Entrance to the ibis Styles on MacPherson Road. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
Hospitality
Ibis Styles on MacPherson is a trendy hotel with an upbeat vibe in the heart of a mostly residential neighborhood. It is the only international hotel within a two to three kilometre radius.
The interior spaces are bright and colourful. The free-form swimming pool in a landscaped courtyard is surely one of the hotel's hottest attractions.
The staff are friendly and helpful. I got a phone call 15 to 20 minutes after checking in to make sure everything was okay and ask if I needed anything.
The hotel has three stars. The site was taken over by AccorHoles two or three years ago. It was pulled out except for some core internal columns and totally re-built.
The hotel reopened as ibis Styles hotel in April 2016. It was formerly known as The Windsor Hotel Singapore.
Accommodation
The hotel has 298 rooms, which are small but bright and cheerful. They are also very efficiently laid-out.
The colour scheme is white and orange with dark brown wood paneling and red, yellow, and gray accents.
The the flooring of the entryway resembles slate. The rest of the floor is resembles blond wood.
Rooms measure from 18 to 32 square metres. Standard rooms have one single bed and accommodate one hotel guest.
Standard queen rooms have one queen sized bed and accommodate up to two guests. Standard twin rooms have two single beds and accommodate up to two hotel guests.
Standard family rooms have one queen sized bed and one sofa bed. They can accommodate up to three adults and a child.
Standard triple rooms have two single beds and one pull-out bed. They accommodate up to three adults and a child.
Room 919 is a standard double rooms with twin beds. It has a view of MacPherson Road and the hotel's swimming pool. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
The colour schemes are bright and cheerful. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
No-nonsense plumbing takes the stress out of taking a shower. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
View of MacPherson Road from room 919. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
I stayed in room 919, a standard twin room with two twin beds. measuring about 20 square metres. Both beds had a nightstand and reading lamp. Both beds had four light switches. One bed had a telephone and two UBS sockets
There was a convenient work station with plenty of room to spread out. The work space also had its own lighting, making it a comfortable spot to work after dark.
There were floor to ceiling windows at one end of the room, with hand-operated blinds. My room had a very pleasant view of leafy MacPherson Road and the terra cotta roofs of the terrace houses that populate the neighborhood.
My bathroom was open plan, which means one person could be in the toilet, another in the shower, and a third at the sink.
The room had two full-length floor to ceiling mirrors: one next to the bathroom and another at the sink, which was on tracks so you could move it back and forth.
Best of all, there was adequate lighting for men wanting to shave and women wanting to apply make-up.
Free International Phone Calls
Each room comes with a smartphone, which can be taken outside the hotel. It offers complimentary Wi-Fi as well as phone calls both local and to major international travel destinations.
I did, in fact, make two lengthy international phone calls during my two night hosted stay. One was to the United States; the other to Hong Kong.
My American friend was worried that she might be charged for the call at her end, but her worries were unfounded. She called the operator after hanging up and confirmed that there were no charges at her end, either.
One of my pet peeves at upscale hotels is having to figure out how to operate the shower. Many of them are totally not intuitive. So I appreciated the no-nonsense
Rooms have free Wi-Fi access, small refrigerators, which are empty, coffee and tea-making facilities, and LCD TVs.
There is a chair, which can face the television screen. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but I have stayed at many five-star hotels that didn’t have seating facing the television!
You were forced to watch TV in bed! No so at this hotel. You can be the judge of whether you'd rather watch TV in bed or in a chair.
Universal Electrical Outlets
The hot water kettle sits atop a built-in tray with an electrical adapter, which means you don’t have to fiddle with plugs. Such efficiency!
And speaking of plugs, I counted four universal electrical outlets – not counting those used for the room’s own electrical appliances.
There was one at the desk, one above both nightstands, and one on the wall opposite the bathroom. Power is 220 volts.
The clothes racks have several wooden hangers. Best of all, they are the type that can be removed, which really does simplify hanging up clothes.
Continental breakfasts are included in the price of the room, and there was more than I was expecting. Breakfast buffets with a wider selection of hot dishes are available at an extra charge.
Food and Beverage
Chat and Chow is the hotel’s colourful all-day dining restaurant. It has both indoor and outdoor seating, including chairs and tables overlooking the swimming pool.
There is also counter service, which is sometimes nice if you are eating alone.
The friendly staff at the Chat and Chow. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
The hotel's colourful dining room. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
The cafe serves buffets and a la carte dishes at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
The continental breakfast has more choices than I was expecting. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
Buffets are available at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A la carte menus serving Asian and Western dishes as well as tapas are also available.
There are set lunches at lunch and dinner. Not only is the food delicious, the prices are also quite reasonable.
Beverages runs from coffee and tea to juices, soft drinks, cocktails, and beer.
Facilities
The hotel has a free-form outdoor swimming pool that is unheated. Located in a tropically landscaped courtyard, it is 25 metres, or 82 feet, long.
Desite the swimming pool's irregular shape, it is sufficiently long to do laps. I did, in fact, manage to do laps for one hour during my second day.
The swimming pool is surrounded by lounge chairs and tables. Many guest have breakfast by the pool.
The hotel has a free form swimming pool. Photo credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
A small fitness centre overlooks the swimming pool. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
There is a complimentary web corner with two Macs. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
The launderette has two sets of coin-operated washers and drivers. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
There is also a small fitness room next to the pool. It is equipped with five cardio-vascular machines (two treadmills, a stationary bicycle, and a cross-trainer).
There is also a universal gym (for upper body and legs), and dumbbells.
There is a coin-operated launderette with two washing machines and two driers. Soap and fabric softener are included in the prices. Laundry service is also available.
There is a web corner with two Internet stations in case you didn’t bring your laptop. Access is complimentary.
Shopping
The hotel sits atop McPherson Mall, a.k.a. M2.
The current anchor tenant is a FairPrice Supermarket, which is a full service supermarket.
A full-service supermarket is located on the second floor of the hotel. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
Duke Hair and Nail Saloon is located on the ground floor of the hotel. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
While there will eventually be 86 retail outlets, during my visit, only three of the spaces had been rented.
One of them was Duke Creative Hair and Nail, a full service hair salon, and it was a good thing! I was in desperate need of a haircut, and I got one at an opening price discount of 20%!
Location
The hotel is located along a leafy stretch of MacPherson Road in a mostly upscale residential district. Several international corporations have office buildings situated nearby.
The hotel is within a short walk of several day spas as well as cafes, restaurants, pubs, small markets, and other businesses..
The hotel is located along a leafy stretch of MacPherson Road at the intersection of Jalan Aljunied. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
There is a free shuttle service to the nearest MRT train station, NEX Mall Serangoon, and Orchard Street. Buses run several times a day at irregular intervals.
The hotel is a 20-minute drive from Changi Airport.
Where
Ibis Styles, 401 MacPherson Road (corner of Aljunied Road), Singapore. Telephone: +65 6622-6000. Check out current rates and book rooms at ibis Styles on MacPherson/TripAdvisor.com