It’s no coincidence that my favorite airport hotel in the world is connected directly to my favorite airport in the world. Yup, the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Changi Airport in Singapore (SIN) is that good.
Is it perfect? Heck no. It’s a fantastically clean and convenient property though, and the review you’re about to read will explain everything.
Warning: it’s gonna be a gush fest.
A full review of my one night stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Singapore Changi Airport
At the time of this writing, I’ve stayed at this hotel twice. I don’t even care that it’s usually more expensive than other nearby properties. The convenience (and cleanliness) makes it worth the cost IMHO.
Location
The Crowne Plaza is connected directly to the airport (Terminal 3). You’ll see signs pointing to it on the arrivals level. Plan on a 10 to 15 minute walk depending on where you’re coming from.
The lobby (and checking in)
The first thing you’ll notice is that there’s a very dark and moody vibe to this place (much like the Westin DTW). I tried to capture pics of what it’s like to walk into it (feeling like a total badass), but it didn’t go as well as I had hoped:
Unlike many other airport hotels that I’ve visited recently, I didn’t have to walk very far to reach the reception desk. It’s essentially the focal point of the entire lobby.
The line to check in was long on both of my visits. Thankfully, that line moves quick. On my most recent visit, it took exactly 7 minutes from the moment I stepped in line to the point where I was walking away with room key in hand.
Getting to my room
Even though you can get to this hotel from the airport without having to go outside, you will have to go outside to get to your room. All guest room hallways are of the “open air” variety.
Room overview
On my first visit to this hotel several years ago, I was given a complimentary upgrade to a suite. The same thing happened on my latest visit. I didn’t pay for a suite, but that’s what they gave me.
The suites are more like a small apartment than a standard issue hotel room. I’m never not going to complain about that.
Closet and storage space in this suite is excellent. One of the two closets features the refrigerator and a coffee / tea / hot water dispenser. I’m not sure why this necessitated a dedicated room, but I’m certainly not complaining:
The walk-in closet (located adjacent to the room containing the refrigerator and coffee maker) is huge. If this isn’t big enough, you brought too much stuff.
The bathroom
As I already mentioned, there are two bathrooms in this suite. The first one (a half half bath) is located adjacent to the entrance:
The second bathroom is ridiculously (and awesomely) huge. I didn’t need a bathroom this big. But it was very much appreciated.
Food and dining
The main restaurant here at the Crowne plaza is called the Allora. It’s located on the ground level adjacent to the reception desk (and near the entrance to the airport terminal). I opted to pre pay for breakfast when I made the reservation.
Breakfast was fantastic. It was served buffet style, which is the fancy way of saying that it was an “all you can eat” experience. I certainly tried my best to eat all that I could.
Pros and cons
I’ve stayed at this hotel twice, and I’m sure that I’ll end up staying there again at some point. There are no significant downsides other than price IMHO.
Pros
- Location, location, location. Being connected directly to the airport is extremely convenient.
- It’s a very well designed property (too good to be called a Crowne Plaza IMHO).
- It’s very quiet despite how busy it is.
- The breakfast buffet is excellent!
Cons
- This is not a hotel for the financially timid. It’s pricey.
- It’s busy. There are people coming and going 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
