bay View Room which is three categories higher than the lead-in room category (Deluxe Room) and they are all located on Level One - there are many benefits with having a room on the first level and I will share more in a bit.
Walking from the lobby of The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore to the room felt like a walk in a luxury cruise ship. Once I got into the room, I was immediately blown away by the impressive view of the Marina Bay area right from my very own private sundeck (one of the many perks of being on Level One). Measuring 58sqm in size, the Premier Bay View Room offers plenty of space to unwind and luxuriate in style. I resisted the temptation to jump onto the bed immediately (before a photo) and decided to check out some of the bedside controls instead - you are able to control both day and night curtains from the bed.
Before you freak out on the existence of RHIBs and guns outside your balcony, I have to clarify that the weekend in which I stayed over at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore was a National Day Parade rehearsal weekend. The amazing view of the iconic Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding area remains unchanged though! I know travellers to Singapore must have seen this view a hundred times but trust me when I tell you this - it is infinitely different when you are enjoying this view from the comfort (and privacy!) of your own bedroom.
If you look to your left from the private sundeck, you will be able to see the Singapore skyline - I love looking over to the other hotels (because I am such a staycation junkie) and since it was a National Day Parade weekend, you can see The Float at Marina Bay being completely occupied. In fact, if you squint hard enough, you would also be able to see some photographers on the roof of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore!
As mentioned earlier, one of the many perks of getting a room on Level One is the private sundeck that you get - while most of the other rooms with a view of the Marina Bay area do come with a small balcony where you can enjoy the tropical weather, the rooms located on higher floors do not have a sundeck. You can essentially work on your tan, enjoy the view and sip on some coffee (or wine!) while you are at it. Extra towels are also thoughtfully provided in the outdoor area so you do not have to bring your bath towels out.
As part of my welcome amenities, I received a really delicious bottle of red wine from France, a platter of fruits and some snacks which included macarons, kueh lapis and chocolate pralines. While the wine opener was not needed (since the bottle of wine features a twist-off cap), I appreciate that thought has been placed into preparing this welcome set-up for me - I have been to hotels where a wine opener could be found in the whole suite (trust me, I checked all the drawers!).
If the view isn't enough to keep you entertained, the Premier Bay View Room comes with a huge LCD TV that is stocked with a wide selection of cable and satellite channels. There is also a DVD Player under the TV which I personally would not use - especially when Netflix has most of the shows I want to watch! You will also find some magazines and a lap desk (so you can use your laptop comfortably in bed) in the shelves. The safe (which is large enough to fit my 15" MacBook Pro) is also located in one of the drawers here.
If you love listening to music, the Premier Bay View Room comes with a Harman Kardon Speaker (Onyx Studio) which sounds really good for its size. I am no audiophile but connecting to it via bluetooth and then streaming my playlist from Spotify via my iPhone and MacBook Pro was effortless.
There is also a massive work desk which is located by the side of the room for those of you who are here on business trips (lucky you!). The ergonomic chair faces into the room which makes you wonder whether travellers who choose to face out actually get any work done at the end of the day.
You will find your very own Nespresso Machine in the mini-bar area of your room - complimentary coffee capsules are provided on the side and they are replenished during evening turndown service and in the morning so do not feel like you have to ration your capsules for the whole stay. Plenty of drinking water is also provided in the room.
Non-coffee drinkers will also be happy to find six different types of TWG teabags in the mini-bar area of the room. I love how caffeine-free options like chamomile and vanilla bourbon are provided here. A fully-stocked minibar (chargeable) sits underneath all these but there is still space for you to store your own drinks.
In most hotels, the bathroom is an important aspect of the room and overall experience. Clad in beautiful marble, the bathroom in the Premier Bay View Room has everything you need for a perfect shower (or bath!) experience. While the bathroom does not feature a double sink, it is big enough for you to share it with your partner. More importantly, that deep-soaking tub is just perfect after a long day out. Due to the hotel's proximity to various tourist attractions (e.g. Gardens by the Bay), guests often spend an entire afternoon out exploring the different areas in Singapore. Coming back to your room and into this amazing tub (which can fit two average-size adults) is heaven-sent.
To make your bath experience even better, bath salts are provided by the bathtub and like everything else in the room, these are replenished when housekeeping refreshes your room. People believe that bath salts actually assist cleaning as it mimics the natural properties of hot springs but this does not resonate with me personally - I'd choose a nicely-scented bath over a salty one any day!
If you thought Aesop bath amenities in hotels were impressive, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore offers Bottega Veneta branded ones - shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion and soap. I personally prefer these screw-on caps as opposed to the squeeze-tube kind as they are better for traveling - of course you are going to bring them home!
If you are a visitor to Singapore, you will find the Handy Phone (which you can take out of your room and the hotel) very useful since it comes with unlimited (and free!) 4G data which you can use outside your hotel (assuming you did not pick up a SIM Card on your way into Singapore). As a local resident who is here for a staycation however, it does not serve as much purpose since the entire hotel is covered by a pretty strong WiFi signal and I actually have a mobile number (and a data plan!) when I head outside of the hotel.
There is also plenty to eat around the area but if you are looking for a decently-prized Japanese restaurant, I highly recommend Kinki which is located just 3 minutes stroll away from The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. If you wish to eat in the hotel, La Brasserie, which has only quite recently been refurbished, offers an extremely reasonable 3-course Set Dinner experience for just S$69++ per person. In fact, being able to enjoy the Wagyu beef entrecôte steak as one of the main courses almost justifies this price point already.
While the dinner at La Brasserie was truly enjoyable, I had to rush through my last course as I did not want to risk missing the fireworks display from the comfort of my own balcony (I mean, this is one of the main reasons I chose to stay here after all!). I got back slightly ahead of the amazing display, set my camera to take photos at regular intervals, and then simply enjoyed the 10-20 minutes of amazing display pyrotechnics.
This was the first time I actually took photos of fireworks so if you are a photography or a photo enthusiast of some kind and have some kind of photography tip for me, please feel free to leave a message or drop me an email! Honestly, watching this amazing display from the comfort and privacy of your own room is an unbeatable experience - you do not have to deal with the whole Uber surge crisis after the parade, you are not amidst a crowd and more importantly, being able to enjoy this while sipping on a glass of wine is truly memorable.
After an amazing night's rest in the room, I headed back to the La Brasserie again for breakfast - this is where breakfast is served daily if your room rate is breakfast-inclusive. I have gotten this question during my stay here so I think I would just quickly mention that The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (unlike The Fullerton Hotel Singapore) does not have an Executive Lounge or a Club Lounge equivalent.
Coffee orders were taken promptly once I was shown to my table and once they were served, orders from the a la carte breakfast menu was taken. While waiting for my main courses to arrive, I decided to check out the curated breakfast buffet spread near the entrance of the restaurant - I returned with a plate of nasi lemak rice and condiments of my choice.
The a la carte menu contained items like Eggs Benedict (which I personally love because I am basic like that), French Toast, Chee Cheong Fun, Fish Ball Noodles, Vanilla Pancakes, Belgian Waffles and an Egg Surprise Special (which I am personally not too keen on). The Eggs Benedict were done beautifully and the poached eggs were amongst some of the best I have had in Singapore.
I took the opportunity to walk around the property after breakfast and found myself on the top level of The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. If you have been to Lantern (which is amazing for drinks in the evening!), this is where the swimming pool is as well.
The swimming pool was relatively empty when I got there and considering how the property only has 100 rooms and suites, I do not expect the pool to get busy at all. It was a rather cloudy morning so I did not actually spend much time by the pool at all - I felt a lot more motivated to head back to my room instead to take in more of that iconic view.
It is not difficult to see why The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore has been rated Five Stars by the Forbes Travel Guide Awards 2017 for the 5th consecutive year. While the room rates here are definitely on the higher side, the experience of staying here is unrivalled. I have been to numerous hotels in the area that has a view of the Marina Bay but this is hands down the best one. The only one that comes close is the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore since some of the rooms and suites actually come with a private balcony but there is a huge difference when your room is located comparatively far away.
When you do intend to book a room here, it is worth checking out the Fine Hotels & Resorts Program by American Express (if you hold a Charge Card) for extra perks. In the meantime, if you are looking for a place to impress your family or spouse (especially on National Day), I simply cannot recommend an alternative place enough.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
80 Collyer Quay Singapore 049326
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Swissôtel The Stamford offers stunning views of Marina Bay and a prime City Hall location, making it an excellent choice for international visitors. While the L65 Lounge serves substantial evening food, the limited alcohol selection might not suit all guests, but the hotel is still a great option for those wanting to experience Singapore’s iconic sights.