Hotel Review: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore & that Infinity Pool

Welcome to Marina Bay Sands, Singapore’s newest and most modern destination, with the main focal point for this modern corner of the city state being the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. This hotel is a destination in itself and is a must stay even if you do it just once in your life for that luxurious experience.

Of course staying here is also the only way you’re able to use that famed infinity pool giving you 180 degree views over the impressive Singaporean skyline. However if you can’t bring yourself to pay the high nightly rate to stay at this hotel never fear as you’re about to learn all about this fabulous hotel the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Getting to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel couldn’t be easier with an array of transport options depending on where you’re coming from and your budget. If you’re coming straight from Changi International Airport the easiest way would be to catch a taxi taking you right to the front lobby of the hotel. Just be sure to check your booking confirmation to ascertain if you should be dropped off at tower 1 or tower 3.

The other option and the one I took is the metro, the fast and efficient service will take you just about anywhere in Singapore and the Marina Bay Sands complex has its own station, allowing you easy access to the shopping centre & casino attached to the hotel. You’ll need to disembark at Bayfront Station which is on the yellow line, this was the most convenient way for me as I was already staying in Singapore prior to staying at this hotel.

Never before have I seen such a streamlined check-in process at a hotel before but you really need this to be planned out well given the enormity of this hotel. Before you arrive it’s best to check which tower you need to check-in at. Today I’m checking into tower 3 and upon getting off the metro at Bayfront Station I needed to walk to the other side of the complex which gives you a perspective of how big it really is.

Arriving at the check-in counter I arrived earlier than the 15:00 check-in time, but this didn’t matter with a dedicated desk for people checking-in and a separate desk for guests checking-out this was an effective way to segregate all the guests. Whilst waiting in line a member of the hotel staff will ask you what your preferred bed configuration is so that when you get to the front of the line to check-in they already know your preference.

Checking-in was a breeze and as I was eagerly awaiting to see what room number would be written down on my keycard. I got a little excited as I saw the number 48 at the beginning of my room number, could it be that I’m on the 48th floor? YES, I was so happy a room with a high view!

Room titles in most hotels can be deceptive. I’m staying in a Deluxe Room at Marina Bay Sands and that would give you the impression of one of their high end rooms added to the fact I’m staying on the 48th floor close to the top of the building. However this is the entry level room. I’m already breaking my bank staying here so I was always just getting the entry level room expecting to be on the 1st floor overlooking the car park. Having said that, the room was still amazing and had everything you would expect in a five star hotel including an impressive view out to the Singapore Strait and just in front of the hotel the Gardens by the Bay which will be explored later on.

The room was equipped with a massive king size bed, and all the other items you would expect in a hotel room as well as complementary water bottles that came in handy going out in the humid Singaporean heat. There was a small balcony to enjoy those impressive views and the bathroom was plentiful, enough room in here to have a party if you wished, with a massive shower so you can work on your dance moves whilst singing along to your favourite tunes (if that’s how you roll).

VIDEO: Sunrise Time Lapse at Marina Bay Sands

You cannot get better views in Singapore from your room than you can from here. Looking out to the Singapore Strait you’re in a prime position on this side of the building to watch the sunrise in the morning. You can also forget that you’re in a crowded city as you cannot see any skyscrapers or high rise buildings at all from this side of the building as opposed to rooms that are facing west, which overlook the city and are more expensive. Personally I rather the view from this side of the building as you can take in the view of the city when you go up top to experience the infinity pool.

This is the real reason everyone wants to come and stay at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the famous infinity pool that spans the length of the three towers. The pool is open only to hotel guests so despite the Sky Park being open to the public to take in the views of Singapore, you can’t turn up expecting to come for a swim if you’re not staying at the hotel. The pool is open to hotel guests from 6:00am until it closes at 11:00pm allowing you to catch a swim and a glimpse of the skyline at dawn, day, dusk and at night.

Access to the pool is via your hotel room keycard and one is given to each guest staying at the hotel, so you won’t be able to book one room, get an access card and then try and smuggle your whole family into the pool for the day. The hotel provides its guests with sun lounges, beach towels and offers a poolside food and beverage service from 7:00am until closing time at 11:00pm. Whilst spending the day up here poolside I indulged with a burger and smoothie whilst taking a break from the pool.

From the summit here you’ll also have access to an array of dining options so you can have a formal sit down lunch or dinner if you wish whilst taking in the views of Singapore and others enjoying the pool. You’ll also find up here some hot tub style pools that are located on the other side of the building looking out towards Gardens by the Bay.

As a guest of the hotel you’ll also have unlimited access to the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park which is located on top of tower 3, protruding off the side of the building giving it that bow of a boat shape you see from the outside of the building. The Sky park gives hotel guests and the general public views of the Singapore skyline as well as views of the Singapore Flyer and out to the Singapore Strait over Gardens by the Bay. If you can’t stay at the Marina Bay Sands it’s still worth coming up here to have a look at gain some perspective of how big Singapore actually is.

Entry to the Sky Park for non hotel guests is SGD $23.00 (AUD $22.99) for adults and SGD $17.00 for children, but if you join the Sands Rewards Lifestyle programme of the hotel you’ll receive a 10% discount on the ticket price. The Sky Park is open from 9:30am until the closing time of 10:00pm Monday to Thursday and closes at 11:000pm on Friday and Saturday nights.

Marina Bay Sands has its own rewards programme that you can sign up to for free. It’s worth doing so, at the time of staying I received a complementary coffee at one of the cafes in the complex and also had my wifi speed upgraded. Wifi is free in the hotel for guests but you are given a slower speed, once you sign up that internet connection is sped up, although to be perfectly honest I didn’t really notice any difference.

You’ll also get an array of discounts around the shopping complex and you’ll earn reward points on your spend from food and beverage to general merchandise, and the points can then be used to enter prize draws. I also got discounted entry to the Art Science Museum where I went to see a NASA exhibit on my final day before flying out of Singapore, so it came in handy.

Checking-out of the hotel was just as easy as checking into it, a dedicated desk is set up where guests can return their keycard and pay for any outstanding items on the bill. You also have the opportunity to use the express check-out method of filling in the appropriate form and putting it along with your keycard in a box provided. Personally, I prefer to check-out in person to make sure I’m not charged for anything I haven’t consumed during my stay.

I still had a full day left in Singapore so I left my bags with the hotel. This was probably the only fault I could find with this hotel, dropping off my bags was fine and seamless where you are given a ticket to go with your bag, it was collecting my bag later which was the hassle. Luckily I had plenty of time to get to the airport but the staff were really busy and so I had to wait for about 15 minutes which I didn’t mind as I wasn’t in a rush.

However others were also waiting and started pushing in front of the line wanting to collect their belongings. One of the attendants knew what was going on and told them to get in line and wait. Meanwhile another member of staff attended to them when they pushed in front again, I think the other staff member then felt sorry for me waiting at the front of the line so made sure I got my bags and then also made sure I was one of the first to get a taxi to the airport.

As mentioned above I spent the afternoon checking out the Art Science Museum which is part of the Marina Bay Sands complex hosting a number of exhibitions I chose to check out the NASA exhibit. By being a hotel guest you gain discounted entry, however being a member of the rewards programme you get a bigger discount, so take this card along with you once you sign up. I also grabbed lunch at the DC Comics Super Heroes Cafe which was quite cool, I had a Superman themed hot dog and bought myself a Lego Batman keyring that doubles as a small torch, showing that simple things amuse me.

I had an awesome experience at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and despite the high price tag I’m glad I did stay here to experience the hotel. I would probably stay here again but for no more than two nights as that was even blowing my budget. The infinity pool is an experience in itself and you can easily spend a whole day here relaxing which is really what I needed having flown from the Middle East doing a 15 day tour of Egypt and Jordan.

Staying at the Marina Bay Sands isn’t cheap and a lot of people stay here just so they can experience the famed Infinity Pool. To be quite honest that’s why I wanted to stay here in order to be able to spend a whole day relaxing by the pool overlooking the Singaporean skyline. But if you can’t afford to stay here you could always try your luck at sneaking in at your own peril just like Travel Blogger Kimmie did explaining how she did just that over on her blog…

Adventures & Sunsets – How I Snuck Into the Marina Bay Sands Infinity Pool

Check out the below videos exploring the stunning Gardens by the Bay which is right behind the Marina Bay Sands. I was here at Christmas time so there was a Christmas theme going on at the time especially at night time.

VIDEO: Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

VIDEO: Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

GUIDE BOOKS

A guide book isn’t cheating! Before you leave on your next adventure ensure you plan to get the most out of your trip and check out the range of guide books from Lonely Planet. The comprehensive guide books on Singapore from Lonely Planet will give you an insight on what to expect on your travels to this amazing country.

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Gardens by the Bay, Singapore’s Amazing Sky High Garden

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Dusk on Board the Singapore Flyer

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