Hotel Review: The St. Regis Singapore (Caroline Astor Suite)
Keywords: Hotel - Room review - St. Regis - Orchard - Luxury
Month of visit: December 2020
Youtube video review: Caroline Astor Suite (The St. Regis Singapore) | Hotel Review
Situated within the quieter side of Orchard, The St. Regis Singapore is minutes away from the main shopping district of Orchard road. The St. Regis brand prides itself to provide luxurious accommodations and the highest level of service rendered anywhere in the world. In Singapore, all 299 guest rooms and suites are luxuriously appointed and 24-hour butler service is provided to all guests regardless of their room category.
We stayed in their Caroline Astor Suite, which was one of their two standard suites below the specialty suites. The room rates can vary significantly depending on whether the dates are peak or off-peak and if there are promotions. As such, published rates can fall anywhere in between SGD600 and SGD 1000 a night. We had purchased their lowest room category and had applied our Marriott Bonvoy Suite Night Award (SNA) for this stay.
Check-in area at the lobby level.
Upon entering the glass doors of the hotel, a dramatic oversized chandelier greets guests. The in-house bar, Astor bar is situated directly on the right. Moving further into the lobby is the check-in area. The entire lobby was elegantly designed, with polished marble tiles, crystal chandeliers and unique art pieces scattered around the lobby. The check-in process was seamless and comfortable as chairs were provided and within a few minutes, we were on our way to the room. As during standard check-in and check-out times can be busy, it is advisable to come slightly earlier or later to beat the crowd.
Caroline Astor Suite
The Caroline Astor Suite and The St. Regis Suite are often referred to as "Executive suites" and are situated at the corners of every floor with the latter occupying the lower floors. Our suite was a corner room on floor 17. Upon entering the suite, a large welcome area greeted us. This welcome area linked to three areas of the suite; living room, bedroom and bathroom. The welcome area had a minibar with complimentary tea selections by TWG, a Nespresso machine and complimentary drinking water. A mini-fridge, teacups, kettle and glasses were stored in a stylish wooden cabinet below. Paid minibar items were unavailable during our stay.
Welcome area and minibar of the suite.
The difference between the Caroline Astor Suite and The St. Regis Suite is the slightly larger floor size for the earlier's living room. The overall colour theme of the suite was gold and red. The seating area was good for five people and was relatively comfortable. The large space between the television and the seating area afforded ample room for in-room dining and exercises. Illuminating the room were lamps which could be individually turned on or off.
Living room of the Caroline Astor Suite.
One advantage of having a corner suite was the long floor to ceiling glass windows which afforded natural daylight and a terrific panoramic view overlooking the Orchard district on one side and the Singapore Botanical Gardens on the other side. On a good day, the skies can be beautiful allowing great photos to be taken.
Panoramic view of Orchard and Botanic Gardens.
The main lighting in the room and the drapes could be controlled remotely for convenience. During the pandemic, a care kit consisting of hand sanitiser, alcohol wipes and surgical masks were provided. Also, a generic printed welcome note from the general manager was left for us.
Remote control for the lights and drapes as well as a care kit.
The television was relatively large and had HDMI connection ports accessible if guests wish to connect their laptops or other devices to watch shows or play games. The Bose sound system throughout the suite was excellent. There were ample power points around the room.
Remote controls, television guide and power points.
Heading back out to the welcome area and into the other entrance is the bedroom. The bedroom had a warmer feel especially when all the lights were turned on. The king sized bed was exceptionally comfortable and we had a very good sleep. Another television of the same size was found in the bedroom so guests can choose to watch their shows from the comfort of their bed. A dressing table was placed on one side of the room, facing into the bathroom. A privacy blind can be drawn here.
A cosy bedroom of the suite.
On either side of the bed was a control panel for the bedroom lights and drapes, making it very convenient to control these features without needing to get out of bed. A telephone and writing materials were also provided.
Bedside table with a control panel for the lights and drapes.
To access the bathroom, guests will need to bypass a narrow walk-in wardrobe. Here, an in-room safe, extra pillow, luggage storage spaces, slippers, laundry bags and even a shoe horn could be found. Noticeable, an iron was not found.
Walk-in wardrobe linking the bedroom and bathroom.
Arguably, the highlight of any room in this property is the bathroom. Each and every bathroom are oversized, marble tiled and elegantly appointed. Our bathroom had dual sinks and so we had our own personalised area. Standard amenities were provided like dental kits, mouthwash, hand wash and scrubs. A hairdryer could be found in the drawer between the sinks. This room features a beautiful standing bathtub with a television for guests to enjoy while soaking.
The palatial bathroom of the suite.
Apart from the bathtub, a standing shower was also found in a large shower area equipped with a full length mirror. Both a rain and hand held shower were available and even three jet showers to reach the inaccessible areas of your back were seen. Bath scrubs, shampoo and conditioner by their luxury spa brand "Remede" were provided.
Shower area with standard bathroom amenities.
The toilet area was on the other side of the bathroom and a wooden sliding door can be closed for privacy. This toilet area was connected to the welcome area of the suite so guests can use the showering area and toilet area simultaneously. Another sink could be found here for convenience.
Toilet area of the bathroom.
As mentioned, guests can enjoy complimentary 24-hour butler service where unlimited hot and cold beverages (coffee, tea and hot chocolate) can be ordered and delivered. Apart from beverages, the St. Regis butlers can prepare your bath, provide two complimentary presses, pack and unpack your luggages and also show you around your room. Again, this benefit is applicable to all guests regardless of which room they booked.
Drinks brought up by The St. Regis butler team.
Dining Highlights
Suites and Marriott Bonvoy elite guests (Platinum and above) were entitled access to daily Aperitivo hour held at the Astor Bar. Meanwhile, we enjoyed our breakfast and dinner at Brasserie Les Saveurs.
Aperitivo Hour at Astor Bar
Each guest was entitled to one drink from a limited selection of alcoholic or non-alcoholic menu accompanied by one portion of antipasti and bottomless snacks (nuts and crackers).
Aperitivo hour at Astor Bar.
Dinner at Brasserie Les Saveurs
We had opted to have our dinner at the fine dining French restaurant Brasserie Les Saveurs on the lobby level of the hotel. We had ordered a grilled whole seabass with ratatouille and tomatoes as sides ($87) and lamb chop ($64). The seabass was extremely fresh and was large enough for two to share while the lamb chop was tasty and we thoroughly enjoyed the sauce. While waiting, we were served a bread basket and drinks. Overall, we had a great dinner and we liked the intimate setting of the restaurant at night.
French dinner at Brasserie Les Saveurs.
Breakfast at Brasserie Les Saveurs
Breakfast at the same venue had a very different mood with the bright sunlight streaming in the tall floor to ceiling glass windows of a very busy restaurant. We had always enjoyed breakfast here over the years. Due to the pandemic, buffet breakfast service was replaced by an ala-carte style buffet where guests can still order bottomless servings from a limited menu. Suite guests may opt for in-room breakfast although the helpings will not be free-flow.
There were a good selection of continental and asian dishes and we had enjoyed the epicurean omelette (plain omelette with tiger prawns, lobster bisque emulsion and caviar) a lot. For those who wish to enjoy local flavours, Nasi Lemak, Laksa and teriyaki salmon rice set were available. Sweet treats like waffles, pancakes and French toast were also on the menu. While there were breakfast timings to adhere to, the restaurant wasn't very packed and so we were allowed to stay for as long as we wished and we took our time to savour the hot beverages and fresh juices.
A splendid breakfast.
Concluding remarks: The St. Regis Singapore offers the most luxurious rooms and unparalleled services anywhere in the city making a stay here ideal for a special occasion. The Caroline Astor suite was spacious and can easily accommodate extra guests making a small gathering feasible. It is worth noting that guests may experience differential service standards depending on the occupancy of the hotel during the stay. The Aperitivo hour was relatively simple and the drinks menu was limited. This is unlike other hotels where suite guests can enjoy a full service club lounge. The dinner and breakfast at Brasserie Les Saveurs were exceptional. Overall, we would highly recommend this hotel for a special occasion.
Location:
The St. Regis Singapore
Website:
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sinxr-the-st-regis-singapore/
