The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

This was, without a doubt, the worst five-star hotel experience I've ever had. After staying two nights at the Mandarin Oriental next door in Singapore, my child wanted to try a different hotel. I had already seen many bloggers online raving about how wonderful the Ritz-Carlton Millenia was. To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive before going because, from what I saw online, their decor style looked very old-fashioned, which I don't particularly like. On the day of check-in, since it was so close to the Mandarin Oriental, we just walked over after checking out. At the front desk, I was checking in for a twin sea-view room, but the front desk told me they didn't have any twin rooms available and asked if a king room would be okay, mentioning there was also a large sofa that could be used for sleeping. Essentially, it was just a king room. At that moment, I thought it was too hot outside to bother going elsewhere, so I said, 'I have a child with me; could you please provide another duvet?' They said the room wasn't ready and wouldn't be until after 3 PM. They asked if I preferred a call or an email when it was ready. I chose email. Then we went and sat nearby. The front desk then came over again, saying they forgot to collect the deposit and asked if we could pay it. After paying the deposit, we went out to explore. We waited until 6 or 7 PM but still hadn't received any email. When we returned to the hotel, the front desk staff had changed. I said we were there to pick up our room key. They then processed our check-in, and asked for a deposit again. I told them I had already paid it at noon and showed them the deposit slip, as well as our luggage tags. After completing the check-in, we went upstairs and ordered room service (which was also very mediocre). After we finished eating, our luggage still hadn't been brought up, nor had the extra duvet. So I went down again to ask why our luggage and duvet hadn't been delivered. The front desk apologized and offered a 100 voucher as compensation. We went out for a bit and when we returned, the duvet (as pictured) looked like something for a pet – dark and without finished edges. The sofas in the restaurant were also dirty. Honestly, it's beyond words. When checking out, we waited for the elevator, and only managed to squeeze onto the third one that came down. For a room costing five or six thousand, there was absolutely no value for money. It's truly indescribable. Everyone, please avoid this place! Don't listen to those online influencers who are just chasing clicks!

I chose this hotel because it's close to the stadium, as I was in Singapore for a concert. The room view was absolutely stunning, with iconic landmarks right outside my window. Breakfast was also fantastic, with a wide variety of options. My only minor complaint was a slightly unpleasant check-in experience, but the hotel was very proactive in making amends, which I really appreciated. Overall, it was a good stay and I'd definitely recommend it to friends.

Coming from another hotel, I felt a significant downgrade. The room facing Marina Bay was a construction site (I refused a Marina Bay-facing room when I changed rooms later). There were very few Chinese-speaking staff, making communication difficult (despite many Chinese tourists now). The room was old and rundown. The first room I entered had a leak (it was repaired, but not properly). In the twin room, the nightstand wasn't between the two beds, and the staff said it was requested by the previous guest (but I didn't make that request!). After changing rooms, it was arranged normally. Later that night, I found a strip of light in the drawer that wouldn't turn off, but it was late so I just made do. For breakfast, you need to go early, otherwise, there's a long queue. It's very convenient for visiting nearby attractions. Initially, I couldn't connect my phone to the hotel's Wi-Fi, and it took a long time to resolve.

As we say, a Ritz-Carlton is a Ritz-Carlton, even in Africa. The quality of service and amenities is top-notch. The breakfasts are amazing, with an incredible selection of absolutely everything. The location is superb, and it probably offers the best view in all of Singapore. And this isn't my first time here! I highly recommend a room with a bay view because you can see all the city's highlights without leaving your room – the Botanic Gardens, Supertrees, Marina Bay Sands, the amphitheater, the flagship Apple Store, and the Merlion.