Marina Bay Sands

Last week I gave you the guests' eye view of O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat; this week it's the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore - an altogether different kettle of fish.

The Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is a mixed-use resort in Singapore's bay. The resort includes a hotel, a casino, two theatres, a museum and a shopping centre, all located on reclaimed land in the Marina Bay Area at the southern tip of Singapore. MBS is about as different from O'Reilly's as it is possible to be. Here are my thoughts.

The Grand Club rooms include a free-standing bath, a walk-in shower, a large sitting area and a private (sort of - it overlooked a ten-lane expressway so it wasn't all that quiet) balcony. The room was huge and the range of bathroom condiments (shaving kit, shampoo, toothbrush etc.) was similarly impressive.

The rooftop infinity pool is simply stunning. 146m long and 200m above the ground, it has views across the city and is the hotel's most recognisable feature (after the three towers that support it).

With our package (the Grand Club) room comes breakfast in the rooftop Club Lounge. It's a standard buffet breakfast (as seen in any other international hotel) but the Lounge is on the 57th floor overlooking the swimming pool and the city; the service is excellent.

Also included are afternoon cocktails and canapes in the Club Lounge, although that description doesn't really do justice to the comprehensive drinks menu (which, strangely, didn't include any cocktails) and the buffet of cakes, cheeses, meat, canapes and other treats laid on by the hotel. Make the most of the afternoon sun by sitting outside in the shade of the palm trees, watching the city bustle.

Did I mention the antiques? Along one wall of the foyer the hotel displays its collection of European and Asian antiques. You can't use these items, of course, they're far too valuable, but they are an interesting distraction from the otherwise completely modern (and vast) foyer.

Then there are the staff, doing their absolute best to make the hotel feel a bit more human and a little less robotic. As well as doing a great job, the staff are also friendly and welcoming; they smile and make polite small talk rather than, as in many hotels, simply moving on to the next customer as quickly as possible. They may, in fact, be the hotel's biggest asset.

And the shops. Wow. If you want designer brands in a convenient mall then MBS is the place for you. The shopping mall, connected by an underpass to the hotel foyer, has over 300 stores (Burberry, Tiffany's, YSL etc.) and high-end restaurants (HY California was particularly good). It's big, bright and (insofar as this is possible for a shopping centre) fun. And they have a skating rink.

In summary, if you want to relax in a luxury hotel in Singapore with the opportunity for a little light shopping and gambling, Marina Bay Sands is definitely worth considering.