Swissotel review, Merchant Court, Singapore

Let there be light - natural light - plead many travellers sick of depressingly dim hotel rooms. Swissotel Merchant Court has come to the party, offering light, bright rooms, paired with fresh modern décor that instantly cheers our jetlagged psyches. And the added bonus? Our Swiss Select Clarke Quay room is one of 91 in the 476-room complex blessed with a balcony. Ours perches over the Singapore River and across from the Clarke's Quay dining hub. While it is requested that you keep balcony doors shut so the air-con can do its stuff, just having the option to enjoy the view with a chaser of night air is a bonus, as is watching birds perch on the railing for a perve inside. The king-size bed with a yellow-splashed headboard is very comfortable. There's a smart phone offering instant and free local and overseas calls and a portable Wi-Fi hub in case you want to venture out of range of the hotel's offering. The shower is huge. There are Purovel Spa products, cotton robes, and a retractable clothesline – (the thinking person's perfect addition for a stopover hotel). There's pod coffee and a kettle with Singapore's own TWG cotton hand-sewn teabags: Emperor Sancha from Japan, French Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Moroccan Mint. Guests in Executive rooms have access to free drinks and h'ordeuvres in the Executive Lounge during happy hours each night and can also breakfast there rather than the more hectic – but much more interesting – Ellenborough market Café breakfast buffet. Two chocolates (Swiss, of course) complete the excellent personal touches.

THE FOOD

This is Singapore so settle in and fasten your belts while you still can. Food is your friend here: no matter how near or far you venture. But where to start? Head just metres away at Clarke's Quay with its rows of restaurants including seafood, Japanese, Malaysian, Italian, small bars, larger bars and craft breweries. And then there's Chinatown just up the road with a madness of stalls offering excellent noodles, seafood, laksas, stir fries, Hainanese Chicken Rice, chilli crab and pepper crab for just a few dollars washed down with icy beer. But if you prefer to venture inward on a hot day, the hotel's Ellenborough Market Café – named after the original market that once stood near the hotel - offers a buffet with the best of Peranakan and Straits Chinese offerings plus other Asian and international dishes. Highlights include La Mian noodles with Dan Dan (Sichuan spicy sauce), Wanton Noodle Soup and Kueh Pie Tee, a thin and crispy tart shell filled with a spicy and sweet prawn and vegetable mix.

STEPPING OUT

Orchard Road is just around the corner for a spot of the other national pastime: shopping. Or ride a bumboat to get a quick lowdown on Singapore's colourful history – complete with glimpses of the city's stunning colonial buildings such as the Fullerton Hotel and the pastel coloured Old Hill Street Police Station, which somehow provide the perfect accompaniment to the city's sprinkling of space–age George Jetson buildings and riverside sculptures. Venture a bit further (there's a subway station nearby) for the wow factor and sheer eccentricity of Gardens by the Bay and a glimpse of or a drink at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Or, head to Singapore Zoo for the acclaimed Night Safari.

THE VERDICT

The Swissotel Merchant Court is a perfect choice for a short stopover; for families wanting a quick break, or for business travellers sick of dark hotel rooms and keen to keep fit to offset the effects of the array of Singapore's delicious food nearby.

BEST BIT

The location and the light, airy rooms.

WORST BIT

The Executive Lounge with its oddly positioned furniture has shades of an office meeting room rather than a great place for a cocktail.

ESSENTIALS

Swissotel Merchant Court, 20 Merchant Road, Singapore. Phone +65 6337 2288. See swissotel.com/singapore-merchantcourt Rooms from $S250 a night

Jane Richards travelled to Singapore at her own expense and was a guest of Swissotel, Merchant Court, Singapore.