Overall Impression 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.
Class Of Accommodation Five Stars
Length Of Stay Six weeks
Location Located on the edge of Chinatown on the Singpore River, across from Clark Quay in Singpore. From here, it is an easy walk to the heart of downtown, or into the hustle and bustle of Chinatown. At night, the quay provides entertainment and dining.
Restaurants The breakfast buffet was well stocked and at its best early in the morning. The hotel catered to some large tour groups that tended to overwhelm the restaurant at some hours of the morning. The evening meals I did not enjoy as much, but there was great food just across the river.
Size 476 rooms, with 6 suites, 6 studio rooms and 3 executive club floors.
Year Opened-Renovated N/A
Lobby And Common Areas :Â The check-in area was relatively small though attractive with marble and flowers. The common sitting area just around the corner was quite spacious with a small bar that served coffee and drinks, as well as snacks in the afternoon.
Bathrooms The bathroom was spotless with shower and separate tub area.
Rooms My room was clean and well maintained. The view of the river was pleasant and remained quiet, even with rousing entertainment across the river. The non-smoking floors where I stayed was a relief since I am a non-smoker. The bed was comfortable and there was a decent sized desk to work. Storage space was limited, so I kept some things in my suitcase.
Amenities The room had the usual amenities – nice bathroom supplies, coffee and tea service (instant coffee) and the typical hairdryer. There was also an in-room safe and although no high speed internet (hotel has now installed this feature, but it was not there when I was there), the phone had a data port. There were pay-per-view movies and a decent selection of channels on the television.
Pool And-Or Beach The pool area was large and well maintained, with a poolside restaurant and bar from which you could order food and drinks a table or lounge chair. The pool has a waterfall that provided a refreshing blast of water. It is so hot there that this pool got a lot of use, but it was generally pleasant and the staff kept up with the towels and chairs well enough.
Spa I did not try it
Facilities The hotel had a health spa and fitness center built right in, which was an attractive touch. This was free for guests and quite well maintained when I was there. There was a pool, small shop in the lobby and a business center. A feature that I liked at the time was the Laundromat. Sometimes I just did not feel like counting up my socks and unmentionables, and it was easier to just run a wash load. The hotel would supply me with free tokens for each week I stayed at the hotel.
Watersports Just the pool
Other The Clark Quay across the river (on a bridge just outside the hotel) was my favorite hangout in Singapore. The Crazy Elephant Blues bar was a fun place to enjoy a Tiger beer, and some great tunes. A wonderful Indian restaurant, Sakhara was one of my favorites. The food courts and other restaurants got plenty of business from me. I worked just around the corner from here, and spent about six weeks living at the Merchant Court.
Check-In-Check-Out Process Ease Efficient and fast.
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Cleanliness Overall cleanliness was excellent.
Date Of Review April/May 2000
Ease Of Reserving A Room Simple and quick
Overall Service Excellent
Would You Stay Again? Yes
