Completed in 1974, Singapore’s Royal Plaza on Scotts is one of the oldest contemporary hotels in the Orchard area. The 511-key hotel was first known as the Holiday Inn Singapore – the first for the brand in Asia – before becoming the Royal Crowne Plaza Singapore in 1990. Today, it is run independently and is part of the popular Preferred Hotels marketing alliance.

Booking Royal Plaza on Scotts

For this stay at the Royal Plaza on Scotts, I paid a nightly rate of SGD 255 (~ USD 198, GBP 148) which booked me into an entry-level Deluxe Room without breakfast. Having booked this stay the night before check-in, this was quite a steal considering how inflated the rates at every other hotel had become. To sweeten things, this is very similar to the consistently charged advance rate offered by the hotel. At check-in, I paid a further SGD 48 for a one-category upgrade for our two-night stay.

Location

As its name suggests, the Royal Plaza on Scotts is located on Scotts Road – a major thoroughfare that intersects the heart of the Orchard Road shopping belt. Being so, the hotel is within easy reach of Orchard’s dizzying array of retail outlets, dining establishments, and entertainment venues. Next to the hotel is Shaw House, which is connected underground to the Neighbouring Tang Plaza, Wheelock Pace, and the ION Orchard Mall. As an extension of that, the Orchard MRT Station is within easy reach by way of ION Orchard. The station is served by two lines on the city-state’s excellent MRT subway network, an easy link to Singapore’s various icons and cultural attractions.

Check-in

Having arrived on an early morning flight, we arrived much in advance of the hotel’s 14.00 check-in time. We were greeted by the doorman, who unloaded our bags and took care of them as we walked to the reception desk.

With its twin grand staircase and white marble flooring, the hotel’s lobby is quite a sight to behold. Despite its apparent age, the lobby remains fresh thanks to numerous touch-ups over the years. If anything, this helped distract myself from how crowded and lively the lobby had been as we walked up to the reception desks.

Despite the busyness of the hotel, we were soon taken care of by a friendly agent who invited us to check in. As she confirmed our reservation details, we exchanged a few jokes and pleasantries, which added a welcoming feel to our arrival. At this point, I also noticed a dedicated Royal Brunei Airlines express check-in desk. Was this an in-town check-in facility for the airline? Or do Royal Brunei passengers get check-in priority? Either way, this was a strange thing to see.

While a room was available, we were told that early check-ins were chargeable. Instead, we were offered an upgrade to a Deluxe Plus Room that supersedes the early check-in fees. At SGD 48 for both nights, this seemed like a no-brainer – so I paid without thinking twice. Soon enough, we were issued our keys for our room on the sixth floor.

Deluxe Plus Room

At 32 sqm (344 sqft), the Deluxe Plus Room is reasonably sized for a hotel in the Royal Plaza on Scotts’ category. The room is brightly furnished with locally-inspired artwork, depicting architectural elements of Peranakan shophouses. Owing to its lowrise nature and location between two shopping podiums, there is not much of a view outside most rooms.

There is both a leather chair and a desk by the window, complementing the two beds which are positioned across the wall-hung television. I’ll note that the beds and chairs are relatively comfortable for what they are. There are also power outlets conveniently placed on the bedside, and in strategic points on the wall, which I appreciate.

Truth be told, it is difficult to pinpoint the difference between the Deluxe Plus Room and the entry-level Deluxe Room. With its identical design, size, and amenities, distinctions are far and in between. As far as I can see, the only difference lies in the Deluxe Plus Room’s two twin-size beds, which are slightly wider than the two single-size beds of the entry-level room.

All rooms come with a complimentary minibar as default, although this merely consists of two modest glasses of juice. There are also six mini bottles of water left on the desk, which seemed wasteful and unnecessary, particularly for a sustainable-leaning hotel in Singapore. An iron and ironing board is also provided in the closet, alongside a collapsible luggage rack and slippers.

Bathroom

Located next to the entryway is the bathroom, which is surprisingly small relative to the room’s size. Clad in a mix of tile and marble, the bathroom features a walk-in shower stall with both a rain and hand-held shower. Furthermore, the toilet is equipped with a handheld bidet, which isn’t too surprising for a hotel in Southeast Asia.

The provided amenities were from Citron Fresh, which appears to be a small skincare brand from Singapore. While I liked the local touch, I didn’t think it was particularly nice or otherwise, one way or another. Regardless, I appreciate that the bathroom was bright and well-maintained.

Amenities

Gymnasium

Located on Level 5 is the gymnasium, which is located right in front of the hotel’s outdoor swimming pool. Despite being accessible by keycard, the gymnasium is surprisingly only open between 06.00 to 22.00. The facility is composed of a small air-conditioned room with windows facing the pool.

Despite its small size, I was quite impressed with the gymnasium. There was a relatively complete selection of cardio equipment, alongside a full set of weights. Better yet, the equipment looked new and well-maintained, which only made things better.

Swimming Pool

Like the gymnasium, the swimming pool is located on Level 5 and is open between 06.00 and 22.00. Please excuse my pictures, which were taken in the dark. I visited at 06.00 just as the pool opened so as to not have anybody else in the picture.

The rectangular outdoor pool is surrounded by colourful lounge chairs on two sides. For what it is, the pool is quite small for a hotel of this size. Regardless, it is well-maintained and does its job as a pool.

Service

The service at the Royal Plaza on Scotts feels casual and friendly. I’ll point out that I was impressed by how efficient the staff were at doing their jobs and fulfilling requests. For one, I was surprised to find our room already cleaned after leaving for a quick breakfast in the morning. Furthermore, requests are made with a QR code system, and amenities like water or fresh towels are delivered promptly. Overall, I felt this was fitting and ideal for a premium yet non-luxury hotel like the Royal Plaza on Scotts.

Overall

In all, I’ll say that our stay was uneventful, which I guess is the best outcome you could expect from here. In a nutshell, the Royal Plaza on Scotts is a reasonably good yet affordable premium hotel in the Orchard area. While its rooms are far from plush, they are comfortable, modern, and clean. Combined with the friendly and efficient service and the great location, the hotel has a winning combination.