Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (pt. I)

If coming with high expectations for the new Singapore hotel at Changi Airport, directly connecting to brand new terminal 3, you won’t be disappointed. And if you just happen to be booked for a stay there it will be a most pleasant surprise.

 

Business travellers, holiday-makers, discerning drinkers, people on a stop-over etc. are all in for a treat at this ‘green’ InterContinental Hotel Group hotel.

 

Once one has stayed here, and even though not situated downtown, it will be a hard-to-resist hotel to return to at the first opportunity. Terminal 3 itself, as part of this airport, undoubtedly being among the top ten in the world, is a pleasure with its superb interior, architecture, comfort and duty-free shopping, bars and eateries. For instance it features indoor trees stretching from ground floor high up all the way to the terminal’s ceiling. 

 

So why should not then Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (opened in 2008) be on par with the airport itself! On the contrary it exceeds any expectations one could possibly have, at least if aiming for something up-to-date and stylish. Suitably this hotel is in line with the ongoing ambitious strategy for Singapore overall to place itself as an attractive destination on the world map.

 

Even more so; rarely have I seen a hotel with such an appealing design, façade and interior décor; in fact unique design concept.

 

Additionally, among all airport hotels in the world, I confidently feel that Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, far from the dull and routine environs one can often expect from such a place, is a strong candidate to be in the absolute top list worldwide – even though I admittedly haven’t stayed in many. Here is why.

 

Coming out of the luggage area upon arrival one is only steps away from the lobby of the hotel; a covered gate leads directly over to the adjacent hotel where a restaurant is situated to the left and with the lobby lounge to the right, before arriving at the lobby.

 

Immediately the wow-factor is there. Carefully selected patterns fills the floors, carpets, walls and décor. Walls and public spaces have curved contours and the dark-coloured, rich patterns from floor to ceiling are striking. A shiny black and ground grey-white tile floor is laid out in an unsymmetrical pattern. Custom-made design furniture is spread out in the lobby (sofas with covers in purple and yellow or orange and red colours and designer chairs) and the restaurants.

 
This design adventure continues outside and inside the lifts and along the platform-based corridors. The ceiling and walls circumventing the lift doors on each floor have a striking wall colour pattern in yellow, orange, pink, purple and red behind a latticework. And painted in black on the surface on these colours are branches and leaves of a tree, stretching out over the ceiling above your head. You get so distracted by the beauty of the intriguing patterns you might end up forgetting you were on your way into the lift or to the room.

 

One also ends up staring at the façade with this latticework and the wall behind it coming in a pattern of squares with a variety of colours such as a combination of orange, yellow, peach, light blue and light brown, or light brown and greenish colours; and which in fact covers all the walls facing the open corridors.

 

This unique architectural style also allows for natural light to flow down within the building and into the guest bathrooms through their frosted windows.

 

Thus, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has achieved to make also the exterior, the walls and corridors, to be interesting parts of the hotel. Walking along the passages between the separated buildings it is like being in an outdoor-indoor space. And this is further emphasized by a ‘rain-forest’ garden and a large open courtyard in-between the buildings housing a lush garden studded with palm and frangipani trees – and a swimming pool! So here is an airport hotel featuring a pool and gardens and thus being as close to a resort it could possibly be when not having a beach.

 

To finish off the exterior, the outer walls with the hotel room windows are also covered with a metal framework in a pattern imitating frangipani flowers. This elaborate screen also stretches between the hotel’s wings and partly frames the pool area. In fact it has a special purpose: shielding the building from the hot tropical sun and cutting down on the energy consumption.

 

By now you can probably guess that the rooms also won’t disappoint any design-loving guest. Inside the room done up in modern Asian style there are more details to drink in. Again, the frangipani becomes a strong feature as a motif: the graphic flower pattern, as an opaque film, covers large parts of the glass wall separating the bed and the bathroom. Also the wall-to-wall carpet comes in a similar pattern.

 

At the foot of the bed is also a sofa with green silk pillows for comfortable seating, facing the flat wide-screen television. A floor-to-ceiling window also lets in ample daylight while after turndown, as a contrast, the dimly lit room becomes very cosy.

 

The room comes with neutral-toned furnishings and light brownish marble in the bathroom, including the seat in shower. One can also wallow in the antique-style bathtub, while watching TV and hearing its sound via the bathroom’s own speaker.

 

A slide door hides either the mini bar and fridge or the wardrobe area, which also comes with a sitting bench.

 

Some rooms also come with private patios.

 

Continue to part II of review of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, Singapore

 

See also image gallery for Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

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