JW Marriott Singapore South Beach Introduction

My flight from Frankfurt on Lufthansa in first class arrived in Singapore in the early afternoon, and I decided to take a taxi to the hotel. While I sometimes prefer to arrange a car service after a long flight, Singapore is incredibly easy to get around by taxi, since they are strictly regulated, efficient from the airport, cost-effective, and everyone speaks English. The JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is located about 25 minutes from Changi Airport, nestled between the historic Raffles hotel and the Suntec Convention Centre. I used 40,000 Marriott Reward points for my free-night stay, inclusive of all taxes and fees. I considered this a good value since luxury hotels in Singapore can be quite expensive, and paid rates were starting around $400/night while I was there.

I was greeted at the door by a friendly doorman and asked if I needed any help with my luggage. I only had a couple of handbags, so I declined, and he walked me to the reception desk. The lobby of this hotel is quite nice, though it always seemed crowded and the check-in desks were a bit awkward with limited seating. The front desk was efficient and check-in was completed in less than 5-minutes. I had been upgraded to a Club Deluxe Room with lounge access due to my Gold status with Marriott, and was directed to the elevators around the corner.

This hotel is…. unique. Opened just recently, the property was independently managed for 9 months before a 20-million dollar renovation and grand re-opening as a JW Marriott. On first impressions, this should have been a W Hotel. I’ve stayed at the JW Marriott New Delhi (new property) and the JW Marriott Beijing (older property), and both of those were fairly similar in design and function. This property though, a Phillipe Stark designed hotel, has none of the traditional touches and really deviates from the JW ‘brand standard’. I think most people expecting the more traditional style of a JW would be shocked upon entering the elevator with changing fluorescent mood lighting and aquatic wall paper.

My room, located on the 5th floor, didn’t feature any views, largely because of the enormous Suntec Convention Centre directly across the street. The room featured a large King bed with high quality linens and fantastic pillows.

Opposite the bed was a decent work space, through there wasn’t much room between the chair and the bed. Also, while the chair was aesthetically pleasing, it was incredibly uncomfortable and not very practical for working.

The bathroom was really the highlight of the room for me, with a large soaking tub, separate walk-in shower, partitioned off water closet (with an automatic Japanese toilet) and high-quality amenities by Aromatherapy.

I’ll be honest, the design of this hotel room is not my personal preference. It’s just a little bit too….loud. The room was actually quite small, but the large window and endless mirrors and reflective surfaces did make it feel a bit larger (and difficult to photograph). At this point I was really questioning why it was branded a JW, and can see that changing in the near future.

Since I have Marriott Gold status through my American Express Platinum Card, I was granted complimentary access to the club lounge, including breakfast, evening snacks, happy hour, and dedicated staff. I’ve been to a lot of hotel lounges, and while some can be busy, especially during ‘feeding hours’, this place was unbearable. I went in during evening snacks and happy hour and couldn’t even find a seat. Apparently everyone who stays at The JW Marriott Singapore South Beach has status, and it really took away from having an enjoyable lounge experience. I was especially disappointed since I planned to work from the lounge (given the bizarre office chair in the room), but the space was just too busy.

The lounge itself is quite large and features a lot of different seating. Also, the food served for breakfast was great, though I didn’t get a chance to try the evening snacks (it was pure craziness trying to get food).

Now let’s talk about the good. The real good. The 18th Floor. Situated high enough up for some incredible views, the 18th floor is all outdoor space and was really the highlight of the property for me. I’ve experienced some incredible pools around the world, including the highest hotel pool in the world at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong and the infinity edge pool overlooking the Shanghai skyline at The Four Seasons Pudong, but this one had more ‘wow factor’. Similar to the overrated Marina Bay Sands selfie-stick pool (not quite as high), the infinity edge overlooked the Singapore skyline and was quite stunning. Best of all, nobody was using it. I had a couple of hours to myself and it was one of the best hotel pool experiences I’ve ever had.

In addition to the stunning pool, there was a bar, and plenty of seating around the perimeter of the 18th floor, and even a cool space with pool table, ping pong etc. I could have easily spent an entire day just lounging and enjoying the views.

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach Bottom Line

This was a polar stay for me. I didn’t like the style of the rooms or common areas, the lounge was beyond overcrowded, and I found the office area in the room unusable – they really should have left it out for a bit more space since no business traveler would find the chair functional.

On the plus side, using 40,000 Marriott points for a free-night stay in one of the world’s most expensive markets is a great value, the outdoor pool space is the best I’ve seen, and the location is tough to beat whether you’re visiting Singapore for business or pleasure.

I doubt I would stay at this hotel again, especially since The Fairmont is located just across the street – where I found the styling to be a bit more my taste, and the service far more personalized. If, however, rates were high during my stay, I would maybe consider staying here or at the other Marriott offering in a different part of town. If you like W Hotels, or want to experience a really trendy and hip property in a great location, you will probably love this hotel!

Have you stayed at The JW Marriott Singapore South Beach Hotel? Tell us what you thought in the comment section below!