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The Fullerton Hotel Singapore may be a National Monument, but you don’t need deep pockets to stay in its Courtyard Room and enjoy the history, location, and infinity swimming pool.
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore may be a National Monument, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s only for the deep-pocketed. Staying at its Courtyard Room will likely cost you a lot less than some of the other luxury hotels around the Central Business District and Marina Bay. While the Courtyard Room did feel in need of a little refresh, it was still spacious and more than decent. From the hotel’s second-floor infinity swimming pool, you can enjoy views of the Asian Civilisations Museum and Singapore River. If you have the time, there’s a free Fullerton Monument Tour to better know the building, which was once the General Post Office.
We review anonymously and pay for everything. All opinions expressed here are our own and all information is correct as of our last stay or visit and subject to change without notice.
The 42m2 Courtyard Room is named for the view, or its lack of one: it faces the atrium inside the building and overlooking the lobby. It also felt in need of a little refresh. But looking through that, we felt the room was spacious and more than decent. If you brought your shoes, ask for a complimentary shining — you’ll find them returned to your room through a small hidden door that leads to the wardrobe.
Entertainment: The 32-inch TV, hooked up to a Harman Kardon speaker, offers 57 channels and a library of free movies on demand. Our room included copies of Singapore Tatler, Fortune, and Preferred Travel magazines as well as the hotel’s Fullerton Stories and Fullerton Heritage books.
Sips and nibbles: Don’t expect much of the complimentary in-room coffee and tea selection: it’s Nescafe Gold instant coffee and TWG Tea. There were more drinks and snacks on the table and in the minifridge, but these weren’t free.
The bathroom was also spacious, featuring a bathtub, a separate shower, and a toilet room. While the toilet room had a wood sliding door frosted for privacy, the shower was encased in clear glass next to the bathtub in front of the sink.
Toiletries: Atkinson’s Amber Empire bath & shower essence, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion. If you’re planning on soaking, pick up the phone and request for the hotel’s in-house bubble bath.
While the hotel’s Town Restaurant is known for its Singaporean flavours, you’ll probably end up disappointed if you chose to breakfast here for that reason – it’s more international than local. While local coffee and tea, kaya toast, and soft-boiled eggs were prominently featured, we wouldn’t consider the Singaporean selection at the breakfast buffet to be especially large or excellent. While we enjoyed the noodles with shrimp and fish cake in soup, we rolled our eyes at the bah kut teh which was all soup and no meat. With only a few other items like the waffles and muesli good enough to come back for, we wouldn’t say we were especially impressed by the buffet.
You can also sample some of the Singaporean flavours featured at the hotel’s Town Restaurant from the comfort of your own room. Just order through the tablet computer in your room — hit a button, wait for the phone to ring to confirm your order, and your food’s on its way.
Kicking off our in-room dinner with the Caesar salad, we were initially disappointed to discover the yolk of its poached egg was already mostly solid. But we had to admit we liked the salad — the parmesan cheese, bacon, Caesar dressing, and our smoked salmon add-on all ensured it was still savoury and satisfying[1].
Having eaten our vegetables, we could move to the main event. The signature Hainanese chicken rice was a solid version of the dish — moist chicken, fragrant rice, and a kick of heat and acidity from chilli, ginger, and dark soya sauces. But we didn’t find it noticeably tastier than what the hawker centres were serving for less than a fifth of its price and its portions weren’t especially generous either.
The other savoury dishes we sampled were even more hit-and-miss. We felt the oven-roasted duck from the selection of “fine Chinese specialities[2]” had its flavours right but was more bone than meat — literally bits and shards of poorly-chopped bone. The Saikyo miso cod from the Japanese section was a better choice. The grilled fish was rich with fat, sweet and salty from its miso marinade, generous in quantity, and well-balanced by the earthy and sweet shimeji mushrooms. However, we had to eat it without its side of steamed rice, which was on the hard side.
If you’re thinking of having something sweet before bed, we’d go for the raspberry cheesecake. Not too dense or rich, we liked the touch of acidity from the raspberry and bitterness from the brownie base. The classic tiramisu was less interesting and almost one-note in its texture and flavour: creamy sweet. More sponge fingers and espresso would have been welcome.
Drinks: Soft drinks, juices (fresh and chilled), water, milk shakes, smoothies, coffee, tea, chocolate, and milk. The alcohol selection includes spirits; red, white, and rosé wines, and champagne.
Located on the second floor, the infinity swimming pool can be a bit of a pain to get to if your room is on the wrong side of the building. Still, the massive Doric columns looming over to the pool are quite a sight. The 25m pool is long but not especially wide — great for swimming laps but easily choked by children and leisure swimmers crossing to its edge. There are water jets inside the pool itself, but they weren’t strong enough to hit the spot for us. Instead, enjoy views of the Asian Civilisations Museum and Singapore River from here, which are also spectacular at night when the lights come on.
There’s poolside dining but we didn’t think it was great. The mini beef burgers weren’t bad but we wouldn’t order them again — the meat could’ve been juicier and the fries were a little soggy. The mixed satay was a little dry, though the peanut sauce helped. However, the pizza rucola e prosciutto was so dry that the sauce seemed to have been baked into the crust. And we found ourselves shaking our heads as we sipped the vanilla milkshake — there was barely any ice cream in there, just milk.
As a guest of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore, you can also access the rooftop pool at its sister hotel, the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore. The view of the Marina Bay Sands Singapore is quite stunning there. But it’s not exactly next door so be prepared to walk quite a far bit back to your room if you don’t plan to change out of your swimsuit there.
Skip the pool if you’re looking for a drink and a nibble — you want to be in the Post Bar in the lobby (though note that it’s closed on Sundays). The big red pillar post box at its entrance hints at the bar’s past as the transaction hall of the General Post Office. With options to adjourn to its private Music Room inside and the East Garden outside, there’s no lack of ambience at the Post Bar. While the drink selection wasn’t the most extensive we’ve seen, it covered the essentials. Apart from its two “Post Bar classics” — caipirinha and mojito — the cocktail menu features a selection of martinis and fruit-based “fiesta cocktails”.
Tucked away next to the Fullerton Spa on the mezzanine floor above the lobby is the gym. You must be on the correct side of building to access it: try the lifts closest to the hotel’s driveway or the stairs from the swimming pool. There’s not a single window looking out of the hotel but don’t let the lack of sunlight deter you — the gym is spacious and well-equipped.
After your workout, you can relax at the Fullerton Spa’s wet facilities which are complimentary for hotel guests. But don’t expect anything fancy — the saunas and steam rooms are in the changing rooms. The spa itself isn’t just any spa though — it was the Luxury Business Hotel Spa regional winner for Southeast Asia in the 2017 and 2018 World Luxury Spa Awards. A 60-minute ultimate aromatherapy experience — one of the two signature rituals — or intensive muscle release massage meant to “instantly release pain and tension” costs SGD188[1].
Before you check out, remember to grab your free welcome drink at the Courtyard or Post Bar at the lobby if you booked your stay through the hotel’s website. It’s the hotel’s signature Merlion cocktail — a fizzy mix of tequila, young ginger, lime, and club soda.
For a more substantial meal, the Courtyard also offers afternoon tea, Indian curry and Japanese lunch buffets on weekdays, and a chocolate buffet on Friday and Saturday nights. There’s also the Jade restaurant for Cantonese cuisine. For a sweet snack, pick a dessert at the Fullerton Cake Boutique just outside Town Restaurant.
After refuelling, there’s quite a bit to see and do on the lobby level. For a little history of the building, visit the Fullerton Heritage Gallery. If you want to bring one of the hotel’s teddy bears home, they’re for sale at the Fullerton Shop. The luxury retail boutiques on the lobby level offer fancier gear. If you walk down the stairs to the ballrooms, you’ll also find an indoor koi pond.
Upstairs, you can find the Roof Garden and the Straits Room, though these are often occupied for events. The hotel’s Straits Club also features some interesting furniture and art, though not all guests can access its lounge and services. At the top of the hotel, you’ll find the Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar with superb views of the Marina Bay.
You can learn more about the building’s history on the hotel’s free Fullerton Monument Tour — reserve a spot on the hotel website. There’s also a free Maritime Journey Tour focusing on Clifford Pier — part of the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore — and the rest of the waterfront. Not free but even more involved are the hotel’s Fullerton Experiences programme, which include cooking, baking, and mixology demonstrations; picnics; and heritage walks.
1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178
+65 6733 8388
