Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

"The five-starred Mandarin Oriental Singapore wears its ethos of regal opulence on its sleeves. Its lobby, amenities and well-appointed rooms ooze with a charmingly restrained elegance, leaving one’s mind clear to focus on the impressive views of the Marina Bay street circuit outside your window. Here’s a tip — spring for a room tier that grants access to The Oriental Club on the 19th floor for the best possible views of the race." - Alvin Lim

"The best breakfast I've ever experienced was at the Mandarin Oriental in Singapore. Singapore by nature is an international hub. People from all over the world are walking the streets, and this breakfast buffet reflects that. There's fresh baked goods and all of that, and your classic egg-anything, and then an entire section of Indian food and Chinese food. Any breakfast you've ever imagined in your head is available. And it's a beautiful setting—you can sit indoors or outdoors, and outside is a beautiful, tropical environment with birds flying around. It was at this breakfast where I discovered Indian food on a waffle. To this day, if I order Indian food at home, I always make a waffle as my naan. I have to thank that hotel for introducing me to that. Like, I want a waffle and syrup, but I also want chana masala and saag aloo."

"How did it strike you on arrival?Elegant but not intimidating. Perhaps because the staff are warm and friendly, perhaps because there are children running around the lobby. The decor is classic, with plenty of warm hues and dark wood. Nothing pushes the envelope design-wise, and that also contributes to the level of comfort and familiarity. Some hotels feel like pristine showrooms and others like lived-in apartments; this definitely falls into the latter category. What’s the crowd like?A high-end hodgepodge. Business travelers. Families on vacation. Singaporean staycationers. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Mid-tier Marina Bay Rooms like mine aren't that spacious (or that good of a deal), but the floor-to-ceiling windows do make the space feel a bit bigger and airier. As the room class suggests, it faces the Marina Bay area - ours had a view of the Singapore Flyer, which was nice. We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?Got a good sleep on the Simmons Beautyrest mattress; pity the sheets looked slightly tired. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that worth a mention?The mini-bar has all the ingredients for DIY cocktails. It all comes at a price, of course, but you're not likely to shake up any mistakes thanks to the recipe instructions in the mini-bar guide. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Bathroom - granite with tub and walk-in shower. Pretty standard stuff. The products are MO's in-house brand called Mandarin Citrus, a nice zingy blend of, well, mandarin and other citrus. It's worth noting that the suite and club rooms have different toiletries from Paris' Atelier Cologne label. We all need some good Wi-Fi. What’s the word on that?Decent connection speeds for the Wi-Fi, which is free in the hotel's public areas. In-room service is $8.25 per hour and $23.25 for 24 hours - but if you create a Mandarin Oriental profile and book directly through the hotel's website, that charge is waived. Room service: Worth it?There's two sides here: Champagne and caviar breakfast, with a whole bottle of Ruinart bubbly no less! But the damage: $270++ for two persons. Anything stand out about other services and features?Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays, those in the know flock to the Morton's Steakhouse on the 4th level. What exactly do they know? That martinis go for $12 during that time, and everyone gets free filet mignon steak sandwiches. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?The food at this hotel is just as fantastic as the renowned service. Bottom line: worth it?It has some of the best restaurants in any Singapore hotel (even the buffet restaurant Melt is awesome). The rooms are comfy. The location is great and close to attractions like the Singapore Flyer, the National Gallery, a couple of train stations and more. If there was one thing that's slightly off-kilter, it's that it's been about 10 years since the last refurbishment, and the rooms do look slightly tired." - Audrey Phoon

"Elegant and not intimidating—perhaps because the staff is warm and friendly, perhaps because there are children running around the lobby. The decor is classic, with plenty of warm hues and dark wood, and the rooms comfy, though nothing pushes the envelope design-wise. It's located close to attractions like the Singapore Flyer and the National Gallery, and has some of the best restaurants in any Singapore hotel (even the buffet restaurant Melt is awesome)." - Audrey Phoon

"Inthran Ramasamy, another participant in the Ruinart Sommelier Challenge, is from Mandarin Oriental in Singapore." - Kenneth Goh