Disappointed over Singapore hotel rate.

Guess I probably would stop lodging my visitors in Hotel S anymore.

The other day Tempei told me that Hotel S has increased its room rate. Murni, who was in fact earlier to inform me about it, had said the same thing except that she didn’t mention how much the hotel’s current room rate is; Murni just said that all hotels in Orchard are getting more expensive.

Along with Murni though was the lady at the airport hotel service reception. The lady had told me that no hotels in Orchard are at the rate of S$100 or below for a room per night anymore. And actually it wasn’t only the lady who had confirmed so. Some hotel club websites that I have visited have proven her right. But I found that all these are so hard to believe.

So yesterday I decided to call Hotel S. I really wanted to hear about the room rate from the hotel itself. I thought, we never knew, do we, if the hotel has had some promotions or is actually hiding its original price. So I called the hotel. But to my disappointment, everyone who had told me about the price increase was right.

Hotel S’ room rate has now gone up to about S$150 per standard room per night. It's superior room on the other hand costs about S$180 per night. This is very different to that of the rates of the hotel a few years back when a minimum price of one standard room per night was S$80 or even S$50 if you book it through the airport service counter. So the rates have all now changed and honestly, I am very disappointed with the price increase.

Truthfully speaking, I have been to Hotel S many times over these years - I usually lodge my foreign friends there. And I dare say that S$150 for a room per night in the hotel is a bit too profligate.

Maybe the price increase is after all supposedly about value for money (or money for value, whichever suits better). And yes, I understand that the hotel has superb location - it is located in the heart of the city so perhaps that explains for the high price.

But the hotel rooms are terrible - they are super basic and the building the hotel is in seems quite dilapidated. In addition to that, the hotel lobby looked like it hardly ever exists. Worse, the hotel has neither a restaurant nor a swimming pool, much less other hotel facilities.

Above all though, its service (when my guests were staying in it) was far below the standard of not even the service of a S$130 room rate business hotel here. So for all that, I think the hotel really doesn’t deserve a minimum price of not even S$100 for a room per night. And I’m sure many of my friends who have stayed in the hotel in the past would think so too.

So as of now, and certainly not in the future, I guess I probably would stop suggesting Hotel S as a lodge to my foreign visitors, unless of course something is done to the hotel (like an upgrade or something) or perhaps even a reduction in room rate, which could probably (though fat chance) help change my mind.

But anyway, yeah, for the meantime I certainly won’t be popping in the hotel for inquiry or reservation or anything of that sort at all. Though I guess I am quite curious to know what's in store for the future still.