SINGAPORE: Marina Bay Sands has become one of Singapore’s iconic hotels in the past few years, but for one traveller, it simply isn’t worth it. A traveller took to TikTok to share why MBS disappointed rather than impressed her.
Ms Diana, whose bio says she goes on “Authentic Travels”, wrote on her TikTok account @jetsettales, “I stayed at the Marina Bay Sands so you don’t have to,” along with a big red X and a thumbs-down at the beginning of the video clip she shared on Nov 16.
@jetsettales ❌ I stayed at the Marina Bay Sands so you don’t have to #marinabaysands #singaporeview #singaporetips #singaporetravel #visitsingapore
Her first reason for the thumbs down is that MBS is “super crowded all the time,” especially in the hotel lobby. “A luxury hotel experience usually means you get peace and quiet, but not here,” she said, along with footage of many people converging at the said area.
The second reason was that the hotel room she stayed in was “really underwhelming and dated,” although she did not explain what was so dated about the room and what modern amenities she would have wanted or was expecting to get.
Ms Diana acknowledged that the view from the hotel is “nice” but added that a hotel stay is unnecessary to appreciate such scenic views.
The third reason is MBS’ “famous infinity pool,” which she found to be “ice cold and jam-packed all the time,” adding that “there’s zero chance you’ll be able to enjoy it.”
Ms Diana has received over a hundred comments on her video, with some TikTok users agreeing that the hype surrounding MBS may not be all it’s cut out to be. A counterargument is that because of all the hype, people flock there, but then the crowds affect travellers’ experience of the place.
When several commenters said that MBS is overpriced, Ms Diana agreed. While not as expensive as Raffles Hotel, MBS’ prices for December start at S$579 a night. And to be perfectly fair, the hotel has received solid reviews online—an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google.
Others were happy to recommend other hotels on Marina Bay, such as Fairmont Hotel or Parkroyal Collection, which are not nearly as crowded as MBS and may suit the “authentic” traveller better.
However, it sounds like she may have some pretty high standards because when one commenter recommended the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, also on Marina Bay and which also has pretty good online reviews, she wrote, “Oh, wow! I literally had one of the worst experiences there last year.”/TISG
Read also: YouTuber Ghib Ojisan stays at MBS $1750/night suite, gets sneak peek at invite-only VIP suite