Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore Review: Club Suite & FHR

To close out the last day of our Southeast Asia honeymoon, we wanted to do something special. We chose The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore: our first ever Ritz-Carlton stay. The hotel is in one of the best locations in the city, with views of Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay right from the room.

We booked through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) at the Club level. The stay had some genuinely standout highs and a few frustrating lows that felt out of place for a property at this tier. Here is the honest breakdown.

---

Check-In: A Frustrating Start

Club level guests check in exclusively at the Club Lounge, where you can relax with snacks and drinks while the process is handled. In theory, this is a premium touch. In practice, it did not go that way.

We waited over 30 minutes just to receive our room keys. When we asked about the complimentary Amex FHR upgrade, we were told nothing was available. Since it was the last day of our honeymoon, we offered to pay for a suite upgrade. Still told nothing was available. While having that conversation, we checked the Marriott app and could see multiple suites listed as bookable.

We exchanged messages with the concierge for another hour and a half before a suite was suddenly found for a $500 SGD upgrade fee. We asked for a discount and they came down to $400 SGD. For a hotel of this caliber, it felt like an unnecessary negotiation to have, and it was not the welcome we expected from a Ritz-Carlton.

---

The Room: Club Premier Suite, 28th Floor

Once we finally had our keys, the suite made an immediate impression. The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 28th floor is breathtaking: Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and the full city skyline. On our first night, we watched the Gardens by the Bay light show from the room without needing to leave.

The aesthetic: The hotel opened in 1996 and has not been heavily remodeled. The look is aged luxury: gold, warm wood tones, and a subtle Japanese influence throughout. There is a DVD and radio player built into the TV console, which felt like a very specific time capsule. The room has a large desk, a 65-inch smart TV, and a Nespresso machine stocked with coffee pods and milk.

The bathroom: This is where the suite genuinely shines. A massive bathtub with a bath pillow and bath salts, positioned to look out at the ferris wheel. This was also the first time we have seen a Dyson hair dryer provided by a hotel in Singapore. A welcome change from the standard Con Air.

The one real issue: The walk-in shower has both a rainfall showerhead and a handheld wand. The water diverter between them was completely broken. Only one showerhead worked at a time and we could not switch between them. At approximately $1,000 per night, a broken shower fixture is not acceptable and not something that should make it past housekeeping review.

Turndown: They brought slippers, dark chocolate, and water in the evening. The odd detail: they only turned down one side of the bed, despite it being a suite with two guests.

---

The Club Lounge: The Highlight of the Stay

The Club Lounge completely redeemed the hotel. The food is exceptional and the panoramic views over Marina Bay are some of the best you will find anywhere in the city.

Food service runs five times daily:

• Breakfast
• Midday snacks
• Afternoon tea
• Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres
• Desserts and cordials

The secret menu: During the midday snack hour, ask the staff if there is a secret menu. When we were there, they were serving Mee Rebus, a traditional Singaporean noodle soup that is not listed anywhere. It was excellent and we would not have known to ask if we had not heard about it beforehand.

Club exclusive perks:

• Complimentary limo drop-off within the Marina Bay vicinity, available from 8 AM to 8 PM
• Complimentary garment pressing for two items per day

We sent Vincent's pants to be pressed. When they came back, the staff had noticed a small tear and sewed it up without us asking or saying anything. That level of proactive attention is what separates a great Club Lounge from a standard one.

---

Dining: Colony Buffet

We used our $100 USD Amex FHR property credit (approximately $130 SGD at the time) toward dinner at Colony, the hotel's main restaurant.

Breakfast: Colony does a wide-ranging buffet in the morning covering Western, Chinese, Indian, and local Singaporean dishes. Solid and thorough, covering all the bases.

Dinner: This is where Colony stands out. The dinner spread is extensive, and the fresh seafood section is the reason to come: sushi, whole crab, and large shrimp. For a hotel buffet, the seafood quality is genuinely good.

---

Pool, Gym, and Spa

All wellness amenities are on the first floor.

Gym: Warm wood-paneled space with good equipment and a dedicated stretching and yoga room separate from the main floor.

Pool: A large rectangular pool surrounded by trees on all sides, giving it a private, enclosed feel. The water is not heated, which in Singapore's climate is actually refreshing.

Sauna: The locker rooms have both a steam room and a dry sauna. The dry sauna in particular was the best we experienced across our entire Asia trip. If you visit, make time for it.

---

Amex FHR Benefits Summary

The FHR upgrade to a suite did not happen complimentarily as it should have. We had to push for it and pay for it. Worth noting for anyone managing expectations on this property.

---

Final Verdict

The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore was a worthy ending to our honeymoon despite its frustrations. The Club Lounge is exceptional and genuinely one of the best we have visited anywhere. The Colony dinner buffet with the Amex property credit was excellent value. The views are unmatched in the city.

The check-in process and the broken shower were real disappointments for a hotel charging this rate, and the upgrade negotiation left a sour note on what should have been a seamless arrival. The hotel did enough right that we would return, but only at the Club level, and with adjusted expectations for the check-in experience.

Book the Club level. The lounge access and the perks that come with it are what make this property worth the price.