Fullerton Staycation review: Premier Courtyard Room. SGD400 hotel stay credits with Amex Platinum Charge card.

Christmas at the Fullerton! This is my Fullerton staycation review, where my family and I (two adults, two kids) stayed in the Premier Courtyard room.

 (Yes, I am aware that this post is waaaay overdue. Apologies – Full time working mother with two kids here; on some days it’s a miracle that I’m even blogging).

Amex Platinum Charge card: SGD 400 in Hotel Credits

One of the perks that comes with the Amex Platinum Charge Card, is SGD800 worth of Travel credits every year. This amount is split into half – SGD400 for hotels, and SGD400 for airfare. 

The amount can be redeemed online via the ‘Book with AMEX’ travel website and logging into one’s AMEX account.

Note: This is in addition to the Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) rate that’s offered to Platinum Charge Card holders. As of July 2021, it is also possible to stack the benefits of FHR rates together with the SGD400 hotel stay credits – the Milelion has an amazing article on that. 

The Fullerton Hotel (Singapore)

Want to apply for an American Express credit card? Apply through one of my referral links and receive either bonus Membership Rewards points, vouchers and / or Krisflyer miles:

• The Platinum Charge Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 140,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 62,500 Membership Rewards points when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 35, 000 Krisflyer miles when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

Christmas at the Fullerton

At the time of our staycation, it was over the festive season. And wow, the hotel was beautifully adorned with Christmas decorations. 

Greeted by this little guy at the entrance

The highlight has to be the Christmas tree – it’s literally a tree of teddy bears. Lots of couples were spotted taking wedding photos in this area – after all it is an excellent choice of a backdrop.

Very Festive

The stuff that premium Christmas cards are made of

Even the Cake Boutique was dressed to the nines, to resemble a gingerbread house. 

Cake Boutique at Fullerton Hotel

Checking in at Fullerton

At the time of visitation, guests were hanging around the lobby (in socially distanced groups, of course) and the courtyard.

Courtyard at Fullerton Hotel

While waiting, the kids enjoyed the very realistic display of the Fullerton Hotel itself.

The Fullerton Hotel: version on display

Bonus: seeing that we had small children, the staff immediately offered a colouring book and crayons to keep them entertained – a godsent for any parent. 

The kid is happy

I love how the book caters to a variety of ages. Young children who can’t yet read can simply enjoy the colouring, and those in lower primary can enjoy it as an activity book. 

Fullerton Bear Themed Activity + Colouring Book

Thankfully we didn’t wait very long – soon we got our key cards and were on the way to the room.

Something really cool to note in this Fullerton staycation review – the hotel itself IS a building of huge historical significance in Singapore (there is a whole Wikipedia article dedicated to Fullerton). So, along the corridors to the rooms, the walls were lined with paintings of old Singapore.

Corridor to the rooms – see the paintings hanging?

It’s almost like a historical art museum.

Istana Entrance

Memorial Hall and Government Secretary Office

In odd corners, relics of Singapore’s political history were displayed. History fanatics would love this place. 

Painting of Fullerton Hotel + readings of past events that took place here

That was easily the LONGEST corridor walk we’ve ever had in ANY hotel post check-in, lol. Usually we excitedly dash to the rooms but here we just had to stop and admire all those pictures along the way. 

Anyway, the room.

Fullerton staycation review: Premier Courtyard Room

Premier Courtyard Room

At 42 square meters (452 square feet), the room felt spacious enough for two small kids to run about. We had requested a baby cot for kid no. 2, and the hotel had positioned it right next to the king-sized bed.

King sized bed, Baby cot, Sofa, and two Jellycats bunnies.

There is also a small coffee table (in front of the sofa) as well as a larger round desk.

View from the King Bed

Workdesk. Not that I think we would actually work here

Increasingly, instead of the traditional make-a-phonecall helpline in hotels, some hotels now have Ipads placed inside the rooms for guests to navigate. With this, one can order room service, get hotel information, or check out events that are taking place in the hotel.

One of the Perks of Modern Life

Throughout the room, wooden hues are juxdaposed against a white wall, giving the place a contemporary feel. 

Entrance leading to Tea/Coffee making facilities (left) and Luggage storage area (right)

While there is a fully stocked mini-bar – do note that those  items are chargeable. As per most hotels, only the water, tea, and coffee is complimentary. 

Tea and Coffee in pull-out drawer

While there is a fully stocked mini-bar – do note that those items are chargeable. As per most hotels, only the water, tea, and coffee is complimentary.

Love the Nespresso capsules and TWG Teas

Luggage Storage 

Cupboard Opens to reveal Wardrobe

Generally, the room is a comfortable one, so we’ve got few complaints here. Tip: if you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, job promotion, or something special – do let the hotel know. 

At the time of stay, we had friends (a couple) staying in another room within the same hotel – THEY were celebrating an anniversary, and the couple were given a lovely chocolate cake for the event. 

Congratulations to our Friends – Image courtesy of the celebrating couple

Bathroom

Sink (left), Bathtub (right), and entrance to the toilet (back)

Bathroom: comes with a separate bathtub and shower stall with overhead rain shower.

View from the toilet. With toilet door open. Lol.

Sink (left), Rain shower (right)

Sink – love the blank marble. It does add a slightly more sophisticated quality to the bathroom.

Complete with drawers and bench with towels underneath

Bath amenities were provided by London-based Atkinsons. We didn’t find the products particularly spectacular, but the DESIGN of the long squeezy tube was an ergonomic one. The stuff in there is squeeze-friendly and comes out really easily. Lol. 

Atkinsons Bath Products

Child amenities were provided – not just bathroom products, but also bedroom slippers and a little bathrobe!

Child Amenities

The slippers are kind of adorable in mini size.

Child Bathrobe

This will sound laughable – but the real highlight of the bathroom is the toilet.

It resembles a Japanese toilet with multiple functions: TOTO washlet, heated seat (I kid you not), and a control panel to navigate it all. 

Atkinsons Bath Products

When you enter the bathroom – the toilet seat lifts and opens automatically, like it is greeting you. The seat warms up if you’re there for a while, so no more nasty cold porcelain against your skin. Plus, control exactly where the splash water + dryer goes.

Going back to toilet paper now feels like a step back in human evolution.

Breakfast at Town Restaurant 

Town Restaurant

Breakfast is held at Town Restaurant. Due to covid-19, staggered timing for breakfast comes in three seatings: 730am, 830am, and 930am. 

For breakfast, one can either sit indoors and get a view of this madness (in an air-conditioned setting…)

Or, choose to forgo air-condition, take the outdoor seating, and enjoy clear, unobstructed views of the Singapore River area.

View from outdoor seating of Town Restaurant

It’s possible to see the other side of the Singapore River, too.

Singapore River

Breakfast had a mix of local (mostly) and international items. Local delights included Nasi Lemak, Singapore Laksa, Congee and Dim Sum, and Vermicelli (chow mi fen, as the locals know it). There was also the Western options such as eggs and pancakes.

Breakfast Menu

At the time of our stay, guests could order as much as they liked. Though I have heard that this wasn’t always the case – perhaps the situation changes depending on how COVID-19 is. I always recommend checking with the restaurant in advance to see how breakfast is done.

And then, the spread arrived.

Breakfast Spread

Bread Basket. These were actually warm and toasty – so they’re not much to look at, but they were comforting.

Bakery Basket

The kids’ favourites were the pancakes and Dim Sum – but this is most likely due to novelty; they pretty much see local care all the time so these were unique by their standards.

Pancakes and Dim Sum

Most of breakfast was average – okay-ish, but not terrible. If I absolutely had to pick ONE item to recommend, it probably would be the nasi lemak. More filling than congee and less of a cheap carbohydrate dump compared to  the vermicelli / chow mi fun, at least this was flavourful and came with fried chicken.

Nasi Lemak

Nothing was particularly mind blowing. Perhaps our expectations were higher simply because of the status and presteige of Fullerton Hotel, but if there was one thing that’s midly disappointing in this Fullerton staycation review, breakfast would be it. Honestly, compared to other hotel breakfasts such as St. Regis Singapore (omelette with lobster and caviar!) or Fairmont (huge international variety), the quality here was pretty average. 

Swimming Pool and Gym

With social distancing measures in place, several of all of the hotel facilities – including the gym and pool – have limited the number of people that can use the facilities at any given time. They all recommended bookings in advance.

Swimming Pool at Fullerton

A pool right by a historical building? Count me in.

It can get noisy at times – the pool is popular among families with small children (including us), so those hoping for a quiet serious swim may find such opportunities hard to come by. 

There’s always someone here – the pool’s indeed popular

With views of the other side of the Singapore River – we chuckled at the irony: looking at River water while swimming in pool water.

View from the Pool

For those who crave exercise without the swimming pool madness, there’s always the Gym.

Gym at Fullerton

Some of the Gym equiptment have transparent partitions fitted over – with social distancing and all being a requirement, it’s nice to have these barriers in place. 

For the Socially Distanced Runner

Post-workout, adult guests may also enjoy the use of the Fullerton spa facilities. 

The Fullerton Spa entrance

The facilities here are simple – just a sauna and a steam bath. No jets or whirlpools here – so for those who crave a full soaking-in-spa-facility experience (I recommend St.Regis, Fairmont / Swissotel or Capella for those), this may be a deal breaker.

Sauna (left) and Steam bath (right)

High Tea at Courtyard

For our stay, we had an SGD100 hotel credit, and decided to spend it on Afternoon Tea at the Courtyard.

Scones (left) and the High Tea Spread

The menu does change up from time to time, but like any Afternoon tea sets, there is a combination of sweet and savoury items, with a side of scones to share.

Afternoon Tea at Courtyard

And this time, the Afternoon High Tea had a Christmas theme. 

English Afternoon Tea – three tier set

At the time of our visit, the Afternoon Tea set allowed unlimited servings of SAVOURY items only. 

Savouries

Sweet items – the amount was already fixed, so what you see is what you get. 

(I’m not sure if the High Tea here is always like that – as always, readers should confirm with Courtyard at Fullerton and not take my word for it)

Sweets

Nevertheless, there is something innately joyful about having bite-sized finger food served to you like this. It made the kids happy, and the kid in me was even happier.

Noteworthy mention: Fullerton Farm

This is something you don’t usually see in a hotel – and outdoor garden / farming area. 

Fullerton Farm

It’s mostly a mix of local plants and some herbs. The area isn’t small – there is a pathway to walk all the way inside to explore.

Behold, the papaya tree. 

Overall Stay Review

As a hotel, in terms of luxury, there were some hits an misses.

First hit: the building is beautiful, especially at night. If someone wants a Romantic staycation, this place ticks all the right boxes. The view by the Singapore river is hard to rival.

The Fullerton Hotel – Night View

Another hit: walk around the Singapore River, and there are plenty of restaurants and nightlife to explore in the area. It’s super easily accessed from the hotel – so I can recommend this place for both locals and tourists.

Walkways around Singapore River

It really doesn’t get better than that. 

Breadthtakingly Romantic

Aside from that, the rooms are fairly comfortable, and the service was alright. While the staff were not outstanding or super welcoming – i can sympathize with them; the hotel is trying its best to operate during a time of COVID19, and for that, they handle it amazingly.

What about the MISSESS in this Fullerton Staycation Review? Honestly, for the price of a stay here (lower tiered rooms average about SGD400 to SGD600 a night), I’ve had much better experiences at similar-tiered hotels. In terms of the whole luxurious hotel experience (breakfast, spa facilities, room) – for the same price – a place such as Conrad Centennial Singapore or St. Regis has better value for my money’s worth. I mean, the breakfast alone at Fullerton just didn’t meet our expectations for a hotel of this standard. With Fullerton, on some level, it feels like a premium is charged simply because the building has so much historical significance.

Paintings of Signapore scenery in the room

If you love Singapore’s history, this place would be awesome. But most people I know go on a staycation to relax, spend time with family, and have a luxurious experience that they may not get elsewhere – so a history lesson isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea. 

Nevertheless, thanks to the American Express Platinum Charge card, with it’s hotel credits came a discount of SGD400 on a two-night hotel stay – it effectively almost halved our total bill. For that, I really have no complaints. However I probably would not pay full price for a stay at Fullerton. 

Image Source: American Express

Inspired by this post and want to apply for an American Express credit card? Apply through one of my referral links and receive either bonus Membership Rewards points or statement credit:

• The Platinum Charge Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 140,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 62,500 Membership Rewards points when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Use this referral link and receive up to 35, 000 Krisflyer miles when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed on this page are that of Happy High Life and may not necessarily reflect the position of American Express. Happy High Life is not responsible for any decisions made by readers. The terms and conditions for each credit card's application and usage may be subject to change by American Express. Therefore, readers are recommended to check any matters with American Express or its partners; the list of all benefits of the Platinum Charge Card can be found here.

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Fullerton Staycation Review: Premier Courtyard Room

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