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The Concorde Hotel's Spices Cafe in Singapore is the best place in town to go for Lobster. Extending the affordable luxury experience boasted by the hotelier brand, you can induldge in a seafood buffet guilt-free. Two words which pretty quickly grab the attention of most people when used together are affordable and luxury. Lusting for lobster?...Let's go to Singapore's Concorde Hotel! The Hotel is located in the heart of bustling Singapore, between Doby Gaut and Somerset MRT (train stations). Don't let the mall you have to walk through to get there deter you, for walking into the lobby is a breath of fresh air. As you are offered a chilled orange juice and escape the heat from outside, turn left for The Spices Cafe. A classic black and white decor frames the centrepiece of the room; buffet galore. A colourful and varied large display of elegant gastronomical treats will have you returning again and again for ‘just one more serving...' The Cafe (more of a fine dining restaurant than a cafe) offers an extensive menu of local and western tastebud tantalisers.
I tried, and completely recommend a seafood night at this eatery, in particular the one called Lobster is Served (Harvest of The Sea dinner buffet. In fact seafood lovers should be prepared to drool... This is indeed an evening where you are treated to a smorgasbord of fresh, succulent seafood, with each diner enjoying half a lobster (200g) cooked to perfection with cheese sauce and black pepper sprinklings. A menu of crab dishes is presented for your selection; my recommendation is the black pepper crab and chili crab - both large servings and tasting of the heavens. Appetizers of freshly shucked oysters, scallops, prawns and mussels, or fresh sushi and sashimi are on offer. An impressive cooking station serves up pasta with salmon, squids, prawns, live mussels and mushroom sauce, roma tomato and wine. Main course options feature salmon quiche, or non-seafood choices like ox-tail for something different. And for desert? A selection of mouth watering choices such as crème brule, pear tart, coffee Bavarian... are you hungry yet?
Top tip - make your booking early as the restaurant closes at 10pm, and four hours easily passes in the fun of choosing ‘what to have next'.
For contemporary upmarket accommodation near Singapore's Chinatown roll your suitcase to Wangz Boutique Hotel, a stylish art hotel. Wangz Boutique Hotel could probably double as an art gallery (with beds,) where hip, and comfort combine to make your stay in Singapore delightfully and inspiringly colourful.
Also located close to Singapore's business district, (in Tiong Bahru to be exact - Singapore's heritage area which is 7 mins to Orchard RD and 25 mins to Changi airport by taxi,) the hotel proudly opened to guests in December 2009. Converted from an historic church owned building with shop housing, now with 360 degrees of a strikingly modern aluminium-clad façade, Wangz Boutique Hotel gleams against the sun - your cabbie won't miss it! Walking inside shows off a vibrant interior flavoured with artworks blending art deco and straits settlement design, set to ambient jazz music. In fact, arriving here is like arriving at an art gallery slumber party, a fashion that continues through all levels of the hotel and dining areas.
The rooms portray a funky urban-retro feel with generous colour use in designer furniture, chic lighting and textured wallpaper features. Ambient music is piped in rooms to complement ambience - with a volume control you'll be listening to French fusions & 50's style jazz sounds. Otherwise utilise an ipod docking station to your own tunes. You can relax in front of a large (37 inch) flat screen TV showing 13 channels with DVD player. A trendy desk area with universal sockets and complimentary high speed Internet is handy if in town for business.
If you're thirsty, there are tea and coffee making facilities and an in-room glass rack for wine and champers (if you missed duty free, alcohol is avail in the mini bar, which also offers complimentary soft drinks.) Make complimentary local calls from the comfort of your Sealy Posturepedic bedding. (Love a good brand!) Soon you will find yourself Lazing around in a terry bathrobe provided with soft slippers on your feet, while perusing the Pillow Menu. Or you might pop down to the fitness centre for a mini workout on treadmill, weights and fitness ball. Back in your room, step into the floor-to-ceiling glassed bathrooms, and lather yourself in Molton Brown bath amenities. Dry off with large soft towels and modern hair dryer, as supplied. A luggage holder lets you rest large suitcases and makes for an easy level when sifting through that suitcase choosing what to wear. Leave you valuables in the electronic safe (which does fit a laptop,) before enjoying an evening on the rooftop bar.
Stepping onto the rooftop bar called Halo is refreshing and dazzling. As you gaze across a panoramic Singapore city skyline, (best seen as the sun sets and into the night,) jazz and bossa nova music play and a cool breeze will likely blow your way in Singapore's predictable high temperatures - if not then the air-con machine will! This is a great spot to try a fruity cocktail (Halo has many modern cocktails, I recommend the Singapore sling.) A large screen for exciting moments like the world cup, (on my visit!) or a jazz night means not only hotel guests will frequent here, - which I think is a nice opportunity for mingling.
Nectar is the restaurant downstairs, serving modern cuisine with Asian influences and are able to serve dishes on the rooftop for something different. But if you prefer the air-con and a quieter ambience, sit in the usual dining location, inside. Surrounded by more colour, imagination is continued in the serving of food. Dishes are creativity presented and of a fine tasting cuisine. I recommend Sirloin of Angus beef fillet in pepper Madeira sauce served with parsley potatoes, vegetable melange & dashed with port wine reduction. For dessert, Molten Lava chocolate cake with earl grey tea ice cream. At breakfast take your complimentary newspaper along to enjoy your complimentary continental breakfast at Nectar Restaurant.
As you dine, you'll no doubt glance at the artworks on the wall - Wangz boutique Hotel actually houses a private collection of art pieces specially commissioned and worth approx $S400000. Artists such as Anthony Tan, Hijran Seyidov (who counts royalty among owners of his works) and P. Gnana (whose art is in the private collections of the President of Singapore, plus the Singapore Art Museum
I recommend a stay at the Wangz Boutique Hotel to sophisticated travellers who fancy a chic moment in a heritage area, and like to look at art of the floral kind.
A champagne flight on the Singapore Flyer is a highly glamorous way to experience a most popular tourist activity and landmark - which is the world's largest observation wheel. Singapore Flyer gives a bird's eye view of the lion city, best experienced with an evening under the stars on a sky dining flight to see a city lit up in lights!
Located in Marina Bay, purposely surrounded by water for feng shui benefits, the wheel stands larger than the London Eye. The Singapore Flyer is within walking distance from most hotels, which you will see well from the air, and probably be able to point out your hotel! Upon arrival you'll notice an airport theme with signs to the ‘check-in,' ‘VIPs lounge' or ‘baggage depot.' Before boarding your flight a tunnel guides you to a large blue screen where photographers snap away for photos to be super imposed against a shot of the wheel. The cabin is moving as you step onboard, but there's no rush - it's slow enough to make boarding effortless. Inside and on a complete rotation you will gaze through UV protected glass across the island to see rows of skyscrapers, ocean's abundant boats and mountains in the distance then have you back on ground within half and hour. You will literally view birds gliding at your eye level.
Don an audio headset to learn about the interesting Feng Shui culture of Singapore, and existing Chi benefits of the Wheel's construction. An audio history of how Singapore came to be makes for intriguing stories.
Special cabins are available - decked out elegantly for affairs to impress and can be booked privately. Fitting a max of 28 people, business meetings are held in these cabins, (I would sign on that dotted line!) or private evening meals as the sunsets with butler on hand. Also popular are birthday parties, or an intimate marriage proposal when the cabin reaches the top. I have to say, when the annual F1 is on, this would be the million-dollar view, the F1 track circles directly under the flyer.
On my flight, I was worried about vertigo as the Singapore Flyer appears so high from the ground. I can now calm the minds of others to say - yes the cabins are constructed of glass to make you very aware of the height, but the wheel rotates slowly enough that you feel like you're in a tall (42 stories to be exact) secure building. Plus there are seats in the middle so if vertigo is a problem you can remain calmly in the centre, away from the edge, which shows a view of directly underneath you. My chilled flute of Moet & Chandon with complementary strawberries and fine chocolates added a glittering touch of luxury to the flight. There's also the Signature cocktail VIPs flight to enjoy if champagne is not to your taste.
After the flight you disembark by stepping to the grounded platform (at the same pace as walking off an elevator) then walk through a large tourist shop, (unfortunately not duty free) displaying many ideas for gifts to take to those at home who didn't get to go on the flyer. They missed out!
I'd recommend this to tourists of all ages, and anyone looking for a different approach to a business meeting; a trip to Singapore is not complete without.
The Piccolo Hotel in Kuala's Lumpar's Gold Triangle couldn't be more conveniently located for a shopping haven style holiday. Conveniently located in the heart of the shopping district, surrounded by KL's very best malls - the glammy expensive ones as well as the bargain hunter types, you just can't get any more central than this.
The Piccolo has been newly renovated so is a sparkling new boutique hotel. Décor style is a funky urban modern delight for guests. Walls are adorned with large prints from Malaysia's underwater world life - pyscholigically taking you to an island coast - just in case you don't have time to get there yourself!
A typical room will have you comfortable in air conditioning, feeling uber modern in a studio that has views of the glamorous Pavillion mall. You'll also be treated to a funky lounge, great for relaxing on to watch the flatscreen TV. Internet access and a study area are great for the workaholics, and there's a safe to leave your valuables. Modern glass doored bathroom and shower area and large mirror sliding wardrobe help create that clinically modern feel to the stay. Piccolo is very clean, very tidy, very hip.
A complimentary breakfast buffet will be included in the stay, featuring continental delicacies - Danish patries and qoussants, juice and coffee or teas, yummy hot food like hash browns, an assortment of toasts and jams - you know the deal. A great way to help you start your shopping day, that's for sure.
The Piccolo Hotel is a very clean ultra modern boutique abode, I'd recommend it as exactly where you should stay if you want to holiday in KL and go... shopping! (Especially for shoes!!)
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