Amara Hotel

Getting around was easy: it’s about a 200m covered, flat walk to Tanjong Pagar MRT Station on the Green Line, or around 750m under cover to Maxwell MRT Station. Febin was especially warm and attentive, remembered our names, and made us feel welcome. The staff throughout were excellent, and the stay exceeded what we expected. We’d gladly come back and recommend it to anyone visiting Singapore. We were first-time visitors from Australia and loved the Club Rooms on the top floor. They were spotless, spacious, and luxurious, with separate toilet, bathtub, and shower. The minibar had a good range of soft drinks and was restocked daily as part of the package. Club lounge access was great too, with unlimited tea and coffee during the day and a complimentary evening service from 5:30pm-7:30pm. There were tasty nibbles, wine, beer, spirits, juice, and soft drinks.

The Club Room gave us access to the cozy lounge on the 17th floor, a relaxing spot with snacks and drinks throughout the day. We especially liked cocktail hours from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, with a good range of food and alcoholic drinks. Staff provided excellent service throughout, making for a comfortable, pleasant stay. We’d gladly return.

The room was simple, modern, and really nice, with no issues. Breakfast was decent, though I’m not much of a breakfast person. What spoiled the stay for me was the service. Most of the staff I encountered weren’t friendly, hardly smiled, and some rolled their eyes at me. Nobody asked if I needed help, while they seemed very attentive to Western (caucasian) guests. Hotels shouldn’t treat guests this way. I felt compelled to write an honest review. Would I recommend Amara? Sorry, no. I’d choose Parkroyal Collection over at Marina Bay or a Hyatt hotel instead.

Keith made a particularly thoughtful offer after checkout. We left our bags at the counter, and he said we could use the swimming pool area to shower when we came back before going to the airport. We hadn’t asked, but in Singapore’s sticky, sweaty weather, that could be very handy before a flight. Staff were generally kind, attentive, and efficient without any hassle. We booked a family room with two queen beds at the last minute. The location is handy, with a shopping arcade next door and a public housing estate across the road, where there are various shops underneath. It’s a 5 to 10 minute walk to tourist areas, Maxwell Food Centre, and an MRT station, and a few more minutes to China Town. Breakfast was fair, not bad, and the service was very good. I prefer down-to-earth local food when traveling, so more local options would make it perfect. One issue: on our first night I showered around 2 a.m. and the water stayed lukewarm. At other times the shower was great. One suggestion for the room: provide somewhere private for family members to get dressed after showering. The current setup offers no privacy unless you change in the toilet, since the shower area is wet. We have to open the door to get a towel, and opening it while naked feels awkward.