Top posts of 2022: a year in review

Above Image: Basilico buffet at Regent hotel

Thoughts from happyhighlife.com

As we enter 2023, I look back on how far happyhighlife.com has come – it’s been a little over THREE years since the blog started, and wow, how time has flown. 

Since its inception, this blog has grown – to date, a total of 165 posts have been published, and the blog’s visitorship has soared. Currently, happyhighlife.com is averaging 15,000 visitors a month, and is poised to welcome many more views.

Countless wonderful moments are documented here. Be it dining in hotels or high-end restaurants, hotel staying both local and abroad, or simply enjoying luxury bags – it has been both nerve wrecking – yet, an honour – to share my happiness and thoughts in such a public place. 

I am deeply humbled and moved at how readers choose to revisit this place. Several have reached out to me personally with nothing but kind words and declarations of love for the blog’s reviews, and for that, I am forever grateful.

If not for my readers, this blog wouldn’t have been possible. THANK YOU EVERYONE for your support the past three years, and for keeping me encouraged to continue writing. 

Let’s #throwback today and check out the most read posts of 2022. 

The criteria for Top posts of 2022 will be considered as such:

(i) the blog post itself must be written in 2022

(ii) to avoid time-related discrepancies (e.g. posts written in January have different number of views from posts written in December), the number of views are averaged across the number of months since the post was written. 

Top posts of 2022

Written in reverse chronological order (from 10th to 1st), here’s happyhighlife.com’s top posts of 2022.

10) Hotel review: Conrad Tokyo

Notes: American Express FHR (Fine Hotels and Reosrts) Rate, Amex Platinum Charge Card benefits. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan mostly closed itself off to the rest of the world. When the country re-opened, all the pent-up desires for Japan travel burst forth and thus, reviews for the Conrad Tokyo hotel (among other Japanese hotels, I’m sure) skyrocketed.

For my stay at Conrad Tokyo, with the American Express Platinum Charge Card, I possessed two key benefits for this stay: Hilton Honors Gold status, and the ability to book American Express FHR (Fine Hotels and Resorts) rate. Benefits included:

• Complimentary room upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability
• Complimentary breakfast
• Early check-in at 12pm, subject to availability
• Guaranteed 4pm late check-out
• Hotel credit of USD 100 or more (depending on property) to be used during the stay. Specifically, for this stay of ours, we had USD125 in property credit, which worked out to be JPY15,250.

9) Food review: SKIRT @ W Singapore Sentosa Cove

Notes: Western Steakhouse, Amex Love Dining benefits

In 2022, the husband and I celebrated my birthday at SKIRT @ W Singapore Sentosa Cove. Using Amex Love Dining benefits, we dined in at 50% off.

This hugely romantic restaurant has also made the list of Most Romantic Restaurants in Singapore that have Love Dining benefits (see next item). 

8) Food review: List of Romatic Restaurants.

Notes: Amex Love Dining benefits

I had no idea that Singaporeans were high in the Romance factor, lol. This one genuinely surprised me. Written with Valentine’s Day and Love in mind, the most swoon-worthy places included Brasserie Les Saveurs (St. Regis), SKAI (Swissotel the Stamford), Lawry’s the Prime Rib, Napoleon Food and Wine Bar, and more. 

7) Bag review: Chanel Classic flap in pink

Notes: Chanel Bag Review

Featuring my very first Chanel bag: a pink classic medium-sized flap. Read more to see mod shots and discover what fits in the bag.

6) Bag review: Hermes Gold colour is the best

Notes: Not quite a bag review

In this post, I show how twillies of various colours and shades look on the most popular Hermes colour in the world: GOLD. 

The stars of the show include my Hermes Kelly 28 and Hermes Picotin 22, both in Gold, of course.

5) Food review: Atlantic @ Tower Club Singapore

Notes: Western Set Meal, Amex Voucher

FYI: only members have access to Tower Club Singapore. Holders of the American Express Platinum Charge Card and Platinum Reserve card are granted complimentary access.

I love the amazing views of this place: it’s perched atop Republic Plaza, and boasts wonderful views of the Marina Bay area and beyond.

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 S$900 statement credits and Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 (worth S$700) when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$350 statement credits 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 38, 000 Krisflyer miles and S$50 statement credits when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met. 

4) Food review: Ba Xian @ Tower Club Singapore

Notes: Chinese Dim Sum, Amex Voucher

Yes – another Tower Club entry – this time featuring Ba Xian, the Chinese dining establishment located within Tower Club Singapore.

I was genuinely surprised that both Atlantic (number #5) and Ba Xian made it to the Top posts of 2022 list. However, a quick google search revealed that there are VERY FEW (if not none) reviews written about the dining experiences at Tower Club Singapore. 

3) Food Review: Drawing Room @ St. Regis Singapore

Notes: Amex Love Dining benefits

Slightly limited menu here (in the sense that there is little variety), but the quality is superb and the desserts are beautiful. 

2) Bag Review: Hermes Constance 18 in Rose Confetti

Notes: Hermes Bag Review

I love Hermes as a brand and own several bags from them – including the Birkin 30 in Rose Extreme, the Garden Party 36, the Bolide 27, etc, as well as a number of small leather goods (such as an Ostrich Bearn in Mykonos). 

Perhaps I’m a stereotypical Hermes lover, but to date, the Birkin, Kelly, and Constance are three of my most used Hermes bags. 

1) Food Review: Basilico at Regent Singapore

Notes: Italian Semi-Buffet, Amex Love Dining (no longer applicable from 1st Jan 2023)

The painful irony: taking the number #1 spot among the top posts of 2022 – is Basilico of Regent Singapore. Sadly, this wonderful Italian dining establishment has left the Amex Love Dining programme as of 1st January 2023. 

Nevertheless, the Italian fare there is truly gorgeous. It’s one of the best places I’ve found in Singapore for Italian food to date, and I can highly recommend it, even without any love dining discounts. 

And… a noteworthy mention thanks to GST.

Something that didn’t quite make it to the Top 10 – however this post was special in the sense that when it was first published, the number of views wildly exceeded expectations in the first two weeks or so… and then viewership drastically died down after that.

Notes: Singapore GST increase.

Singapore, with effect from 1 January 2023, had her GST (government service tax) increased from 7% to 8%. This means that credit card annual fees in general (not just American Express) would be impacted by the change, and this post published a list of new 2023 annual fees for Singapore-issued American Express credit cards.

American Express Platinum Charge Card (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 S$900 statement credits and Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 (worth S$700) when you apply and minimum spend criteria is met.
• The American Express Platinum Card: Use this referral link and receive up to S$350 statement credits 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 38, 000 Krisflyer miles and S$50 statement credits 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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