Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay

HIE for short. But people in the industry would normally call it "HIE Clarke Quay" to easily differentiate it from its (many) sister hotels, all in Singapore alone, such as at Orchard Road, Serangoon or Katong.

Why here? Ah well, why not hehe! Let me just say that, of the so many choices in all of Singapore, this was nearest the place/s I needed to be at or 'go to' during this visit. Yes, nag-regression analysis ako!

For those not familiar, HIE is still Holiday Inn. This "express" group are different as they have just the basics (not grand) in hotel accommodation and amenities. Budget Hotel? No. Business hotel, maybe!

Let's go see my room for you to understand more of what this 'express' thing really has to offer!

It does look like a normal 5-star, right? Well, I suppose, foremost of the differences, is the room's size.

Look at the picture above and this one below, the bathroom's wall even gets in the way of my camera!

Compared to my room at Swissotel, this is probably just half the size. But, what do I need the size for?

A room is for sleeping (for me, at least).., not for 'ballroom dancing'! So, for the price, this one is good!

And I really like those 'marked' pillows - embroidered on the pillowcases are 'soft' and 'firm'. Detailed!

The bedside is 'equipped' with the usual amenities - the reading lights even each have dimmers too!

Hey, that alarm clock is also a music player - we can call it a modern twist on legacy amenities hehe!

'French Windows' - as in glass from floor to ceiling! But no, that is not a door, just a glass wall!

That's a mini-garden out there, but this isn't ground level. This room was on the 4th floor (my request).

There's a desk, tiny I must admit, there's even no drawer, but it is as functional as I needed it to be..,

It may not be clear on the pic, but there's a sleek reading lamp at the corner (not lighted). You can see my passport, card key w/ welcome letter, my reading glasses.., BUT that's not my cellphone at center!

That is a cellular phone alright, it even has a name "Handy" provided by HIE in each room for FREE!

You can use it to make or receive calls to/from wherever on earth, send/receive txt messages, browse the internet, all for FREE. No purchases needed, no hidden charges. It's not a joke, it is just totally free!

You can even take Handy with you as you roam all around Singapore - you are encouraged to do so at all times. It has data access all the time, so you don't even need to look for a free wifi signal. It has the necessary Singapore tourist/transport apps already pre-installed. You can use it to call frontdesk too!

I even used it as 'extra' camera and storage while roaming! Yun nga lang, I carried two phones!

In my mind, I said this hotel does not even have to keep those landlines in any room. Its utility has just been superseded by that Handy phone. Phone directory, menus, everything's already inside that thing.

Oops, teka teka.., back to my room at Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay hahaha!

That TV 'on the wall' is definitely bigger, better than what I had at Swissotel, na x3 yata ang daily rate!

And this is the rest of the room as viewed from that little writing desk I described above..,

Take note of the aluminum-clad wall to the bathroom. It moves! I have 2 other pics of that later below!

Meanwhile, this is the air-conditioning control in each of HIE Clarke Quay's rooms..,

Malayo compared to Swissotel, right? Better technologies at newer yet cheaper accommodations. Da!

Complimentary brand-customized bottled water per day.., yes they also have..,

In-room coffee corner with free high-end coffee (hindi Nescafe sachet) and Dilmah tea.., check!

Of course I checked the cup bottoms. Ayan, tingnan nyo.., it says Royal Porcelain. Hmm, di ba ito yung nasa Ploenchit Road katabi ng Novotel? So, Made in Thailand. Therefore mamahalin? Most Probably!

A drawer under the coffee corner contains the "Caja De Hierro" at nakahiga! Design flaw? I suppose!

This is the usual space for that 'safety deposit box'. But I think.., better that it is hidden!

So there's ample space for longer garments like my pants! That fridge is empty. Good. No temptation!

Now look at the following two pictures. Focus on the middle part of both photographs..,

Did you notice the difference? Yes, the wall panel that separates the bed from the bathroom sink can actually be pushed to the side so you can see through. Ang tanong: bakit? Why does it need to be so?

Napa-isip tuloy ako ng malalaswa! Oh My Gee!

Here's a collage of the things inside the toilet and bathroom.., there should be something missing!

Yep, sorry kayo my usual recipients of those little bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and those little bars of soap. Wala na! They now have wall-mounted dispensers, na syempre hindi ko pwede i-uwi 'no!

By the way, for your information, that use of big/bulk dispensers instead of the little plastic bottles for shampoo, conditioner and body wash in hotels/resorts, is soon going to be a trend, or even become a standard, in the future. Japan's hotel/travel industry bigshots are themselves now talking about that!

Don't be sad my dear 'collectors' hehe. Magbabago din yan years after the hype-up. I am almost sure, as early as now, scientists must already be trying to find earth-friendlier replacements for the plastic materials we use in bottles - particularly those for bottled drinking water. The shampoos will follow!

Anyway, let's go out of my room and up to the roof deck, shall we?

This is on the 4th level of HIE. Some kind of a multi-purpose space they use for functions..,

Can you see the white arrow I drew on the picture? That points to my room (behind the Santan bush). Why was I in this corner? Ah you guessed it, this is the smoking area of the hotel (just the corner, fyi).

At this level btw, the views are already nice, while you smoke your lungs out. Huwag lang umulan!

Left edge of photo is Liang Court.., on top of it sits Novotel. In the middle, behind the trees is Riverside Point Mall. To the right is the school. And on foreground, you can see part of the temple's green roof.

But let's go up to the roof deck na nga for more views. It's nicer up there.., so let's go!

This is upon emerging out of the elevator (roof deck, 8th floor)..,

Here here.., I tried playing with my phone's panorama shot setting. Pwede na, di ba?!

Left edge now includes part of Riverside Hotel and other buildings on Clemenceau Ave., pati yung LTO nila called Land Transportation Authority (LTA). While at right edge of that panorama is Central Mall.

This is their swimming pool located at the roof deck. It's transparent on the side. I think that's acrylic.

It's narrow, probably just about 5 meters or even less. Depth is 1 meter, ayan sa dulo nakasulat!

This pool is unmanned (no life guard any time), but it's clearly stated on the 'Rules & Regulations'.

The views to the right (Clemenceau Ave.) are generally residential and at times intriguingly 'sinful'!

Bakit naman 'sinful'? Eh, lalo na pag gabi, kita mo yung mga nakatira sa condo sa tapat and.., basta!

Also at this end of the pool (near the entrance/elevator) is the gym they call 'Fitness Room'..,

It's just a room, but complete with equipment, even water! Also unmanned, so "use at your own risk".

At the other end of the pool is the Jacuzzi. Also unmanned, so also a "use at your own risk" thing..,

Ah this one, I think, is big and wide for a jacuzzi! Good even for groups!

There are resort-like kiosks and resting areas. Pwedeng mag-inuman dito.., but bring your own!

Yep, this whole floor is unmanned, remember? No staff, no deliveries, no nothing! I like it! You buy your own food and/or drinks from outside (there's 7-Eleven at the Central Mall) or downstairs (at the Great Room), and bring them up here, on your own! Even the towels, you get them from an unmanned desk.

Okay, let's go back down to my room. I'm not done telling you my story yet!

Evening has befallen on Singapore.., most of the hotel is lighted.., and there is my room (white arrow)!

You could clearly see my room from the outside but no problem, there are drapes aside from curtains.

Now, you could get hungry, how about food? There are no restaurants at any of Holiday Inn's 'Express' hotels. But there's what they call 'Great Room' - always near the lobby. They call it "bar & snack" food - just like at cafes, but some items could be dinner enough for folks like me ('wag lang araw-araw 'no?)!

Their 'Great Room' menu is provided in each room, you could already choose even before going down.

Note that there are rice meals! So, resto na rin - it's just in an easy and casual café setting - no butlers nor dedicated wait staff. You can call to order while still in your room, but no room service. You come down to either eat at the tables provided or have it "to go", bring to your room (or, shhh, the poolside)!

You will notice that the menu pages in your room do not seem to be 'uniform'. Yeah, there are others..,

Those are of/from HIE's favored establishments that you can call to order for deliveries. Convenient!

The pages above are from a pizza joint, and below, from a fastfood, and a Chinese restaurant. Oh ha!

You can just use your 'Handy' to call them. Their numbers are usually already saved in those phones!

Hmm, that's what I can call 'practical accommodations', no frills!

Tara tara, uwi na tayo. Let's go home!