Transfer From YMCA to The Stamford
Yes, this is still Philippine Travel Notes, but as explained earlier we are going a little off-topic because, many of you wanted to hear where I am even if it is not in our dear inang bayan. But also as promised, and as always, I will still try my very best to relate things to us Pinoys hehe, if only to get a bit relevant!
This has now become some kind of a series of related blog stories mula pa nung pasko. You see, am spending new year's eve and watching the most awaited fireworks display later at midnight, in a room at Swissotel The Stamford. Yey! Pero teka, if you are confused why yesterday and kanina I was at the YMCA@OneOrchard then National Museum of Singapore then Flutes Restaurant Bar, let me explain...
Yesterday, as in "kagabi" 30DEC, I arrived in Singapore from Davao via Cebu, and I stayed overnight at YMCA International House - now called YMCA@OneOchard. You already know the reason, right? That today 31DEC, I had a meeting at Flutes Restaurant and wanted to peep back at the National Museum of Singapore, which is just a few steps away from YMCA@OneOchard. I wanted that proximity. Done!
Now to 'make more exciting' if not 'complicate' the travel.., I also already planned and reserved a room at "Swissotel The Stamford" - only for new year's eve (31DEC to 01JAN) - to have a greater vantage at Singapore's 'now famous' fireworks (pyrotechnics) display at the Marina Bay, to usher the new year in.
Sige tawa or roll you eyeballs (you have my permission hehe) as you ask... "why didn't I just book with The Stamford all the way from arrival to, until departure from Singapore? That would've been simpler.
It's not far from the museum anyway, right? In fact, all of them (Swissotel, YMCA, National Museum & Flutes Restaurant) are just on one street - the "Stamford Road", right? That is a very valid question, but my answer is: ano akala mo sakin, rich?! Ang mahal kaya ng Swissotel na yan lalo peak season, jusko!
Anyway, here's more of the story...
Why Swissotel The Stamford?
Oh eh, why not? Haha ang yabang 'no? But seriously, I said it above, so I could have a good vantage of the new year's fireworks at Marina Bay. I even researched on this, earlier on. I had to know where them fireworks shoot up to the skies [Marina Bay]; what hotels / buildings have a view in-and-around Marina Bay [ohmygaaaash there are so many]. This conclusively pointed to Swissotel, so, I booked with them!
I narrowed them down as to the real (realistic) vantage view where I would not sprain my neck looking up the sky; the possibility of winging that 'room with a view'; the price. After some regression analyses (hehehe, yes me ganun), I booked with Swissotel The Stamford. But.., only for 1 night dahil ang mahal!
BTW, just FYI.., travel industry folks usually always mention "The Stamford" instead of just "Swissotel". That's because they have another hotel called Swissotel Merchant Court dun sa bandang Clarke Quay. Mind you, Merchant Court is even nearer to Marina Bay, but The Stamford is taller -has better vantage.
The Transfer (ang pag-lilipat-bahay, bow!)
I'm telling you because I also had to 'plan' for this, to ensure a smooth travel flow. As you know, hotels all over the world just decide for themselves as to when is check-in and check-out time. This is a little bit unfair to many of us travelers. Example: at YMCA@OneOrchard, Check-in is 2PM and Check-out is 12NN, while at Swissotel The Stamford Check-in is 3PM and Check-out is 12NN. There's a 'dead time'.
Thus, if I checked-out of YMCA 12NN (per policy), I would be waiting in limbo for 3 hours dragging my luggage around until I am allowed check-in at The Stamford at 3PM. Besides, I had a lunch meeting at 12NN. How could I be checking-out? Eh start pa lang ng meeting. Lalo na late ang ka-lunch ko, so late natapos. The danger of not checking-out on time is baka i-charge ka ng extra day or itapon gamit mo!
Hassle din if I checked out 9AM (I was at the museum 10AM, remember) tapos karay-karay ko na ang bagahe ko sa museum? Then sa restaurant? Until 3PM as that's the only time I can check-in? Aruk mo yan?! Haggard, right? Even if I re-scheduled the meeting, there was still that 12NN-to-3PM gap, right?!
The approach I came up with was: check-out of YMCA at 930AM but leave luggage with front desk; go to museum; lunch meeting at Flutes; resume the museum tour; walk back to YMCA; get luggage; walk to Swissotel The Stamford! This was the plan, at least. At buti pumayag si front desk na iwanan muna ang baggage ko. By the way, if you go out of the museum but plans to return, patatak ka dun sa guard! Parang Pilipinas - pasok ka sa sine(han), kung lalabas sandali, tatatakan ka sa braso nung 'estampad'!
I don't know kung yung "stamp pad" na yun eh ultra-violet detectable din. Basta istampad talaga!
This was my walking route (in blue line). Now the question is: nasunod ko ba ang plano na 'yan?
In general yes, but the last item (walk from YMCA to The Stamford) I wasn't able to do. Why? Because I spent so much time at the museum, I tired myself big, and that it was already about 4PM when I got out of there. So I took a cab na hehe! See? I told you, the museum has many interesting things to see!
Let's talk about Swissotel The Stamford in my next story!
This has now become some kind of a series of related blog stories mula pa nung pasko. You see, am spending new year's eve and watching the most awaited fireworks display later at midnight, in a room at Swissotel The Stamford. Yey! Pero teka, if you are confused why yesterday and kanina I was at the YMCA@OneOrchard then National Museum of Singapore then Flutes Restaurant Bar, let me explain...
Yesterday, as in "kagabi" 30DEC, I arrived in Singapore from Davao via Cebu, and I stayed overnight at YMCA International House - now called YMCA@OneOchard. You already know the reason, right? That today 31DEC, I had a meeting at Flutes Restaurant and wanted to peep back at the National Museum of Singapore, which is just a few steps away from YMCA@OneOchard. I wanted that proximity. Done!
Now to 'make more exciting' if not 'complicate' the travel.., I also already planned and reserved a room at "Swissotel The Stamford" - only for new year's eve (31DEC to 01JAN) - to have a greater vantage at Singapore's 'now famous' fireworks (pyrotechnics) display at the Marina Bay, to usher the new year in.
Sige tawa or roll you eyeballs (you have my permission hehe) as you ask... "why didn't I just book with The Stamford all the way from arrival to, until departure from Singapore? That would've been simpler.
It's not far from the museum anyway, right? In fact, all of them (Swissotel, YMCA, National Museum & Flutes Restaurant) are just on one street - the "Stamford Road", right? That is a very valid question, but my answer is: ano akala mo sakin, rich?! Ang mahal kaya ng Swissotel na yan lalo peak season, jusko!
Anyway, here's more of the story...
Why Swissotel The Stamford?
Oh eh, why not? Haha ang yabang 'no? But seriously, I said it above, so I could have a good vantage of the new year's fireworks at Marina Bay. I even researched on this, earlier on. I had to know where them fireworks shoot up to the skies [Marina Bay]; what hotels / buildings have a view in-and-around Marina Bay [ohmygaaaash there are so many]. This conclusively pointed to Swissotel, so, I booked with them!
I narrowed them down as to the real (realistic) vantage view where I would not sprain my neck looking up the sky; the possibility of winging that 'room with a view'; the price. After some regression analyses (hehehe, yes me ganun), I booked with Swissotel The Stamford. But.., only for 1 night dahil ang mahal!
BTW, just FYI.., travel industry folks usually always mention "The Stamford" instead of just "Swissotel". That's because they have another hotel called Swissotel Merchant Court dun sa bandang Clarke Quay. Mind you, Merchant Court is even nearer to Marina Bay, but The Stamford is taller -has better vantage.
The Transfer (ang pag-lilipat-bahay, bow!)
I'm telling you because I also had to 'plan' for this, to ensure a smooth travel flow. As you know, hotels all over the world just decide for themselves as to when is check-in and check-out time. This is a little bit unfair to many of us travelers. Example: at YMCA@OneOrchard, Check-in is 2PM and Check-out is 12NN, while at Swissotel The Stamford Check-in is 3PM and Check-out is 12NN. There's a 'dead time'.
Thus, if I checked-out of YMCA 12NN (per policy), I would be waiting in limbo for 3 hours dragging my luggage around until I am allowed check-in at The Stamford at 3PM. Besides, I had a lunch meeting at 12NN. How could I be checking-out? Eh start pa lang ng meeting. Lalo na late ang ka-lunch ko, so late natapos. The danger of not checking-out on time is baka i-charge ka ng extra day or itapon gamit mo!
Hassle din if I checked out 9AM (I was at the museum 10AM, remember) tapos karay-karay ko na ang bagahe ko sa museum? Then sa restaurant? Until 3PM as that's the only time I can check-in? Aruk mo yan?! Haggard, right? Even if I re-scheduled the meeting, there was still that 12NN-to-3PM gap, right?!
The approach I came up with was: check-out of YMCA at 930AM but leave luggage with front desk; go to museum; lunch meeting at Flutes; resume the museum tour; walk back to YMCA; get luggage; walk to Swissotel The Stamford! This was the plan, at least. At buti pumayag si front desk na iwanan muna ang baggage ko. By the way, if you go out of the museum but plans to return, patatak ka dun sa guard! Parang Pilipinas - pasok ka sa sine(han), kung lalabas sandali, tatatakan ka sa braso nung 'estampad'!
I don't know kung yung "stamp pad" na yun eh ultra-violet detectable din. Basta istampad talaga!
This was my walking route (in blue line). Now the question is: nasunod ko ba ang plano na 'yan?
Let's talk about Swissotel The Stamford in my next story!
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