http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T22:33:41Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/HotelChatter%20Reviews http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/10/163527/416 <![CDATA[<P><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/RCMsave2.jpg" class="top"> <P>Okay, so we've already <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Ritz-Carlton%20Hotels">raved</a> about something as simple as the bedside tables at the <b><a href="">Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore</a></b>, but what of the rest of the room? Well, first let us say that it is completely worth it to opt for the marina-side, because the view is half the luxury. <P>The Ritz-Carlton Millenia sits closest to the famous curving pedestrian bridge over to the Marina Bay Sands, and its location means crazy awesome vistas of downtown, the marina and more hotels one way, and the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel the other way. As lovely as the rooms are (and they are lovely), you'll likely spend at least half the time entranced by the metropolis, staring out JetSetCD 2012-02-10T16:35:27-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/7/1246/69517 <![CDATA[<P><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/sllobbiessin.jpg" class="top"><br><i>Reception at the Tower Wing (left) and reception at the Valley Wing (right)</i> <P>It's really a tale of two lobbies, the <b><a href="http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/singapore/shangrila">Shangri-La Singapore</a></b>. There's the original, red and gold grand lobby of the Tower Wing, opened in the early 1970s. Then, there's the white marble and gold of the modern Valley Wing next door. While the Valley Wing has its exclusivity and free champagne and fancy breakfast in the Summit Room, the Tower Wing has that classic appeal plus many mega chandeliers and the many decades of afternoon tea enjoyed on the Rose Veranda. <P>Yes, you already know what major hotel geeks we are&#151;heck, you <i>are</i> reading this on HotelChatter.com, but please let us stress the appeal JetSetCD 2012-02-07T17:18:47-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/7/165048/2620 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/21888/hixpici.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>Yesterday we told you how we ended up <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/6/125721/5486/hotels/Opening_Night_at_The_Belgraves_Was_Not_Without_Quite_a_Few_Teething_Problems_">slightly underwhelmed</a> by our stay at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Belgraves,+a+Thompson+Hotel/local/4843"><b>Belgraves</b></a> on opening night; today, it&#146;s time to turn away from the rooms and towards something equally important &#150; the restaurant and bar. <p>Belgraves has enlisted celeb chef <strong>Mark Hix</strong> to head up the resto (imaginatively called Hix Belgravia). But could the restaurant pep up the slightly disappointing hotel? Here goes. <p>We checked in at 8pm, stomach empty, hoping to go straight into dinner. The restaurant seemed buzzing but not full. But when we asked at check in whether we had to reserve a time or could pop down whenever, <strong>we got different answer after different answer after different answer.</strong> juliab 2012-02-07T17:07:58-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/6/144029/5449 <![CDATA[<P><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6193/ShangDel2.jpg" class="top"> <P>Did you know...that the <b><a href="http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/singapore/shangrila">Shangri-La Singapore</a></b> is the <i>original</i> of the Shangri-La chain of properties? Did you also know that it is a hotel with three distinct wings, each with a different feel and luxury level? Serious hotel geeks will have answered yes to both, but it's no matter because right now, we're taking you inside the a <b>Deluxe Suite in the Valley Wing</b>, a one-bedroom abode with butler service, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/19/11446/5860/hotels/The_Shangri_La_Singapore_Has_Its_Very_Own_Orchid">signature Shangri-La orchids</a> all over the place, and&#151;joy of joys&#151;free champagne and decadent nibbles. <P>You can't get much fancier than this at the Shangri-La Singapore; there's only two room categories higher than the Deluxe (a 2-bedroom and the Shangri-La Suite), and its location in the JetSetCD 2012-02-06T17:35:12-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/6/125721/5486 <![CDATA[<p><object id="flashObj" width="500" height="470" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="@videoPlayer=1430074175001&playerID=1290861266001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAE7CVnI~,RUihgoZlRJhslCchlYkq3M4yw7rN0t1V&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="@videoPlayer=1430074175001&playerID=1290861266001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAE7CVnI~,RUihgoZlRJhslCchlYkq3M4yw7rN0t1V&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="500" height="470" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> </p> <p>So <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Belgraves,+a+Thompson+Hotel/local/4843"><b>Belgraves</b></a> &#150; <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/thompson%20hotels"><b>Thompson&#146;s</b></a> first hotel outside of the US &#150; opened Wednesday night, and we were seventh to check in on opening night. What to expect? Well, according to the hotel: <blockquote><p> Belgraves interprets the Thompson luxury experience in London, joining an ongoing creative movement in design, dining and art that is currently forging the &#147;new Britannia&#148;</blockquote></p> <p>Them&#146;s some big promises. Anyways, we brought you pictures of the rooms and the public areas juliab 2012-02-06T12:57:21-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/