Arrival/Check-In: I arrived in Singapore in the early afternoon and took a quick taxi ride from Changi Airport to the Pan Pacific. Pan Pacific has several hotels in Singapore, so I was sure to tell the driver Marina Square. We pulled right in, and the bellman showed me to the front desk. While he whisked away my luggage, I took in the newly remodeled lobby, a huge atrium with a soaring ceiling and tables and couches in the center of a large bar, encouraging you to relax and meet guests at your leisure. As I was staying on the club level, I was escorted to the 36th-floor club desk for personal check-in. The club level has 360-degree views and chic furniture. I received a chilled bottle of water and was checked in at a calming but slow pace. Staff showed me how to use my key pass and walked me to my 30th-floor room.

Guest Quarters: My Harbor Suite room had all the creature comforts any traveler could ever want. To the left of the doorway was an open closet area with a long bench handy for putting on your shoes or placing luggage, a full-length mirror, an ironing board and extra hangers. Through the area was the open-air bathroom with frosted glass separating the toilet and rain shower. The bathroom opened up into a larger space with a doublesink vanity, giving plenty of room for personal effects, and a brightly lit mirror. Across the room was a two-person Jacuzzi. There was a lack of outlets for plugging in hair tools, and I had to inconveniently do my hair in front of the bar mirror where there were plugs.

The open theme continued into a combination sitting room and office. A Herman-Miller desk chair and a 32-inch LCD television with ample charging docks accompanied the large, dark wood desk. Separated by a wall of shelves holding artwork, the bedroom area was the closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving better lighting and views of the Marina Bay Sands. The king-sized bed was firm yet comfortable, and the charging sockets by the bed allowed me to keep my phone and iPad nearby at night.

Services/Amenities: Pan Pacific Singapore’s club-level amenities are the best I have seen. I enjoyed the complimentary dry cleaning for two pieces for every night of the stay and the complimentary minibar (excluding liquor). The hotel upgraded its WiFi services, which are complimentary to all guests and visitors, no password required. I could use my computer, phone and tablet at the same time wherever I needed, including the elevator and lobby.

The hotel offers several dining concepts ranging from casual seating in the lobby to traditional Cantonese at Hai Tein Lo and Japanese at Keyaki. I was impressed with Keyaki’s simple yet authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine; views of their garden and koi pond put me in a great mood.

The Experience: With $80 million in renovations just completed at Pan Pacific, I knew I would be impressed; however, the amenities and helpfulness of the staff made my stay a unique experience. Club level privileges truly cater to the business traveler, along with the state-of-the-art fitness center and 24-hour room service. I did find the constant need to use my key pass inconvenient; this is a great safety precaution, but I was always digging for my card to get to a different floor. The hotel is in the heart of the city, just a short walk to extensive shopping and the Suntec Convention Center, helpful when trying to stay cool in the notorious humidity.

GT CHECKLIST

• Doorman/valet
• Less than 10 minutes for check-in
• Separate tub and shower
• Large vanity
• High-quality towels
• Powerful, unattached hair dryer
• High-quality bed linens
• Large, flat-screen television
• Large desk with convenient outlets
• Large, complimentary laptop safe
• Complimentary in-room WiFi
• Complimentary bottled water
• Stocked minibar
• Ample lighting
• In-room coffeemaker
• Iron and ironing board
• On-site bar and restaurants
• 24-hour room service
• State-of-the-art fitness center

Pan Pacific Singapore

7 Raffles Blvd.
Marina Square
Singapore 039595
tel 65 6336 8111
panpacific.com