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| Executive Travel: Singapore |
Best Hotels
Marilen Cawad
09/01/2005
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With
its Doric
columns and porte cochere, the Fullerton is
known for its  Palladian architecture
shared by only two other buildings
in Singapore: City Hall and the Supreme
Court. Located near the
waterfront in the heart of the business and cultural
district, the
Fullerton boasts the landmark lighthouse that was used in days
past to
guide ships approaching the harbor. The original lighthouse has been
transformed into San Marco at The Lighthouse, a modern Italian
restaurant on the
top floor of the building. The hotel’s Financial
Centre is open 24 hours a day
and provides business support services,
workstations with high-speed Internet
access, meeting rooms and
Bloomberg TV service.
Pocket Luxury
Some business
travelers find that boutique hotels—a concept
that reached Singapore
only three years ago—are a welcome alternative to the
hugely popular
venues. These distinctive, smaller hotels are typically housed in
older
buildings that have been redesigned without eroding their heritage. The
Scarlet, for example, combines the architectural styles of
Singapore’s
historical buildings with a modern concept and design.
Opened in late 2004, it
has already attracted corporate clients from
the financial, technology, fashion
and advertising industries. The
hotel markets itself as the place for the
trend-conscious, 25- to
45-year-old professional who is hip to the latest
accommodations. Its
two restaurants are named Desire and Breeze; the bar is
called Bold.
For business meetings, guests can use the Sanctum, an intimate
boardroom with red chairs surrounding a black lacquer table. The hotel
also
offers guests their choice of pillows and evening cocktails served
in-room every
night.
 Families tagging along with executives will
find numerous
opportunities to indulge. Geoffrey Kronik, a media
executive from Boston, takes
his family with him to Singapore at least
once a year. His wife, I-min Lee,
adores the guestrooms at the
Ritz-Carlton Millenia—especially the bathrooms
because
they provide panoramic views of the Singapore skyline and Marina Bay
from large octagonal windows. The hotel also offers a menu of
butler-drawn baths
ranging from the Second Honeymoon Bath (strawberries
and cream, champagne and
roses) to the Gentleman’s Bath (cognac and
cigar).
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