Evening all So it's the wifes 40th just after the new year so I'm toying with the idea of a few days (4-5) over the new year period. Does anyone have any recommendations for hotels etc?
Wish we were going I cant remember any hotels I've stopped in there in Singapore, all I remember is that you'll have a lot to choose from. Enjoy
Singapore hotel - it simply has to be Raffles where you can still be served English Tea with cucumber sandwiches - minus the crusts, natch! But if it were me, I'd fly up to KL and spend a few days at one of the lodges in the Cameron Highlands where, incidentally, they grow one of the very best teas in the world: the Boh Tea Estate used to be owned and run by a British family but its locally-managed now. But the tea remains one of the best you'll ever taste! And then as a complete contrast travel up to Kuala Krai on the north-east coast, just south of the Thai border, where the beaches rival the best.
I have never stayed in a bad hotel in Singapore, nor in an astoundingly good one. Boat Quay is worth a visit, and the hawker stalls are a "must", but I have only even been in the country on business.
On second thoughts I'd take the train - having taken the precaution of booking a First Class sleeper cabin.
Well staying in the raffles hotel is a bit rich for me, but we will go for a sling in the long bar though I bleieve they've moved it since I was last there (and asked to leave!!!). Thanks for the suggestion though Mark but the wife wants to see singers and this will be our last chance to travel before returning to the UK. I'll bare what you say in mind though for the future.
We'll take a walk along boat quay and also Clark quay. All a bit touristy but I suppose it has to be done. Well it was a good number of years ago maybe 2000 when the Long bar was in its orininal position upstairs I think. We ordered our slings and some nice cigars and started on the peanuts. Apparently you are supposed to throw the shells on the floor to help polish the wood and not at other people in the bar!! Loutish behaviour
Ach well, ye were just a laddie back then Stu we all did things when we were young that we would not do now Although if you were throwing them at each other it would be hard to see the problem as they would have ended up on the floor anyway eventually
If, or rather when, you do get there Stu, then please take lots of pictures and post them here, I would love to see the place, my sister managed to get there en-route to a hospital in Malaysia (she was teaching at the hospital out in Malaysia) but she didn't do a lot of pictures.
I once went up the tower right next to raffles. You can get afternoon tiffin there as the restaurant rotates with a lovely view.
Spent so many nights in hotels there Stu but can't remember the hotels names now. They were all so heartless, I only remember the unusual ones. Sorry to digress but there was a hotel on the N.W. tip of Bali that I saw, but didn't stay in, that had a four poster bed on the outside of the room with mossie nets draping down. I wanted to do that but it was overkill as a single man in those days for me.
I'll try to get some reasonable pics. I was there for work maybe 5 years and a few times before that in the past and my over riding memory is they have gradually removed most of the character out of the place which is a pity. As Billy Conelly said it looks like its been hovered
This is the problem with singers, you really have to hunt out any character these days. Everyone goes on about Orchard road but to me a road of shopping malls is depressing. i know they have separate malls for different things out there but I can think of better things to do than wander round them while on holiday. The place you mention sounds nice, bet that costs a pretty penny now!!
