Marina Bay Sands was a hotel that we looked forward to staying in as we had heard many rave reviews about it. With its high-end shops, casino, entertainment offerings, dining options, nightlife and more, Marina Bay Sands was quite a popular destination for people visiting Singapore.

We decided we too had to experience Marina Bay Sands and set our plan in action, however, we were met with disappointment when we tried to book a suite by calling the hotel reservation center directly. The lady who handled our call seemed to have no inkling whatsoever about the different suites and the differentiating characteristics of each. The booking was no easy piece of cake and had us wondering what more Marina Bay Sands had to offer us.

Share this review on Facebook.

First Impression/Lobby: We arrived at Singapore International airport and took the Marina Bay Sands’ free shuttle to the hotel. A shuttle is provided by the hotel from every terminal of the Singapore airport every half hour; but don’t be mislead, the service wasn’t quick, efficient or luxurious; it was a typical tour bus.

Beware, you are totally on your own getting to the shuttle pickup location, no help with your luggage is provided.

Reception : We arrived at the Marina Bay Sands and we were able to check in at the VIP reception since we had booked a suite. The check-in was quick and efficient. But on completing it we were surprised to be given our room key and asked to find our own way to the suite, not even a finger pointing us in the right direction. Definitely not what was expected out of a five star hotel.

The Suite : The Orchard Suite that we had booked for ourselves was located on the 54th floor and offered a splendid view of the harbor below with a partial view of the city. However, it was actually more of a glorified junior suite than an actual luxurious suite. Both the living room and bedroom were in the same room separated by a large TV stand that was rotatable and could be watched from either of the rooms.

The bedroom and the living room were done in warm earth tones and there was a comfortable couch to sink into in the living room to watch TV. We had a fruit basket and a few chocolates to munch on left for us in the room and a working desk at one corner of the living room.

The bathroom was spacious and luxurious with a large soaking tub, two sinks on a gleaming counter top and a large shower stall.

The suite at Marina Bay Sands had enough closet space but very little space for luggage. The suite entitled us to use the Club Lounge located on the 57th floor which was the roof top of the hotel. It had a great swimming pool, a bar and a restaurant.

Breakfast was offered in the Club Lounge along with afternoon tea and cocktails with canapé and soft drinks throughout the day.

Room Service : The room service menu at Marina Bay Sands was quite limited. We were also taken aback to realize that in spite of being a five star hotel, they were not ready to take an order for a special dish as other five star hotels would have done. This made us decide to dine out and not inclined to use room service at all.

Housekeeping : The housekeeping at Marina Bay Sands was not something we had time to put to test. But from what we did see, they kept the suite well spruced and in good condition.

Concierge/Guest Services : One of the concierge at the Marina Bay Sands gave us a good recommendation for lunch at an Indian restaurant called Raha Mahal in Pan Pacific hotel. The second concierge failed to prove to be handy and couldn’t suggest a good wine bar or a jazz bar for the night.

Marina Bay Sands offered one-touch dialing guest service, but it didn’t live up to par and the person who answered our call could never get us the right information. Not very impressive for a five star hotel.

Restaurant: There were several dining options at the Marina Bay Sands. The Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza offered the cuisine of the famed chef Mario Batali, the DB Bistro Moderne offered food by Daniel Boulud, The Cut offered American steaks and more and the Sky on 57 offered modern Asian cuisine.

Pool/Spa/Activities : The pool at the Marina Bay Sands was located at the 57th floor and was gorgeous, offering an stunning view of the Singapore skyline. The poolside was decked with pool chairs and more but the one negative, and it’s a big one, is that the pool area was just too crazy busy to actually enjoy.

Check-Out : The check-out was carried out at the VIP reception and we were amazed to find an error in our bill which had the lady at the check-out bewildered and unable to explain as to why it occurred. It took her a good 15 minutes to correct the bill, something that should have taken a mere minute in most any other VIP reception desk.

Overall Impression: Our overall impression of the Marina Bay Sands was not favorable. The service and offerings of the place seemed to miss what a five star hotel should offer. The size of the hotel seemed to have taken attention away from personalized service and it lacked a warm hospitable environment and made us feel as though we were in a large hotel at Vegas. We rate Marina Bay Sands in Singapore as Between Bombastic and Not.

Address and Telephone Number
Marina Bay Sands
10 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018956
Telephone: +65-6688-8888

Join us on Facebook!

5 Star and Luxury Hotel, Resort,
Restaurant, Airline and Travel Reviews,
Advice and Information - Independent and Unbiased