255 hotels now staycation-approved: Hotel Fort Canning, Pan Pacific, SO/Sofitel and more

It’s been more than 3 months since I last wrote about the latest staycation-approved hotels, but seeing as how the STB has just dropped a major update, there’s no time like the present to catch up.

An additional 13 hotels were approved for staycations today, and even better, the vast majority are places you’d actually want to stay at. No Hotel 81s or StainedSheets-R-Us motor lodges, think Pan Pacific, Hotel Fort Canning, Grand Park Orchard and other high quality hotels. 

Which hotels have just been approved for staycations?

The latest staycation-approved hotels list features the following new faces:

• Dorsett Singapore
• Grand Park City Hall
• Grand Park Orchard
• Hotel Fort Canning
• ibis Budget Singapore Clarke Quay
• JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach
• Park Hotel Clarke Quay
• Park Hotel Farrer Park
• PARKROYAL Collection Marina Bay (already started taking guests on 1 Dec)
• RedDoorz Plus Victoria Hotel
• SO/ Sofitel Singapore
• The Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore
• The Westin Singapore

Here’s a summary of when each of them (at least the ones worth staying at) starts taking bookings, and the lowest rate I could find for December 2020. 

I’ve already highlighted how the Grand Park Orchard, Grand Park City Hall and Park Hotel Clarke Quay represent excellent value for December staycations, with breakfast-included rates at S$160 or less (this used to be S$150; the price was recently hiked by S$10). 

But if you’re willing to spend a little more, the Westin Singapore, Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay are pricing below S$300 nett- something we wouldn’t have dreamed of in December, pre-COVID. In some cases these rates even extend to weekends, so be sure to snap up your dates quickly. 

If you’re not hot on splurging, a decent budget option would be the Dorsett Singapore. While it’s not the snazziest of hotels, this 4-Star property is conveniently located above Outram MRT and has rooms starting from S$132 nett. Those who need more space can spring for a loft room at S$215 nett, which provides 25 sqm of space over two floors. 

What staycation deals are available?

To date, a total of 255 hotels have been approved for staycations, out of ~400 across the island. The STB updates the list roughly every week, and we should expect to see more additions shortly given we know the Shangri-La Sentosa and Conrad Centennial are also reopening this month. 

I’ve compiled a comprehensive article detailing the various staycation deals available, a list which gets updated as more packages come in. 

In general, you’ll get much better value by paying for staycations with cash than redeeming hotel points, although exceptions apply (e.g a program with fixed value redemptions like Accor Live Limitless). 

What will the staycation experience be like?

The STB has published an extensive list of regulations that hotels must comply with before they can accept staycation guests. I’ve covered the details here, but you can expect things like:

• Staggered check-in/out timings
• Capacity constraints on pool and gym usage
• Contactless delivery of room service and other amenities
• Modified club lounge happy hours
• No breakfast buffets

Hotel rooms will be limited to a maximum of five concurrent guests, with extensive cleaning between stays and more single-use items. 

Here’s a comprehensive list of the staycations I’ve done so far in Phase 2. Feel free to ping me any questions about specific properties in the comments. 

Conclusion

It looks like my last staycation for the year will be at the Pan Pacific Hotel, where I’m burning my AMEX Platinum Charge’s S$400 travel credit. I’ve booked a club room, and I hear the executive lounge at the Pan Pacific is one of the best in Singapore so color me excited. 

If there’s other hotels you’d like to see reviewed, do give a shout out in the comments!