We’re back at PARKROYAL on Beach Road for another staycation! After staying here one night last August and absolutely loving it, we’ve returned with a proper 2-night stay this time. Because honestly, one night is never enough when you’ve found a good thing.
The perks of being a GHA Discovery Titanium Member keep drawing us back – early check-in at 11am, late check-out at 4pm, double room upgrade, and complimentary breakfast. On both occasions, they’ve assigned us rooms on the 6th floor, same level as the Club Lounge which we get access to.
The vibrant Bussorah Street leading up to the golden dome of Sultan Mosque
The Bugis Location: More Than Just Convenient
For me, staycations are about escaping home whilst doing remote work in the comfort of a hotel environment. I spend most of my time in the hotel itself, so location isn’t make-or-break since Grab can take you literally anywhere in Singapore.
But from a tourist perspective? PARKROYAL on Beach Road hits the jackpot. The Bugis area is such a bustling district with brilliant food options everywhere. Plus, the historic neighbourhood of Kampong Glam sits right at your doorstep. You can visit a cafe, shop at quirky boutiques, enjoy a Middle Eastern dinner, then grab a beer at a bar – all within walking distance.
There’s even a sheltered walkway from the first-floor lobby next to Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant that connects to The Plaza behind the hotel. You’ll find eateries, 7-Eleven and June Bakery there too.
The hotel’s only a 5-minute walk from Nicoll Highway MRT (Circle Line) or 10 minutes from Bugis MRT (East-West/Downtown Lines).
We took Grab to the hotel both times. The moment our car arrived, staff opened the door and helped with luggage as we headed to the front desk.
The Check-in Experience
First surprise at check-in: they now ask for physical ICs. Staff explained it’s a new rule, though they accepted our digital versions when we didn’t have the cards on us. Honestly, I don’t even carry a wallet anymore—everything’s on my phone.
A hotel lobby that beautifully marries modern elegance with the charm of Peranakan heritage.
They collected a $500 security deposit via credit card, refunded upon checkout.
I couldn’t help but smile when the staff greeted us with a “welcome back”—guess their system remembered our last stay. She even asked if we still remembered the breakfast hours, but honestly, who ever recalls the exact timings? Haha!
Walking down the corridor to our room.
Room 633: The Full Tour
We took the lift to the 6th floor and immediately spotted the Club Lounge. Our assignment: Room 633, PARKROYAL Club Deluxe Room, just a few units from the lounge.
Space and Layout
At 35 square metres, it’s decently sized with ample walking space. They provide a luggage stand that holds one big suitcase perfectly. The table and sofa work fine for laptop sessions.
On the table, they’d left a welcome-back card plus a tin of Pandan Gula Melaka Cookies – part of the GHA Discovery Titanium Member benefits.
In the corner, same side as the TV, there’s always an art piece in a glass display. Fully carpeted floors throughout.
The view from our window on our very first staycation.
Not much of a view to boast this stay.
The Sleep Setup
King-size bed with 5 pillows. The mattress is rather bouncy, and those pillows are the heavy, firm kind that I actually love – they give proper neck support.
Next to the bed, they provide lavender pillow mist to spray on your pillow for better sleep. Thoughtful touch.
Air Conditioning Woes
The aircon’s lowest setting is 21.5°C, but cold air just doesn’t blow properly from the vents. It simply doesn’t cool the room effectively, making it uncomfortably warm for sleeping. I didn’t even need the quilt – too thick for the stuffy conditions.
The hotel lobby and club lounge had better air conditioning than the actual room.
Entertainment and Storage
Good-sized TV with local channels and cable channels like HBO. In the wardrobe: bathrobes, slippers, iron and ironing board, hairdryer, and safe – all standard kit.
The Minibar Corner
At the minibar area, you’ll see the fridge that’s completely empty – gives you freedom to stock whatever you fancy. There’s a Nespresso machine with coffee pods, Nescafe instant coffee sachets, Dilmah tea bags, kettle, and all the drinkware you need.
The Compact Bathroom
The bathroom is very small – the door placement is problematic. When open all the way, it blocks the shower door. At least it’s clean thanks to recent refurbishments, so no unsightly mould or dirty grout lines.
Full bathroom amenities provided: toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, comb, shaving kit, vanity kit, hand soap, skin lotion. In the shower area, dispenser bottles for body wash and shampoo, plus hair conditioner in separate tubes. Water pressure is spot-on.
No bottled drinking water since there’s a filtered water tap next to the washbasin.
Pool, Gym and Spa
The swimming pool, gym, and spa are located on the 4th floor. The gym’s a good size with ample equipment, well-maintained. Actually, they’d refurbished it since our previous visit – more equipment now.
The pool looks inviting with thick, cushioned lounge chairs like daybeds. There’s a bar where you can order drinks and bites.
Club Lounge: My Favourite Space
Entry requires your room card. It’s not massive, but I love that it’s cosy. This became my primary workspace because it’s generally quiet with light background music. Staff don’t come round to fuss or bother you, ensuring you get all the privacy and alone time needed.
I can help myself to coffees and nibble on vegetable crisps and nuts. My favourite spot? Right at the corner by the window with a clear view of Kampong Glam across the road. Watching tour buses drop off tourists at Haji Lane provides endless entertainment.
Staff Spotlight
Special shout-out to this middle-aged male Club Lounge staff member who surprised us by saying “Welcome Back” when we met him at the lounge. Didn’t catch his name, but he’s a Malay gentleman who speaks a bit of Chinese and dialect – very funny guy.
We’d met him during our last stay and his exceptional service left a lasting impression. When the coffee machine went cranky (ran out of milk), he served up fresh coffee to ensure we got proper brews. Didn’t want to waste the dodgy ones already made, but he insisted we ‘should enjoy our time here’ and remade them.
His cheerful and humourous disposition genuinely put smiles on our faces.
All-Day Refreshments (7am-10pm)
After 10pm, lights out – can’t enter the lounge anymore. During operating hours: coffees, teas, soft drinks, juices, crisps, nuts, chocolate gold coins available anytime.
Last time, they had two types of cookies. Now they don’t provide cookies anymore – so sad! Their cookies were genuinely good, didn’t lose to some big cookie brands out there.
Would be handy if they provided an ice machine or dispenser for self-service. Otherwise, you’ve got to keep asking staff whenever you need ice.
Evening Cocktails (6pm – 8pm)
Small selection of hot dishes, sandwiches, salads, cheeses, fruits.
Help yourself to wines: whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, reds like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Prosecco, and simple mixers like gin-tonic and whisky-soda. Staff can help with cocktails, but without a proper bartender, the mixer ratios might not match expectations.
First evening: seabass with cream sauce, veggie stir-fry, prawn vermicelli salad, tuna sandwich, prawn rolls.
Second evening: meatballs with gravy, roasted pumpkin, apple salad, sugar cane prawns, assorted sandwiches.
Small selection of cheeses and fruits too. Not bad actually – always something I enjoyed. Might not be super filling for dinner, especially if you need your carbs, but I found it quite adequate.
Staff were quick to clear empty plates and ask if you needed more drinks.
Club Breakfast (7am – 10am)
Small selection, but at least it’s more peaceful – quiet environment since hardly anyone’s there. Staff will set up your table with placemats and napkins. There’s one chef on standby preparing eggs however you want them.
Food seems more nicely displayed than at Ginger, maybe because it’s more untouched. Even the smoked salmon comes arranged in roses.
High Tea (2pm – 4pm, Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays Only)
Staff ask if you want high tea and bring over a proper high tea stand. First day: tuna croissants, rainbow cake, strawberry cake, cheesecake. Second day: egg mayo croissants, rainbow cake, ondeh ondeh cake, éclairs and macarons.
Standard quality, but the cake standard far exceeds their breakfast pastries.
Alternative: Breakfast at Ginger
If you prefer larger variety for breakfast, head down to level one to Ginger for the breakfast buffet (6am-10:30am). Staff at the counter ask for your room number, then it’s free seating – find a table yourself.
Everything’s pretty much self-service. No one comes over asking if you want coffee or tea. Staff will clear empty plates promptly though.
A little corner of healthy delights.
The buffet spread isn’t extensive, quality’s mediocre – nothing extraordinary. Since this is a halal-certified restaurant, there’s no pork served, hence no bacon.
I did like the congee with condiments like fried dace, braised peanuts, salted egg and century egg. The atmosphere? Crowded, very noisy and hectic like a marketplace.
Service Slip-Ups
Not everything went smoothly. We tried scanning the QR code to access Digital Concierge to request ice – doesn’t work. The system just doesn’t register our surname.
Called room service instead. No one picked up. Kept getting messages saying operators were busy. Kept trying for 20 minutes until someone finally answered the call. My goodness, first time ever trying so hard to reach someone.
We gave feedback about not being able to access Digital Concierge. Maybe the operator didn’t understand what we meant because they sent a technician to our room. We explained the problem, he tried calling the office to help resolve it, but no one was picking up his call either. He said he’d go to the office personally.
Until checkout, the problem remained unsolved with zero updates from anyone.
The Sound Issues
Soundproofing isn’t great. You can hear trolleys passing by the door, people slamming doors, walking by, talking loudly. Not ideal when you’re trying to rest.
Final Verdict
Despite the hiccups, we’ve stayed twice and enjoyed both experiences. The location can’t be beaten – Bugis buzzes with life while Kampong Glam offers cultural depth.
Reasonable room rates, plus the perks of GHA Discovery Titanium Membership, make it even better value with club room access and all the benefits.
Would I return to PARKROYAL on Beach Road? Absolutely. But they need to sort the air conditioning, soundproofing, and service communication issues to stay competitive in Singapore’s hotel scene.