Courtyard Singapore Novena; Gateway Apartments Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

This Marriott International hotel opened on November 1, 2017. During a recent trip to Singapore for Chinese New Year, I was invited to stay at the property for two nights. The hotel is part of Royal Square at Novena, a mixeduse development combining the hotel, medical facilities, F&B and retail outlets.

WHERE IS IT?

A short walk from Exit B of Novena MRT station and 20 minutes’ drive (without traffic) from Changi Airport. The hotel is also a 15- to 20-minute drive from Raffles Place, a major business centre. You can also go there directly on the MRT’s North South Line in about 20 minutes.

The beautiful Church of Saint Alphonsus (also known as Novena Church) is next door, as is the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) Gallery, which invites you to “embark on a discovery journey” to get “interesting facts on taxes in Singapore and how the administration of tax has transformed over the years”.

The hotel is also well positioned for medical tourism, being close to the indevelopment Health City Novena. I was a bit disconcerted to see that the property is close to a Communicable Disease Centre, which is used to quarantine patients with highly infectious diseases. The hospital was used to house SARS patients in 2003.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

The stunning views from the 22nd-floor lobby, the guestrooms, and 33rd-floor infinity pool and gym are what makes this otherwise fairly ordinary business hotel unique. The interior décor has a clean and modern feel.

ROOMS

I was in a Premier Skyline room on the 32nd floor. The incredible view over the city and the lush greenery of the Central Water Catchment was the most impressive thing about my room, and it’s possible to see all the way to the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru just across the border. The room is furnished with a mixture of light brown and white, and while the room doesn’t feel huge, it has all the amenities a business traveller would need. The bathroom has a shower (including rainfall shower head) but no bath.

FOOD AND DRINK

Breakfast is served on the 22nd floor, next to reception. I asked if they had any international newspapers, but they said only local papers The Straits Times and Business Times were available.

The breakfast offers a reasonable selection, though it won’t exactly blow you away. The coffee was so-so and I went back to my room after the breakfast to have a better-tasting one from the in-room Nespresso machine.

LEISURE

The infinity pool offers amazing views over the city. The gym is a little small, but it’s pretty cool – and a little scary – running on the treadmill with a 33-floor drop right in front of you.

VERDICT

This hotel has everything you need for a short stay as a business traveller, as long as you don’t mind a 20- to 30-minute commute to your meetings. The stunning views really spice up the property. Breakfast fills you up, but could do with more options. Some changes on this front would improve the overall experience.

The views throughout the property, especially in the room and gym, really add a pleasant touch. However, for a stay of more than a couple of days, the room does feel a little small and there's no lounge. Michael Allen

The gym is a little small, but it’s pretty cool – and a little scary – running on a treadmill with a 33-floor drop right in front of you