Hotel Chancellor@Orchard

Staff were cooperative, and you can leave luggage before or after check-in and checkout. They can even store it overnight for a small charge. Every cabin has a hot and cold water dispenser, so drinking water isn't a concern. The old building does let noise into the cabins, though the rooms aren't soundproof. The rooms are typically small for Singapore, but most have windows and a great view. For the location, it's a good deal: Orchard Road's shopping district is only a few hundred meters away, and Dhoby Ghaut and Somerset MRT stations are easy to reach.

I stayed Saturday through Monday last week. Shirley, the Front Desk Duty Manager, and Hassan from housekeeping, the Moroccan gentleman, were both professional and warm. Their service made the visit enjoyable. One of the best hotels in Singapore, highly recommended.

The few things that went well were that they let us check in early after we asked at 1:30 PM, and a kind front desk woman helped move us to another room late at night. We wanted to visit Little India, and the security staff booked us a cab through a taxi app. The hotel doesn't have an in-house restaurant, so there was no lunch or dinner service. Given how poor breakfast was, that may have been for the best. We booked a Deluxe Triple Occupancy Room expecting reasonable comfort for the price, but it was extremely cramped and poor value. The AC wasn't working properly from check-in. After repeatedly complaining without proper action, we finally went down to reception late at night and firmly asked to move. The second room had a bathtub but was just as small. Breakfast was one of the worst parts. The same limited menu appeared every day, with no variety. Although buffet hours were 7 AM to 10 AM, they began clearing the counters around 9:45 AM. Even when we came at 7, the food wasn't properly hot or fresh. The idli, medu vada, and chutney were tasteless, the chutney was like water, and the so-called sambar was colored water. There were no pastries or proper bakery items, and no hot milk. We repeatedly asked for hot drinking water from the first day and were ignored. The hotel seemed severely understaffed, with one elderly gentleman handling almost everything alone. Room amenities were also lacking: no separate shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, or bathrobes. They used the same liquid as shower gel and shampoo, which left our hair extremely dry. I was glad I'd brought my own toiletries. They advertise a pool, but it was closed whenever it rained. It rained almost every day during our stay, so we couldn't use it. They also didn't provide separate swimming towels. Overall, this was not worth the price, and I wouldn't stay here again or recommend it to anyone seeking comfort, good service, or a pleasant time in Singapore.

A handy thing at reception was the luggage weighing scale, which you can ask to use before going to the airport. The staff were polite and helpful during our comfortable stay at Hotel Chancellor Orchard. There's a nice park nearby, Penang Open Space and Istana Park, where you can take peaceful walks at night. Shopping malls including Centre Point Mall, restaurants, and tourist spots are also close by, so the location is very convenient.