A great spot to stay in the city a little bit away from the frantic pace on Orchard Road, though it offers good access to the downtown area. The health club, swimming pool, local entertainment and dining make the Merchant Court a fun place to stay while working or sightseeing in Singapore. With the MRT station just a half block away, access to any location in the city is just that much easier.
If you want to see the tourist side of Singapore, this is a fine place to do it from. Reasonably priced for the class of accomodations, with spacious rooms and many facilities, the Mandarin Singapore is a great spot to rest up after a trans-pacific journey. The rotating restaurant in the tower is worth a look, just for the view at night of the entire city/country. The buildings all around this area are honeycombed with stores, although the prices are not really bargains, the selection is overwhelming. This is a fun area too, with lots of street performers and regular events (mostly promotional), and a great place for people watching.
The Singapore Zoo was very modern and clean when we visited. Sitting almost right on the equator, the weather only seems to vary between wet and dry, it is always warm. The designers of the zoo have utilized the tropical conditions to full advantage with lush landscaping and open pavilions to escape the rains.
