http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2013-06-20T06:11:50Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/ http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/6/17/15245/9569 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/61268/Parkroyal_Pickering_Cabana.jpg" class="top"><p>If you had to pick your favorite hotel poolside cabana anywhere in the world, where would it be? <p>To be honest, it's not something we've ever given much thought to (seen one cabana, seen 'em all)&#151;until, that is, we visited the fifth floor garden terrace of Singapore's <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Parkroyal+on+Pickering/local/5223"><b>Parkroyal on Pickering</b></a> the other week. <p>We mentioned last year, before it opened, that the hotel would <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/11/20/15179/413/hotels/The_Next_Flagship_Hotel_to_Open_in_Singapore_Will_Drip_with_Tropical_Gardens">drip with tropical gardens</a>, and indeed, it is certainly one of the lushest hotels we've seen in a while. Wild flora grow up and down the building's exterior, creating a sort of "secret garden" 120 feet above ground. <p>This effect is best seen from one of the poolside cabanas&#151;large, sturdy structures that ASchechter 2013-06-18T09:39:46-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/6/16/153234/727 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/61268/Marina_Bay_Sands_Singapore_Hotel_Tip.jpg" class="top"><p>The <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Marina+Bay+Sands/local/1803"><b>Marina Bay Sands</b></a> is easily Singpore's most iconic hotel. And if you make it to the city, we recommend <i>at the very least</i> taking a peek inside the atrium-style lobby or even <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/5/4/7413/58527/hotels/Looking_Up_To_And_Down_From_Singapore%27s_Mammoth_Marina_Bay_Sands_">heading upstairs for lunch</a> at the rooftop eatery KU DE TA. <p>However, if you're Singapore-bound this summer, and are planning to book a night at the 2,561-room hotel, here's some friendly advice you may want to keep in mind: every <b>August 9</b>, Singapore celebrates <b>National Day</b> to commemorate Singapore's independence from Malaysia in 1965. And just like how towns across the US explode with fireworks every July 4, so too does Marina Bay light up with an impressive pyrotechnics display on the big ASchechter 2013-06-17T11:27:19-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/6/11/19406/9576 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/61268/Lime_Restaurant_Park_Royal_Hotel_Singapore.jpg" class="top"><p>OK, we confess: we <i>did not</i> opt for the $58 per person buffet while having dinner recently at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Parkroyal+on+Pickering/local/5223"><b>Parkroyal On Pickering</b></a>'s restaurant, Lime, for the simple reason that, well, <b>$58 is a lot of money.</b> <p>So we figured we'd just stick with the regular a la carte menu and give our wallets a break. Big mistake. <p>Not that our $24 hand-tossed roasted duck pizza with spring onions wasn't the bomb dot com (because it was), but just out of curiosity, we also took a brief wander around the dining room to see what life on the other side was like, and we can safely say, <b>the buffet is where it's at</b>. <p>First off, the restaurant is ASchechter 2013-06-12T09:34:43-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/6/5/53251/41964 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/61268/Shenton_Suite_Fullerton_Bay_Hotel.jpg" class="top"><p>There are five suites offered at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Fullerton+Bay+Singapore/local/1814"><b>Fullerton Bay Hotel</b></a>, each loosely styled after a particular culture that has played a significant role in Singapore's rich history. Our favorite is the <b>Shenton Suite</b>, a gold- and brown-accented number which the hotel describes as <b>"fit for a Maharaja,"</b> a subtle hint at the suite's Indian influence. <p>Walking in, there is a small lounge area with rich textures of suede, rosewood and chrome. An L-shaped sofa sits directly across from the minibar, which is stocked with full-size bottles of Johnny Walker Black Label and Belvedere Vodka; the <b>walls are covered in wooden panels decorated with Indian-style motifs. </b> <p>We're told all of the rooms here are designed to make ASchechter 2013-06-07T09:35:00-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/6/5/31516/80013 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/61268/Raffles_Hotel_Gift_Shop_Basket.jpg" class="top"><p>We've said it before, but boy do we love a well-stocked <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/hotel%20shops">hotel gift shop</a>. After a <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/3/25/155315/103/hotels/Get_Travel_Goodies_Galore_At_Paramount_Hotel%27s_New_Souvenir_Shop">recent visit</a> to the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Paramount/local/184"><b>Paramount Hotel</b></a>, where we found nifty travel gear and Big Apple-themed tchotchkes, this week it was the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Raffles+Hotel+-+A+Raffles+International+Hotel/local/2293"><b>Raffles Hotel in Singapore</b></a> that had us acting like a kid in a candy store, inspecting every single item displayed on the shelves. <p>And believe us, there was a lot. <p>Located next to the fountain courtyard, <b>the gift shop is like an ode to the entire Raffles Hotel</b>, every ounce of its fabled existence neatly preserved in an endless array of <b>crockery, loose leaf tea tins, tea towels, vintage travel posters, stuffed animals, leather-bound notepad holsters,</b> and ASchechter 2013-06-05T16:44:33-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/