review

Review of Hotel Clover 5 Hong Kong Street, Singapore

October 17, 2013 by Bino 5 Comments

During a recent weekend, I was hosted by the freshly opened Hotel Clover 5 Hong Kong Street, located just in between Raffles Place and Clarke Quay. This strategic location is very popular among the backpacking crowd, with many hostels in the vicinity. More recently, full-fledged hotels have also moved in but so far Hotel Clover 5 Hong Kong Street is the only boutique option in the area. The Hotel Clover brand is relatively new but rapidly expanding not just in Singapore but also overseas as a chain of boutique of hotels. In fact, during the time of my stay barely 3 weeks after the hotel opened, I was told that they’re constructing a new one next door!

deluxe room at hotel clover at 5 hong kong street

Due to skyrocketing hotel prices in Singapore – where even rooms in 3-star hotels can cost upwards of US$ 200 per night – boutique hotels have become a worthwhile alternative for lodging. Hotel Clover 5 Hong Kong Street is well-placed under this category and they’re going out in a big way with many hotels opening island-wide. And in keeping with the tradition of boutique hotels, each property is set to have its distinctive motif.

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A Stay in Shangri-la Makati – A Review

October 5, 2013 by Bino 6 Comments

Shangri-la Makati is a hotel that I’ve known ever since I was a kid. In a couple of ways, it’s been host to many memorable events. I’ve been here several times for dinners with friends, colleagues and family in Circles, birthdays, weddings and other parties in their ballrooms. Many friends and relatives had their wedding reception here. I remember being awed the first time I witnessed the grand lobby more than a decade back, with the imposing staircase on either side and the center piece that changes every few days. If there’s one trademark about Shangri-la aside from their impeccable service and long buffets, it’s their grand lobby which they’ve replicated in properties all over the world.

the grand lobby of shangri-la makati… not airbrushed, it really looks like that

During one of my recent trips back home to Manila, I had the pleasure of once more being hosted by Shangri-la, this time in the Makati property. Built during the Asian boom in the early 90s, the hotel is now in its 20th year. It has always been known as a premier venue not just for lodging in Manila but also for events and conferences. This time around though, the hotel has been facing competition from new offerings that’s cropped up in the most recent economic boom. There’s now a Fairmont next door, and elsewhere in Manila there is a Marriott, a Hyatt Regency, a Pan Pacific and some other hotels that are due to open in the next coming years. It was only as recent as a decade back when Shangri-la seemed to be one of the very few truly 5-star hotels in the city.

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Review of Capri by Fraser Changi City, First Hotel-Residence Concept in Singapore

September 23, 2012 by Bino 19 Comments

Not many Singapore brands have made it big in the world stage. But in the hospitality space, there are quite a few successes. Frasers Hospitality is one example, being one of the most successful hospitality chains coming from Singapore. They are recognized as a world leader when it comes to serviced residences with properties across three continents. I still remember my stay in Fraser Place in Seoul over three years ago. Although we were there for a holiday, we opted to stay in a serviced apartment – a temporary residence usually reserved for expats or long-term stayers. It was a delightful experience, the room space was noticeable bigger than a standard hotel room and it came with a kitchen as well as all the amenities that one would expect from a functioning apartment, all for the price of a hotel room.

the hotel’s facade

Now, Frasers Hospitality has taken this concept to another level with a new property in Singapore called Capri by Fraser. Styled as a “hotel residence,” it aims to address certain gaps of conventional hotels by offering elements which are usually found only in serviced residences. Over one weekend, I was fortunate to be invited over to Capri for a sponsored stay in order to personally witness this innovative proposition.

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My Qatar Airways Experience, Part 2 (Doha to Tbilisi)

September 16, 2012 by Bino 6 Comments

I have received quite a number of queries from my Tbilisi post on how I managed to get there so this update is definitely way overdue. This trip was taken some months back on Qatar Airways. I transited in Doha for about 8 hours before boarding my 3 hour or so flight to Tbilisi, Georgia.

The terminal was basically the same one I transited in when I flew to Iran (also with QR) just a few months prior to this trip. The terminal was in the midst of upgrading and those of us with connecting flights were given color-coded boarding passes for easy identification.

Here is the rundown:

Pre-flight:

after 8 hours of waiting, I was relieved to see this

I did not have to check-in as this was a connecting flight. As previously stated, I had an 8-hour transit time which was mostly spent dozing off in Doha’s Airport. Given the relatively small-sized terminal, it was a consolation they had a sleeping area for passengers to use free-of-charge. Spaces were limited however. Silver and gold tiered Privilege Club members have lounges which can be used free-of-charge.

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My Qatar Airways Experience, Part 1 (Singapore to Doha)

March 17, 2012 by Bino 14 Comments

As one of the few airlines with a 5-star rating (as awarded by Skytrax), Qatar Airways took a step further by incorporating the number of stars it has into its marketing slogan to really bring the point home. The world’s 5-star airline – is what it calls itself on TV, billboards and in major dailies. During some of my recent trips, I got to try out this 5-star quality which they’re so proud about.

I have flown with Qatar Airways several times during the past six months alone – mostly on the SIN <-> DOH route. While I normally go for low cost carriers, full-service airlines still reign supreme over the long-haul space. One’s really got to eat on a flight that’s over five hours long. Entertainment’s more or less mandatory as well, else the flight could be unbearably boring. So is precious baggage space. This is where all the creature comforts of a full-service airline come in.

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Flying Long Haul – On Budget

May 21, 2011 by Bino 6 Comments

budget airlines give a whole new meaning to the word economy

The idea of taking a flight of ten or more hours on a budget carrier remains alien to most people – despite the growth of specialized carriers such as Air Asia X and Jetstar which market themselves as long haul carriers minus the cost. Until recently, it was an alien concept to me as well. Even with full service carriers, I get fidgety after the first four hours of the flight. Any attempt to sleep beyond 40 minutes at a time becomes futile as the extremely limited incline and space attest to the sardine can nature of ~~economy~~ cattle class….